Trainers Look For Chinks In Jimmy Choux

Like many trainers in the lead-up to Saturday's New Zealand Derby, Jason Bridgman is hoping Jimmy Choux will be found out by the 2400m trip - but he's not confident the colt will be.

Bridgman, who trains at Matamata for Te Akau Stables, saddles up Icepin and Encosta Diablo in the $NZ2.2 million Group One contest at Ellerslie and says both are fit and ready to run good races.

But he knows that on current form it will be hard to topple Jimmy Choux if the season's leading male three-year-old can stay 2400m.

The $2.80 favourite won the Group One 2000 Guineas (1600m) earlier this season and had no trouble stepping up from 1600m to 2000m when thrashing many of his Derby opponents in the Waikato Guineas in early February.

"We're all running for second if he runs to his game and runs it out," Bridgman said.

"There's no reason to think he won't get 2400 metres given his lead-up run. He ran a strong 2000 metres and if it rained he'd handle it up to a point as well."

Icepin shot into contention for the Derby with a decisive victory in the Avondale Guineas (2100m) at Ellerslie on February 19 and is currently fourth favourite at $14.

"On form he's probably the second-best male three-year-old in the country and he should get the 2400 metres," Bridgman said.

"His biggest concern would be the weather forecast. If the rain comes, he's no hope on a wet track."

Sam Spratt, who hasn't ridden Icepin since his two-year-old days, takes the mount on Saturday.

Encosta Diablo's formline isn't the most compelling for a Derby candidate but he is well in the market at $16 and Bridgman says he's fit and well.

"He was running on well in the Avondale Guineas and Chris Johnson said it was a good run from a Derby point of view," Bridgman said.

"He will handle the wet, but the question for him is whether he's good enough."

Bridgman's best chance of toppling Jimmy Choux may have been if leading filly King's Rose had lined up, but the stable has stuck to its plan to aim at the New Zealand and AJC Australian Oaks and her run on Saturday will be in the Group Three Lowland Stakes (2100m) at Hastings.

"We kept our options open for the Derby but we had to look at what was best for the filly, both this season and later in her career," he said.

"Her main goal is the (AJC) Australian Oaks."