Linda and Graham Huddy
Photo: Trish Dunell
Trainer Darren Weir is chasing a Derby double with Volatile Mix, who showed classic staying prowess to claim the Gr.1 South Australian Derby at Morphettvile on Saturday.
The lightly raced Pentire colt will head towards the $600,000 Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
"He's owned in Queensland so I'm pretty sure we'll be heading that way,'' said Weir referring to owners Graham and Linda Huddy.
Volatile Mix is the first foal out of the stakes placed High Chaparral mare Utopia (Zabeel) who the Huddys purchased as a Queensland Oaks hope in 2010. She failed to fire when 11th behind Miss Keepsake in the Oaks but she has made amends as a broodmare.
The couple sent Utopia to Pentire with the hypothesis that the High Chaparral over Pentire cross which produced Shoot Out, who famously carried their maroon and gold striped silks to wins in the Australian Derby, Randwick Guineas, George Main Stakes and two Chipping Norton Stakes, could work in reverse and it has with the not so fittingly-named Volatile Mix.
"I wanted to name him something which related to the reverse cross, but every time I told people about him being by Pentire out of a High Chaparral mare, out of a Zabeel mare they said 'that sounds fiery', so we named him Volatile Mix," said Linda Huddy.
"The funny thing is, he isn't volatile at all. He is as quiet as anything."
Volatile Mix spent his early years at Lime Country Thoroughbreds, arriving at the then Hawke's Bay-based property as a foal. He completed his breaking-in, early education and pre-training under the care of Greg and Jo Griffin before crossing the Tasman to join Weir's stable.
The lightly raced Pentire colt will head towards the $600,000 Gr.1 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 10.
"He's owned in Queensland so I'm pretty sure we'll be heading that way,'' said Weir referring to owners Graham and Linda Huddy.
Volatile Mix is the first foal out of the stakes placed High Chaparral mare Utopia (Zabeel) who the Huddys purchased as a Queensland Oaks hope in 2010. She failed to fire when 11th behind Miss Keepsake in the Oaks but she has made amends as a broodmare.
The couple sent Utopia to Pentire with the hypothesis that the High Chaparral over Pentire cross which produced Shoot Out, who famously carried their maroon and gold striped silks to wins in the Australian Derby, Randwick Guineas, George Main Stakes and two Chipping Norton Stakes, could work in reverse and it has with the not so fittingly-named Volatile Mix.
"I wanted to name him something which related to the reverse cross, but every time I told people about him being by Pentire out of a High Chaparral mare, out of a Zabeel mare they said 'that sounds fiery', so we named him Volatile Mix," said Linda Huddy.
"The funny thing is, he isn't volatile at all. He is as quiet as anything."
Volatile Mix spent his early years at Lime Country Thoroughbreds, arriving at the then Hawke's Bay-based property as a foal. He completed his breaking-in, early education and pre-training under the care of Greg and Jo Griffin before crossing the Tasman to join Weir's stable.
