Racing: Hall of Fame out of Derby

High-profile three-year-old Hall Of Fame is out of classic contention. Photo / NZ Racing Desk

High-profile three-year-old Hall Of Fame is out of classic contention.

Connections have decided against continuing on a Vodafone New Zealand Derby path and, like his fellow Group One winner and stablemate Heroic Valour, he will be kept to the shorter trips.

Hall Of Fame finished fifth when he stepped up to 2000 metres in last Saturday's Waikato Guineas at Te Rapa off the back of his Levin Classic victory over a mile.

"We thought he may have closed off a bit stronger so we've decided to freshen him and run him in the Cambridge Breeders' Stakes," said Jamie Richards, who trains in partnership with Stephen Autridge.

"We'll then take him to Brisbane for a couple of races - the Fred Best Classic on May 20 and the Queensland Guineas on June 10. That's our plan at this stage."

The Group Three Fred Best will be run over 1350 metres at Doomben and the Group Two Queensland Guineas is over a mile at Eagle Farm.

"Heroic Valour will run in the NRM Sprint and then we'll freshen him up as well and he could well be seen in action in Brisbane.

"But we want to get Saturday out of the way first."

The stable still holds a very decent Derby hand and they will be represented by at least three runners in the Retina Specialists Avondale Guineas on Saturday week.

They will be headed by Shocking Luck, who produced a bold front-running performance to finish runner-up in the Waikato Guineas.

"He ran really well and he's come through it nicely," Richards said. "Gingernuts, who won well at Te Teko, will be there and so will Beaumarchais.

"We were happy enough with his effort at Te Rapa where he got back and there was no speed on."

- NZ Racing Desk