Palladium Lands Group One Queensland Derby Victory

New Zealand-bred gelding Palladium (NZ) (Bettor’s Delight) landed the biggest win of his career when taking out the Group One Queensland Derby (2680m) at Albion Park on Inter Dominion Finals night last Saturday.

The three-year-old son of Bettor’s Delight had to do it tough when sitting parked for the final two laps and he showed his staying qualities down the home straight when reeling in leader Maxo Mighty (Warrawee Needy) to win by a neck.

Trainer-driver Brad Hewitt was proud of his gelding’s gritty effort.

“I was fairly confident before the race that he could win, but my confidence diminished when I had to race outside the leader,” Hewitt said. “However, they weren’t going that hard in front and it suited with Maxo Mighty leading.”

The Group One Victoria Derby (2760m) at Melton in October now looms as Palladium’s next major assignment. 

“Unfortunately, being Kiwi-bred we can’t run him in the local Breeders series, but we might consider the Victoria Derby,” Hewitt said.

Palladium hails from a rich pedigree, with his second dam, De Lovely, and third dam, Copper Beach, both being multiple Group One winners. His dam Platinum, who is a half-sister to Group Three winner Cole Porter, also displayed talent on the track with three victories.

Offered through Laura Smith’s 2024 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sale draft, Palladium had attracted plenty of attention, and bloodstock agent Peter Lagan was forced to reach deep and was finally able to secure the then colt with a final bid of $200,000.

Palladium was subsequently entrusted to the care of Southland trainer Nathan Willamson, for whom he won three of his nine starts in New Zealand.

He joined Hewitt’s stable last month, and he won on debut at Riverina Paceway for the Goulburn horseman before he finished fifth in the South East Derby (2138m) and Queensland Derby Qualifier (2138m).

Palladium has now won five of his 13 starts to date and earned more than A$120,000 in prizemoney.

Vendor	L. Smith
Purchaser	Peter Lagan Standardbreds
Owner(s)	Boots Properties Racing Pty Ltd
Breeding	Bettor's Delight - Platinum
Sale	2024 National Standardbred Yearling Sale, Christchurch ($200,000)
Breeder(s)	Taffy Limited,A J Patterson,Ms M M Murrell,B Tapper,Ms K Tapper