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Jockey Zac Purton concedes Toowoomba rival Ice Chariot holds a slight advantage over his mount Belmonte, the favourite for the Group One Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
Purton rates the Ron Maund-trained Ice Chariot as the main danger to Belmonte following the Queenslander's sensational Grand Prix Stakes (2100m) victory at Eagle Farm last week.
His major fear is that Ice Chariot looks a stronger three-year-old than the Canberra-trained Belmonte.
"At this stage of their careers, Ice Chariot looks the stronger three-year-old and that could be a decisive factor," Purton said.
While Purton is wary of Belmonte's immaturity, he remains confident the gelding has the stamina to run 2400 metres.
"The distance is a slight concern as he can overrace but if he settles he should be right," Purton said.
"The key is to get him to switch off, relax and go to sleep and if he does he will run the trip right out.
"If he gets reefing and tearing his turn of foot will be dwindled and that will bring him back to the rest of the field and it could be the difference between winning and losing."
Purton's only Group One success came during the Sydney autumn carnival when he won the Sires' Produce Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on the Guy Walter-trained Excites.
Much of the pre-Derby talk this week has centred on Belmonte who hung in over the concluding stages of his brilliant victory in the Rough Habit Plate (2020m) at Doomben last month.
Purton, 23, has ridden Belmonte in his past three victories in Sydney and Brisbane and carried the whip in his right hand for his first two wins in the Carbine Club Stakes (1600m) at Randwick in April and the Doomben Classic (1615m) last month.
However, Belmonte hung in when Purton used the whip in his left hand in the Rough Habit Plate.
Purton had his reasons for changing hands and will revert to the proven method for the Queensland Derby.
"There's been a lot of unnecessary talk about that and I'm not even worried by it," Purton said.
"I've tried the whip in both hands on him now and I'll carry it in the right hand this time."
© 2010 Published 08/06/06
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