Race day: Victoria Derby There is no worse barrier for a horse to draw wide in this country than the 2500-metre start at Flemington, so it's no surprise that bookmakers are now keen to lay the pre-draw equal favourites Savvy Nature and Complacent in Saturday's $1.5 million Victoria Derby after they both drew off the track. Savvy Nature is in gate 13 while Complacent drew even worse with 16. Another top Sydney hope, Criterion, who separated the other two in the Spring Champion Stakes, drew 14. The Victoria Derby barrier was even worse pre 1972 when the VRC finally accepted that the traditional distance of 2400 metres was unfair and it was extended to 2500 metres. The extra 100 metres was added so the three-year-olds had the extra distance before they reached the extremely tight turn out of the straight. Hucklebuck ridden by Dom Tourneur. One might wonder why such a traditional race was run from such a shocking barrier on such a spacious track. Well, the reason is that when the derby was first run in 1885 the Flemington track was quite different with the 2400-metre start being behind the Elms stand, giving the runners an extra 400-metre straight run before they reached the 2000-metre start. Despite the bad draw I still remain confident that the staying-bred Complacent can win the race. Source: Betfair. The Peter Snowden-trained colt is from the first Australian crop of 2007 Epsom Derby winner Authorized, while his dam Insouciance is a daughter of another Epsom Derby winner in Quest For Fame. On that breeding we can all but eliminate any worries about him running the distance and the way he has come on in his Sydney races, finishing with a brilliant win in the Spring Champion Stakes, suggests to me that only bad luck from the bad barrier will prevent him from winning. His main danger might be the Victorian Polanski, who has done everything right in the lead-up and he has drawn perfectly in barrier one. Savvy Nature was OK winning at Moonee Valley last Saturday when he didn't seem happy racing the left-handed way for the first time. But in last week's race he beat a horse who had been beaten at Avoca at his previous start, so I have a query about that form. 5 Best Bets Flemington Race 1, No 2 HUCKLEBUCK It's appropriate that on Victoria Derby day a son of 2003 Derby winner Elvstroem looks one of the better bets on the program. This gelding has stamped himself as a serious galloper and getting better as he matures and gets over longer trips. He had a moderate start to his career with an effortless win in a maiden at Gawler then he went to the Morphettville Park track and among those he beat was the recent Geelong Classic winner, Gamblin" Guru. Trainer Phillip Stokes obviously realised he had a horse good enough for the Melbourne spring carnival and, after an unlucky third at Moonee Valley in a strong field, the gelding started favourite at Caulfield and didn't give punters a moment's worry as he strolled home by two lengths. The step up to 1600 metres on Saturday looks ideal. Adelaide gallopers are enjoying a good run here this spring. SUGGESTED BET Back Hucklebuck and start the day on a winning note. Flemington Race 2, No. Darren Weir's home-bred filly May's Dream is a solid favourite to win the VRC Oaks next Thursday and she will firm even more if, as expected, she wins today's Wakeful Stakes and I think that she will. Lightly raced, May's Dream has done everything right in her short career, with an excellent first-up third at Moonee Valley when she looked in need of the run, followed by an easy win at Caulfield, before a gallant second to champion filly Guelph in the Thousand Guineas when she chased that filly hard all the way up the home straight and raced like a true stayer. Being a daughter of South Australian Oaks winner and Melbourne Cup runner-up She's Archie, May's Dream should be ideally suited by today's step up in distance and with Guelph now in the paddock, May's Dream can establish herself as our best staying filly by winning both this and the Oaks. SUGGESTED BET Back May's Dream to win the Wakeful-Oaks double. Flemington Race 4, No. Chris Waller, as well as being Australia's champion trainer, is also a conservative judge of his horses, so when he declared during the week that his star three-year-old Zoustar "might be the next big thing in racing"" he made headlines. Zoustar has since been sold to a leading stud for a $20 million package and may be heading overseas to race at Ascot next year. I've seen Zoustar race in Brisbane and Sydney and I think he'll probably win the Coolmore Stud Stakes today, but while