Lehndorff’s journey from Derby run at Flemington to Thursday race at Wyong

It’s a long way from a group 1 run in the Derby at Flemington to a Class 1 on the NSW Central Coast, but a promising Randwick-based colt takes the first steps back at Thursday’s feature Wyong meeting.

Lehndorff, a lightly raced three-year-old staying son of Snitzel, returns in a deep and competitive race for this class over 1350m.

It was back on October 29, the emerging Lehndorff ended his first prep by predictably finishing well down the track behind Manzoice in the headline Derby over 2500m.

But rarely do you see any galloper switch states from a Class 1 provincial win at his third start into one of the nation’s most time-honoured group 1 races, with only seven days between runs, and rising 2kg over 500m further.

Yet, that was the raw faith shown in Lehndorff at the time, and while connections are the first to admit it was a deep dive into the “unknown,” they are excited to see what he can produce with a prep under his belt.

The anticipated Soft 7 ground will suit, given he has prolific wet track breeding on both sides, being out of a mare by Irish super stallion Dubawi, in turn a son of the great Dubai Millennium.

Trained by Mark Newnham, Lehndorff has been given two steady trials up to 1200m, the latest trailing home highly touted UK import Alcohol Free who is the early favourite to win Saturday’s group 1 Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick.

While consistent Hawkesbury-based three-year-old Flying Destiny looms as the hardest to beat fifth-up in his first prep, Lehndorff’s four-year-old stablemate King Adviso is also right in the hunt second-up, along with improving three-year-old Warby who has been given five weeks since a tough maiden win.