Aaron Bidlake admits he has always been a dreamer and this Saturday he is hoping one dream can turn into reality when his smart three-year-old Tulsa King lines-up in the Gr.1 HKJC World Pool New Zealand Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie.

The Hastings horseman has long held aspirations of competing in the $1.25 million Classic, and later this week he will realise that ambition when he treks north with his diminutive gelding, who he bought online for just $1,500.

The son of Staphanos, who barely reaches 15 hands, failed to flatter in his first two starts for former trainer Barry Donoghue as a two-year-old, beating just one runner home on debut at Trentham last May before finishing last at Te Rapa a fortnight later.

Tulsa King was subsequently offered on gavelhouse.com, and after some analysis, Bidlake thought he was worth a gamble, and he faced minimal opposition in the online auction, with his $1,500 bid securing the gelding, who he syndicated amongst family and friends.

“He had two starts up north with Barry Donoghue and didn’t show a lot, but I had looked at his trials and I liked the way he trialled up,” Bidlake said.

“He was obviously a very small horse, so he didn’t really suit the selling market, so they decided to move him on and we managed to get him for next to nothing.”

While diminutive in stature, Bidlake said Tulsa King had a presence about him from day one, and he thought he had something special on his hands, which was vindicated with a first-up victory at New Plymouth in September, with his $23,000 winning stake more than recouping his purchase price.

Well and truly in the green on the gelding, Bidlake began to dream big, and decided to set a path towards the Derby with his stable newcomer.

“Right from the day we got him I just loved his attitude,” Bidlake said. “He was a little shit when he arrived, trying to front foot me after about five minutes, and I thought he had a bit of something about him.

“We didn’t really know what we had racing-wise, I had galloped him on our plough at home, but then he had that first raceday start for us and just ran away from them. We were no chance at the 600m and then won by a length. We knew we had something special then.

“Once he did that at New Plymouth, I thought let’s map out some sort of plan to get to a Derby. His pedigree suggests that he was going to get over a bit of ground.

“My theory is that every boy that comes into the stable is a Derby horse and every filly is an Oaks horse. I am a bit of a dreamer. You aim high and if you get halfway, you aren’t doing too bad.”

While he was unplaced in his next two starts, Tulsa King secured black type at Otaki in November when runner-up in an action-packed Gr.3 Wellington Stakes (1600m).

Bidlake then cast his eye north, lining Tulsa King up at Rotorua before heading to Ellerslie, the home of the Derby, where he proved his Wellington Stakes result was no fluke when filling the same position in the Listed Gingernuts Salver (2100m).

“It (Gingernuts Salver) was a great run,” Bidlake said. “I didn’t watch a lot of the races that day, I stayed with my horse, but everybody said he was the only horse on the day to make up ground down on the inside. That got us excited going forward, so since then it has been maintenance and trying to look after him to get him there (Derby).”

Bidlake elected to remain in the Central Districts for Tulsa King’s final lead-in run, opting to contest last month’s Wairoa Cup (2100m) at Waipukurau, a race C'est La Guerre won on his way to taking out the 2008 edition of the New Zealand Derby.

“I am quite a big form analyst, I go through previous seasons and see how to get there (Derby),” Bidlake said. “Obviously we are doing things a little bit differently to others, and that is just because of travelling from the Central Districts.

“We have made one trip north and have just stuck to home trying to save him for the Derby.

“He ran in the Wairoa Cup, which was the same race C'est La Guerre won, but I don’t know if there are too many horses who actually had their lead-up run at Waipukurau to try and win a Derby.”

Tulsa King was met by a Heavy8 track at Waipukurau, and while he didn’t manage to win the race, Bidlake was happy enough with his fourth placed run.

“I think he has handled the Heavy track, he has just ended up on the inside,” Bidlake said. “Sectionally he was really good up until that last 200m and that is when he came down to the very inside and he has battled in that last bit.

“When you are in an Open Handicap field, and you are only a one-win three-year-old, everything was up against him, but he was still close enough to some pretty handy horses. I am really happy.”

Tulsa King has been ridden by Samantha Collett in his last two starts, but with the northern hoop committed to riding last-start Gr.2 Avondale Guineas (2100m) winner That’s Gold in the Derby, Bidlake has called on the services of senior hoop Jonathan Riddell, who rode Jimmy Choux to victory in the Derby 15 years ago for fellow Hastings trainer John Bary.

Riddell sat on Tulsa King for the first time last week and Bidlake said he received positive feedback following his piece of work at Waipukurau.

“It was his first feel of him, and he said ‘I know he is a small horse, but he doesn’t feel small, he rides so much bigger than he is’,” Bidlake said. “He is healthy and happy, so I am happy heading into Saturday.”

Bidlake and Tulsa King will begin their journey north on Friday, stopping the night in Cambridge with good friend Shaun Phelan before heading to Ellerslie on raceday.

Bidlake can’t wait for the big day and said he is excited about his gelding’s chances.

“It is really exciting, we are only small players and only work a handful of horses,” he said. “I have had a bit of success as a jumps trainer and a couple of other handy flat horses, but to get a good three-year-old is great. I have always thought that the Derby was the ultimate goal, so to finally be getting one there is a great thrill.”

Tulsa King will have an army of supporters barracking for him, with many of his owners set to be trackside on Saturday to cheer home their charge.

“A lot of my family are involved in the horse,” Bidlake said. “Barry and Teresa are my Uncle and Aunty, who are up in Hamilton. Barry has raced a few horses with me over the years, he is right into the game.

“Mum and Dad have got a small share in him with some friends of theirs, and there are about 12 people in the Grassroots Racing Kings Syndicate. They are all extremely excited and I think most of them are going to make their way up to Ellerslie to enjoy the day.

“It (Champions Day) is developing into the biggest day in New Zealand racing, so to be a part of it with what I think is a realistic chance is great.”