Former Queensland based sire Hotel Grand claimed the first G1 Victorian Derby for the Sunshine State in over 50 years at Flemington on Saturday.

Hotel Grand gelding Fiveandahalfstar defied running down to win Australia’s oldest classic by over a length from Super Cool (Fastnet Rock) and $101 outsider Rawnaq (Redoute’s Choice).

Hotel Grand (Grand Lodge) was a G1 winner of the AJC Spring Champion Stakes and Randwick Guineas before retiring to Racetree in 2007.  He died from a colic attack at the Innisplain based stud in February.

The last Queensland based stallion to sire a Victorian Derby winner was Lyndhurst Stud champion Smokey Eyes.  Arguably Queensland’s best-ever stallion, he sired New Statesman to win the 1961 Victoria Derby for jockey Geoff Lane and trainer Brian Courtney.

Fiveandahalfstar (3g Hotel Grand – Cryptic Miss by Snippets) is a homebred for Anthony Cummings and he also prepared the winner’s sire and dam.  “I put him through the 2011 Inglis Classic yearling sale but there wasn’t much interest,” Cummings recalled.  “I bid $20,000 and took him back home.”

Fiveandahalfstar was syndicated among a stable partnership that includes Julia Ritchie and Hal Dyball and he has now earned over $1 million.  “He’s got a bold running style, much like his old man,” Cummings claimed.  “We probably never saw the best of Hotel Grand.  He was one of the best that I’ve trained and it’s nice to get one of his youngsters to come here and do the job.”

It was the fourth Victoria Derby winning ride by Damien Oliver following Redding (1992), Amalfi (2001) and Elvstroem (2003).  Amalfi was bred in New Zealand but had Queensland connections through trainer Peter Moody and owners Ron and Judy Wanless.

– Karl Patterson