A Group 1 Australian Derby assignment is the autumn goal for Show The World (NZ) following his gutsy victory in the G2 Sound Championship Stakes (2100m) at Ellerslie on Wednesday.

Show The World (3g High Chaparral – Bazelle by Zabeel) settled midfield on the fence for Opie Bosson before striding around the field approaching the home turn.  He assumed control at the 200 metre mark but started to loaf with the winning post in sight.

The lightly-raced gelding gave favourite punters and trainer Murray Baker some anxious moments but did enough to secure victory over fast finishers Blizzard (Any Suggestion) and High Tower (Keeninsky).

“I think he might just need a break – he may have come to the end of it for this preparation,” Baker said.  “We thought the blinkers would do the trick and keep him focused but he still has that tendency to switch off at the wrong time.

“He is a very good horse in the making.  However, I think he will benefit from a fortnight in the paddock.  He might just be an Australian Derby horse, this guy, as we believe him to be a very smart animal and we’ve liked him from Day 1.

“Funnily enough, he was such a handful as a colt we ended up gelding him and now he’s very laid back – which will be an asset if we do travel him to Australia.”

Coolmore Stud shuttler High Chaparral swept the 2010 Australian Derby trifecta with Shoot Out, Descarado and Monaco Consul.  They arrived in the same crop as Cox Plate champion So You Think.

High Chaparral also sired It’s A Dundeel to win the 2013 Australian Derby.

Show The World is a homebred for Gary and Lorna Moore.  They also raced his dam Bazelle to Group 1 victories in the 2005 Auckland Cup and Zabeel Classic.