Interstate dominance to continue

VICTORIA'S dominance of the South Australia Derby looks set to continue if the result of tonight's heats is any guide.

Two qualifiers for the Blue Riband were conducted at Globe Derby, with interstate raiders seven of the first 10 runners across the finish.

Those crossing the border have won 28 of the past 30 editions of the Derby - 27 from Victoria and one from New South Wales.

Glengowan and Jawsoflincoln are the local rarities, however, the latter's success was in 2022 when the Derby was restricted to South Australian three-year-olds only.

As for this season's running, Forty Love claimed pre-draw favouritism thanks to his eye-catching triumph for trainer-driver Aaron Dunn.

"I was pretty happy with him," Dunn said. "I thought he went well in the Victoria Derby heat last week, but it just didn't go his way.

"This time he was able to find the front, and after he did that, I knew he wouldn't be run down."

Working to the lead from gate five, Forty Love cruised to a five-metre win from Major Crunch, with local hope, Imposter Boy, 11 metres away third.

Rating 1:58.3 over 2230 metres, Forty Love's time was three-tenths of a second slower than Always Dancing in the following heat.

Also leading throughout, Always Dancing caused an upset when he scored by two-and-a-half metres from Coniston.

After working hard three-wide into the 'death seat', short-priced favourite Silver Pistol battled on to be a head away third.

First-up from a three-month break, Always Dancing took his record to 12 wins and six placings from 21 starts for Mount Gambier trainer Alyce Finnis.