Steve Fitch was just a teenager living in Dubbo when he first recalls switching on the wireless for the call of a National Derby final.
It was 1989 and Worth Doing, After obliterating the likes of WEST CAPE in the heats by 20 lengths, claimed the race for trainer Ronny Gill.
Fast forward more than three decades and now Fitch will be hoping his charge, August Bob, can replicate the Derby deeds of Worth Doing and claim the age-restricted classic in 2024.
“Everything has been 100% focused on the Derby for this guy for a while now,” Fitch said ahead of Saturday night’s $75,000 final.
“After some time to think about it, I’m pretty happy with the heat run (a 29.80 effort behind Bianca’s Boy). Initially I was a little disappointed, then I released the leader went 29.6 and ran home in 11.58 so it was almost impossible to catch him.”
“August Bob ran home in 11.60 too and went 29.8 which was pleasing, especially considering a group of them went to the first turn together and he managed to punch his way through. He’s capable of going 5.40 early (5.51 in the heat) and running 29.60 I think, but so are a few others.”
The long-term plan for the kennel young gun thankfully coming to fruition After Fitch was forced to abort a planned attack on a rich Group 1 Victorian series at the tail end of 2023.
“We gave him a look at The Meadows in November in preparation for the Silver Chief but he picked up a virus not long After that stopped us going back down to Melbourne for the heats of that race,” Fitch added.
August Bob is an 8-time winner from 17 career starts
“It was just a bit of a cough but we wanted to look After him, so for about six weeks we took it easy and went back to basics a bit with how we were preparing him. Once he was trialling well, I put him back in at Wenty just before Christmas for another look.”
“He ran third in the heat of a no city wins series but didn’t go quite as good as I hoped. We found a few little issues Afterwards and scratched him from the final because we wanted to get him perfect for the Derby heats.”
The son of My Redeemer out of Fitch’s former race bitch, Gramercy Park, qualifying fifth fastest for the final behind recent Gosford Gold Cup winner, Good Odds Cobber.
The Frank Hurst-trainer sprinter setting a slashing PB of 29.33 to loom as a likely pre-race favourite.
“Good Odds Cobber and Eyes To Eyes look like the ones to beat. But I think the big improver could be Tom Rees’ dog in Box 4 (History’s Coming),” Fitch said.
“That was his first 500 and first race at the track. You look at that performance and say “Wow, he’s a flying machine that dog”. But there’s a lot of depth in the race and any dog could win. I’m certainly not giving up on my bloke but he’ll need plenty of luck.”
“I was actually hoping he was in Box 3 or 5 but gee there’s some speed around him. They can’t all get around the first bend at Wentworth Park together so ‘Bob’ will either need to come out like he’s never come out before or he’ll have to camp behind them and hope for a run.”
The 49-year-old now preparing to make the walk to the boxes in his first Ladbrokes National Derby decider.
“It’s special because I bred August Bob, reared them and broke him in. I’ve got a great bond with him, just like every dog in my kennel. I brought them into the world, I’ve been with them since day one and I’ll be with them all until the day they retire. It’s like watching your kids grow up,” Fitch said.
“Hopefully he can run a big race and then the Easter Egg or the New Sensation could be options, and the Nowra Puppy Classic is coming up too. There’s good races nearly every week and I think he can play a part in them.”
The 2024 Group 1 Ladbrokes National Derby will be run this Saturday, January 20 with August Bob currently a $21 chance.