I'm including him in our best bets today, I'm not so sure he is going to be reasonable odds. The hype about him being a $20 million colt has assured that he will be very short, under the odds, and I'm only suggesting him as a betting prospect if we can get black figures. SUGGESTED BET If he wins easily, maybe he's worth $20 million. But look for $2 or better. Flemington Race 3, No. Flemington trainer Nigel Blackiston is a former stable foreman for Bart Cummings so it is no surprise that he is a naturally patient man and this is highlighted by the career of his promising staying mare Let's Make A Deal, a four-year-old who has raced only 11 times. Bred to stay, by Red Ransom from Let's Get Famous, a daughter of the great Let's Elope. Let's Make A Deal started this preparation with an impressive mid-week win over 1600 metres at Sandown and was then tossed in the deep end and ran a pleasing fourth in the group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. She was not disgraced when second to the very smart Star Rolling in Adelaide before a close-up fourth in the Herbert Power Handicap. She will be at her peak today and on her home track she looks a great chance at odds . SUGGESTED BET Although the barrier is awkward, Let's Make A Deal is a nice each-way bet. Flemington Race 5, No. The time-honoured Mackinnon Stakes used to be known as the "practice stakes"" by punters who got used to seeing Melbourne cup candidates have their lead-up run in the Mackinnon - and it was suggested that several were not out to bust their boilers. Not any more, not since the VRC increased the prizemoney to $1 million and re-classified it as a group 1 event. Now it is a great race. This year it's an open affair and my top fancy is Solzhenitsyn, who won his second Toorak Handicap last start and steps up to 2000 metres for the first time. He was very strong in the Toorak and it's interesting that top Queensland trainer Robert Heathcote has removed his blinkers hoping this will help the horse relax. There is no pace here and if he settles okay from his perfect draw, Solzhenitsyn might well outsprint his rivals in the run home. SUGGESTED BET Back Solzhenitsyn to win. The Quaddie Very keen on Complacent, and if the Sydney colt had drawn a better barrier I would be inclined to take him one-out. He was considered fortunate to beat Savvy Nature in the Gloaming Stakes at Rosehill, but over the much tougher 2000 metres in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick, he thrashed the same horse. Considering it was only his fifth start, and his third back from a spell, I believe this colt is still on the up and trainer Peter Snowden is happy to run him without a Victorian start. If he has no luck, then I think Polanski and Savvy Nature are the dangers. My numbers: 2, 3, 4. Sharnee Rose has regained her zest for racing since joining the stables of Kris Lees and the astute Newcastle mentor loves nothing more than success at the VRC spring carnival. Sharnee Rose showed ability in her early career and under Lees' care has posted impressive wins at Rosehill, beating Red Tracer, and at Randwick, when she finished too strongly for Queenstown (who has since won easily at Moonee Valley). As always this is a terrific race with several other chances, including the classy Red Tracer, Catkins and New Zealand visitor, Zonza. My numbers: 1, 3, 4, 14. Of the quaddie legs, this is the toughest. Straight racing at Flemington is always a test, with so many starters and guessing which part of the track will be best. The wind can often play a part too, so we'll go wide here, including a few at attractive odds. Albrecht ran a mighty race over this track when first-up then drew the inside gate which didn't suit him last start when a respectable fifth. With James McDonald in the saddle he has a big chance at double-figure odds. Others to include are Albrecht's stablemate, Chiaramonte, Spirit Of Boom, Fontelina, Amaethon and Shamal Wind. My numbers: 1, 4, 8, 9, 11, 15. Peter Snowden is set for another good day, including this final leg where he has two main chances, Galah and Launay. Interesting to see stable jockey Kerrin McEvoy is riding Galah, while Steven Arnold will ride Launay. Galah is ready to win after an excellent second-up third at Caulfield behind Epsom winner Boban, while Launay, although disappointing last start, has won five races at Flemington and is well treated with 56.5 kilograms. Other chances appear to be British General, a 1400 metres specialist, as well as smart Sydney gallopers Riva De Lago and Strike The Stars. My numbers: 1, 3, 4, 8, 10.