Derby Goal for Achiever

Progressive three year-old Achiever (3g Pride of Dubai x Lady Circles, by Ascot Knight) put himself in contention for a trip to Brisbane when scoring a brave front running win at Rosehill on Saturday.

Prepared by Chris Waller and ridden by Tommy Berry, Achiever led all the way and was tenacious at the finish winning the Benchmark 78 event over 2000m by a short neck. Some saw his win as a topical tip, given the race Achiever won was named in honour of recent new addition to the Hall of Fame, John Messara.

At his previous run, Achiever led and fought hard to finish third in the Group III ATC Frank Packer Plate won by Senor Toba, who is a prime contender for the Group I BRC Queensland Derby.

"He has come of age since we have been racing him on the speed," said Waller, who indicated Achiever would head to Brisbane for the Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm in two weeks.

"We had looked at moving him on to an easier place in racing, but he got some confidence when he pinched a race three starts ago.

"He is going to be a competitive horse now we have learned how to ride him and found his right distances."

An $80,000 Inglis Premier purchase for Star Thoroughbreds / Randwick Bloodstock from the Erinvale Thoroughbreds draft, Achiever has the overall record of three wins and four placings from 15 starts with prizemoney in excess of $250,000.

He was bred by the Vieira Group and is a half-brother to Group III winner Decircles and three other stakes horses being from the family of champions Elvstroem, Haradasun and Highland Reel.

Achiever is another bright prospect for Pride of Dubai, who stands this spring at a fee of $22,000.