2025 Queensland Derby among the options for promising 3YO

An untimely injury may have derailed Hurstville Zagreb’s shot at the ATC Australian Derby, but the unbeaten gelding still has a shot at Group glory as winter targets come into focus.

Trained by John O’Shea and Tom Charlton, Hurstville Zagreb was scratched from a March 15 race at Rosehill after suffering a hoof injury in the tie-up stalls. The incident disrupted a campaign aimed at the Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and ultimately the Australian Derby (2400m).

The Rosehill race was subsequently won by King Of Thunder, a stablemate now considered one of the main contenders for the Queensland Derby.

Although the injury scuttled his autumn plans, the team has realigned their focus, with Hurstville Zagreb now on a path that could still lead to Group 1 competition in Queensland.

He is set to trial over 1050m at Randwick on Thursday, with connections hoping he shows enough to warrant a quick return to the races and possibly join King Of Thunder on the Queensland trail.

“We will get through the trial and then there are a couple of nice races in Sydney for him,” O’Shea said.

“We will see how he performs there and be guided by his performances in terms of what we do with him going forward.

“But we are open to everything, as always.”

Should the gelding trial well, he’s expected to resume in a 1600m benchmark race at Gosford before possibly lining up in a 2000m event at Randwick and the Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on May 31.

Joining him at the trials is stablemate Maximum Dividend, who showed ability in limited appearances last preparation. He won first-up at Wyong and was runner-up to Tajanis at Canterbury. That rival has since earned black-type success and a placing in the Group 2 Auckland Cup.

O’Shea says the gelding has come back in fine order and could be one to follow through the grades this campaign.

“He has come back really well and we’re really pleased with him. He is right on track,” he said.