The two-year-old Qiji Phoenix maintained his unbeaten record with victory in Saturday's Listed Diamond Lodge Champagne Stakes before Tavidream added the Gr.2 Valachi Downs Championship Stakes to his burgeoning record. Read about him here.
The former has the Group I J.J. Atkins
at Eagle Farm on June 10 on his programme while Tavidream, a close relation of
Group I VRC Victoria Derby winner Tarzino, has a Group I date a week later."He's definitely Queensland Derby bound," said Chris Gibbs. "The Derby here just came up too soon for him so we backed off and he's rewarded us today so it's onwards and upwards."
Tavidream has now won four races at Ellerslie and five overall and the Tavistock gelding's progression has been closely monitored by offshore interests.
"Each time he wins the more the offers come in," said Gibbs, who shares in the ownership syndicate with his father Jim, a former top trainer.
Ridden by Alysha Collett, Tavidream enjoyed a perfect run one off the rail in fourth spot and he went clear 200 metres from home and held out by a head the late surge of Charles Road.
"He had to step up again and there was a lot of good horses here," Gibbs said.
"Charles Road gave him a run and it was nice to see our horse fight like that."
Tavidream is the best of four winners from Cinnadream, whose dam Sogno is a full sister to the dam of Tarzino.
Tavidream is the 12th stakes-winner for Cambridge Stud's flagship sire Tavistock, who stands at a fee of $65,000.
