Promising three-year-old Ess Vee Are has entered Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby (2400m) calculations after his win in the Dunstan Horsefeeds 2100 at Te Rapa on Wednesday.

With the victory, the son of Shocking has met the minimum requirements to become eligible for the Derby and trainer Darryn Weatherley is excited to be heading to the feature raceday at Ellerslie on March 5.

“The conditions to get into the Derby is that you have to have won a race or be stakes placed. We have won a race now, so we are on the right track,” Weatherley said.

Off a solid pace, from midfield jockey Sam Weatherley tracked favourite Illicit Miss into the race and the two went head-to-head down the home straight before Ess Vee Are got the better of the Jamie Richards-trained runner to win by a neck.

“It was a good effort and he deserved it,” Darryn Weatherley said.

“I watched them down the back straight and he was on their tail the whole way, he didn’t want Jamie Richards’ horse out of his sight, she was always going to be hard to beat. They had a good old tussle.”

Weatherley was pleased with Ess Vee Are’s runs heading into the race, but said it was a relief to have cleared maiden ranks with the gelding.

“He had been going some nice races, but he was a bit disappointing at Matamata on an off track (when 12^thlast month),” he said.

“I am very happy with the way he went today and he toughed it out, it was a brave run.”

Weatherley was also buoyed by the comments made by his jockey son after the race.

“Sam said he thought he might have got there a bit too soon because he put his head in the air and he felt he had more in the tank, but he needed something to chase. That is encouraging,” Weatherley said.

While the Gr.2 Legacy Lodge Waikato Guineas (2000m) just a race later was a potential option, Weatherley said the Derby is Ess Vee Are’s main target and he doesn’t mind taking some softer options heading there.

“I have got a lot of respect for the horses heading towards the Derby and the horses who have won Guineas already are going to be tough enough to beat going 2400m,” Weatherley said.

“We threw a nomination in there (for the Waikato Guineas) just in case there were eight or nine in it, but it looked a pretty tough field.

“We can take the back door into the Derby.”

Weatherley said he will likely take another softer option with his charge for his final lead-in run to the Derby.

“He will have one more run between now and Derby Day, whether that is the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m) or on the same day there is (rating) 65 2100m,” he said.

“I am not against running him in that either because you don’t have to take on the All Blacks until Derby Day, you can pick up some chocolates without getting a headache.

“He is still probably no certainty of getting in, but we have won a race and it wouldn’t bother me taking the softer option into the Derby and then that can be our grand final against the guns.

“One thing with my horse is that he will stay all day, he just eats up the ground.” – NZ Racing Desk