Sharrock duo to commence Derby bids
Joshua Smith • January 18th, 2026 5:55 PM • 3 min read
This time last year Stratford trainer Gavin Sharrock experienced the hype of Karaka Millions week with his then two-year-old Daylight Robbery, and 12 months on he is hoping two of his stablemates can successfully launch their bids towards the Gr.1 Trackside New Zealand Derby (2400m) in March.
Homebred gelding Country Salon will be first-up in the Race Images 1340 at Whanganui on Monday, where Sharrock expects him to be competitive following his runner-up trial over 1200m at Foxton earlier this week.
“He is very well in himself,” Sharrock said. “I was really rapt with his trial at Foxton and I think he will go pretty close to winning tomorrow.”
Stakes-placed at two, the son of Darci Brahma was fifth in both the Listed Wanganui Guineas (1200m) and Gr.2 Hawke’s Bay Guineas (1400m) last spring, and Sharrock is looking forward to stepping him up over ground following Monday’s run.
“He is tracking towards the Derby,” he said. “I will give him a mile somewhere and then we will go to the Avondale Guineas (Gr.2, 2100m) on the 21st of February.”
Sharrock also has Derby aspirations with stablemate Brave Rebel, who is set to line-up at New Plymouth this coming Saturday.
The Tivaci gelding won his maiden over a mile at New Plymouth last month before finishing runner-up behind Gr.2 Auckland Cup (3200m) hopeful The Precursor over the same track and distance just after Christmas.
“Brave Rebel is heading that way (NZ Derby) as well,” Sharrock said. “He will race in a (rating) 65 2000m at New Plymouth next Saturday and we will see how he goes then. He was a pretty good second to The Precursor and I see he is heading towards the Auckland Cup.”
Sharrock will also head to Whanganui with three other runners on Monday, with Erbys Darci, Porotene Tiger and Flagship all set to contest the Carpet Maintenance & Cleaning Maiden 3YO (1340m), however, the latter may be saved for another day after drawing the outside gate.
“I have got three three-year-olds in there, I don’t know whether Flagship will start yet, he has drawn 17 out of 17, which makes it pretty hard, but the other two definitely will start,” Sharrock said.
“Erbys Darci has been galloping well and he has come through his last start well, so hopefully he can put his foot in the till somewhere.
“In his first-up run Porotene Tiger missed the jump by quite a bit and it put him right out of it, but he has progressed well since, so we will see how he goes tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Sharrock said Daylight Robbery has recently returned to work after undergoing surgery last year.
“He cracked a cannon bone and he has had it screwed and has had three months convalescence,” Sharrock said. “He has just come back into the stable last week, so he won’t be around until the spring.”
A $10,500 purchase out of Waikato Stud’s 2024 New Zealand Bloodstock Online Yearling Sale draft on Gavelhouse.com, Daylight Robbery went on to win one and finish runner-up in two of his first three starts, which earned him a place in last year’s Karaka Millions 2YO (1200m), giving Sharrock a memorable week in Auckland.
“It was fantastic with the live draw and the build-up to it was a great hype,” he said.
Daylight Robbery would finish seventh in the race and went on to post three consecutive fourth placings in the Gr.3 Matamata Slipper (1200m), Wanganui Guineas and Hawke’s Bay Guineas before injury cut short his season. – LOVERACING.NZ News Desk
