Victoria Derby Next For Shards and Tally

The G1 Victoria Derby is next on the agenda for Shards after he finished a fighting second in the G2 Dilmah Vase at Moonee Valley on Saturday, October 24.

Shards will be joined by stablemates Tally, who finished fifth in the Vase, and Etymology in the Classic run at Flemington on October 31.

Jockey James McDonald gave Shards a thorough test, taking the son of Medaglia d'Oro to the front and dashing away with 300m to run, only to be run down a few strides from the finish by Jameka.

Tally had difficulty finding an early position, his rider James Doyle easing the colt back to be among the last few going out of the straight the first time.

But once he gained clear running in the straight, Tally made up many lengths, finishing the race off better than any other runner.

O'Shea said he had no hesitation in entering his three colts for the Derby.

"There's no reason not to run the three of them. They're in form and they'll stay," O'Shea said.

"James is very confident about Shards, he believes the tempo of the Derby will suit him. He'll run the trip and he's very fit and very well."

O'Shea was equally pleased with the effort of Tally, a son of Street Cry who was having only his fifth start and was coming off a seven-length maiden win.

"You'd have to say that Tally finished the race off brilliantly" O'Shea said.

"He had the Derby favourite in front of him, he was spotting him a start turning for home and he's taken ground off him."

McDonald endorsed the trainer's sentiments concerning Shards who had emerged as a possible Derby runner with successive wins during the winter.

"He's come on with every run and showed what he was capable of today," McDonald said.

At his previous run, Shards finished near the tail of the field in the G1 Caulfield Guineas after suffering interference soon after the start.

"You had to forget that run, we knew he was better than that and today he's shown his right form."

Shards wasn't among the original Derby entries with the stable indicating their confidence in the colt by paying the late-entry fee before he ran at Moonee Valley.

He and Tally are to be joined by Etymology, a son of New Approach, who earned his place in the Classic when he finished third in the G3 Caulfield Classic on October 17.