Leading trainer Ciaron Maher will launch a three-pronged attack on Saturday’s (1 November) G1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington with his young stayer Observer the top pick and clear-cut favourite.

The three-year-old colt bypassed last Saturday’s G1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley and instead stepped out earlier in the afternoon to demolish eight rivals in the G2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m).

Observer went to the front where he dictated the pattern of the race, stretching to an effortless five-length lead 200 metres from the winning post before jockey Mark Zahra eased the colt right down over the last 50 metres to win by just half a length.

Stewards fined Zahra AUD1,500 (approx. HK$7,646) for failing to ride his mount out to the finish, but Zahra said he knew he had the race won and thought he would look after him for the Derby.

“He was having a good look around and quickened up for 400 (metres) and the race was over,” Zahra said. “I was getting a bit up him in the end but thinking about next week I thought, ‘That’ll do, you’d better ease up’.”

Maher’s other two runners – Amazake and Matsuda – both performed well in their last races but are considered outsiders.

Chris Waller is talking up the chances of Providence, who finished half a length behind race favourite Observer at Moonee Valley last week.

“Providence is by Wootton Bassett, a great international stallion that leaves winners over all distances, so that gives us a bit of confidence to know that he’ll get 2500m and he certainly hit the line strongly last Saturday,” Waller, who also saddles Savisanta in the race, said.

“He’s a great chance.”

Tony McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his son Calvin, concedes Observer will be hard to beat but presented a stout argument for Options, who finished fifth to the Derby favourite last week.

“The favourite is going to be very hard to beat but if there’s one there that can beat him, it can be us,” he said.

Nick Ryan was a top Victorian jockey before he lost the battle against weight, which forced his retirement from the saddle to become a trainer.

He is hoping Miewa, whom he purchased for AUD460,000 (approx. HK$2.35 million) after identifying the yearling as a Derby prospect, will give him his first Group 1 win as a trainer or jockey.

“He’s had the perfect prep,” Ryan said. “He’s peaking at the right time and we’re really happy with him.”

Ryan’s other runner, Highvol, is another outsider in the 16-horse field, where Autumn Mystery and O’sheamus are considered leading contenders in a race where all runners are tested over 2500m for the first time, which can produce unexpected results.

The Victoria Derby is carded as S1-7 and will be run at 1.20pm (Hong Kong time) on Saturday, 1 November.