As the dynamic young duo of Mr. Peregrine and Not Without prepare for Friday night’s Group 2 Ladbrokes Richmond Derby decider, one can’t help but compare them to some other breath-taking brothers of our canine caper.
The John and Jane Carruthers-trained duo are obviously yet to reach the pinnacle of their potential, but with the chasing world seemingly at their mercy, could they emulate some of the best brotherly combinations to set foot on a racetrack?
If we go right back to the 70’s, Steelflex and Tenderhook were two of the best going around.
Then there’s the ‘litter of the century’ that included West Cape, Amerigo Man, Walkabout Sid, Bogenfel and Jet Cruiser among others.
Blue Moon Rising and Two Times Twice claimed 84 races between them, while sprinting sensations Good Odds Harada and Feral Franky won more than $1.8 million in prizemoney.
The list of bonafide brothers isn’t long, and as far as John Carruthers is concerned, his boys won’t be added to that list anytime soon.
“Anyone that calls them superstars, that’s rubbish. Fernando Bale and our old bloke Rapid Journey, they are what you call superstars, and they are very few and far between,” John said.
“Not Without and Mr. Peregrine are both very good dogs, but I think people saying things about how good they might be are just basing it all on potential.”
It’s a narrative driven ahead of time…but it’s one that will only gain strength if Not Without or Mr. Peregrine can take out the prestigious Richmond Derby on Friday.
“You never really know if they will be able to handle this class of race or not at their age. Our dogs aren’t even free for all dogs yet, they’re just pups who have been racing in maidens and fifth grade races so I don’t give them much of a chance in the final.”
“The only reason we nominated the two dogs was because it’s our home track and we wanted to support the race. It’s an iconic event steeped in history and a lot of people might not understand what a race like the Richmond Derby means. It’s the pinnacle of racing for this area…I think it actually deserves Group 1 status.”
SKY Racing broadcaster Russell Veitch has been on hand to call Not Without home in all but one of his seven career victories.
The regular Richmond Race Club caller much more bullish on his hopes ahead of Friday night’s final.
“I was going too tip Not Without on top. If he can go 4.25 to the first mark and hold Go Bears out, I think he can win,” Veitch said.
“I think he’s untapped that dog. He’s got the most experience at the track outside Zipping Novak. He’s a 29.3 dog at his best and they just don’t run that time at Richmond. I’ve been out there every Friday for a couple of years and the good dogs go 29.8 and occasionally there’s a 29.5 run. So he can really fly.”
“I know John and Jane [Carruthers] have said Mr. Peregrine is the faster dog and always has been, that’s why he’s named after the fastest creature on Earth. But I’m unsure he can get across from Box 8. Not Without showed a lot of grit to win last week when he seemed gone. Admittedly, he didn’t beat a top liner, but I thought it was the run of a dog that could win the Derby.”
“Not Without has only had eight starts and Mr. Peregrine has only had three so they’re up against some seasoned campaigners with Go Bears and Zipping Novak the testing material. It’s an exciting race and I’ll probably change my mind a million times before the race but at the moment, I like Not Without to take it out.”
The final of the Ladbrokes Richmond Derby, worth $50,000 to the victor, will be held this Friday, March 1 in Race 8 on the program.
