EMMA STEWART has four chances at landing a third group 1 $200,000 NSW Derby at Menangle next Saturday.
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Poster Boy and Maraetai each qualified for the final with heat wins.
They will be joined by Major Times, which finished second to Poster Boy, and Tam Major, which earned a berth as the fastest fourth across three heats in Sydney on Saturday night.
Maraetai ($3.80) saluted in the opening heat in a mile rate of 1:57.9 for 2400m.
The Somebeachsomewhere colt finished fifth in the Victorian Derby and now boasts five wins in seven starts.
By the same sire as Maraetai, Poster Boy ($1.30 favourite) led and rated 1:57.9 to take his career record to 10 wins in 14 starts for $235,000 in stakes.
He is looking to avenge his Victoria Derby second place to Queenslander Colt Thirty One, which won the third heat in Sydney – beating Little Peanut from the Myrniong stable of Jess Tubbs and Greg Sugars.
Stewart won the NSW Derby with Major Secret in 2014 and Ideal For Real in 2015.
Stewart took 12 horses to Menangle and also progressed two runners to the group 1 $200,000 NSW Oaks.
New stable addition Imprincessgemma ($5.10) took out a heat in 1:57.3, while short-priced favourite Nostra Villa had to settle for second.
Imprincessgemma was previously trained by young Ararat horseman Leroy O’Brien and was first-up after a freshen up.
Stewart will also have Carlas Pixel (2.90) in the group 1 $200,000 Ladyship Mile next Saturday night.
The 4yo mare led and sizzled home in 1:51.7 in her first outing for Stewart.
Already with an impressive record, Carlas Pixel was formerly trained by Dean Braun at Lara.
