Racing: Kent hoping for the best

Photo / Getty Images

Victorian horseman Mick Kent has his promising young stayers Philippi and High Shot on a well-deserved Australian Derby path.

However, he acknowledges his hopes of winning the classic have diminished considerably after the "sobering" experience of watching raging Derby favourite It's A Dundeel win the Rosehill Guineas.

Kent didn't have a runner in the Guineas but the trainer made sure he got a good view of the race that It's A Dundeel won by 6 lengths.

Philippi and High Shot contest the group two Tulloch Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill tomorrow and are in line to then back up against It's A Dundeel in the Derby (2400m) a week later.

"It was a bit sobering seeing that horse last week," Kent said of It's A Dundeel. "He was just awesome."

Before the Derby, there is tomorrow's group two up for grabs and Kent believes Philippi, who will race in blinkers for the first time, will run well.

The trainer said he was also keen to get High Shot, a last-start sixth in the Phar Lap Stakes (1500m), over this sort of distance on rain-affected going.

"High Shot seems to have handled all things up there well, so I'm looking forward to him getting over this distance," Kent said.

"Philippi's runs this time in have all been reasonably good and if he has some luck I think he'll run well."

An offer to buy Philippi in the lead-up to the Rosehill Guineas "fell over", Kent said.

- AAP