Miewa out to channel spirit of Peter Pan

It is a long way back to the time of the Great Depression when Peter Pan thrilled Australian racing with his feats through Melbourne Cup week, and although that was all more than 90 years ago, Miewa could raise the 'blond bombshell's' silks to prominence again but this time in the Howden Victoria Derby.

Peter Pan was a much a hero of punters at the time as Phar Lap and among his Flemington feats were wins in the Melbourne Cup and the Melbourne Stakes – now known as the Champions Stakes – in both 1932 and 1934.

Miewa will carry Peter Pan's colours in Saturday's Group 1 classic over 2500 metres, and how this has come about is as much by chance than planning.

The chestnut earned his nickname from his flashy coat accompanied by his blond tail and mane, and as the fans packed Flemington, his orange and green horizontal striped silks and orange cap were as famous as any other.

"The colours were accidentally bought at a charity auction in Melbourne about 15 years ago," breeder Peter Newsom said, who with another few friends and colleagues still retain a share in Miewa.

"One of our hands were still in the air when the hammer went down so we thought we'd better race in them."

Those colours have seen success mostly in New Zealand since but it is Miewa who could provide the ultimate link to a champion through Hitotsu, the Victoria Derby winner of 2021 and, like Meiwa, a son of Japanese sire Maurice.

"We bred Miewa and Nick Ryan bought him, so we chatted with him after he secured it and asked if he'd mind if we came back in," Newsom added.

"He said that his interest in the horse was through lines he saw with Hitotsu."

Miewa is rated at $11 for the Derby after second placings in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) at Flemington on October 4 and in the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) a fortnight later.

Miewa's last start second to Autumn Mystery in the Norman Robinson Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield.

"He has had the perfect Derby prep," trainer Nick Ryan said.

"He came through the Caulfield run super and I thought he was a little but unlucky.

"His last two races have been slowly run and he has been a victim of that. 

"Coming into Saturday, Flemington and with a full field it will be a different story."

While the gelding will be out to deliver on one famous stage, the colours will also be worn by Miewa's half-brother and recent Coonamble Cup winner Justadeel who earned a spot in The Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day.

"We're in the game for fun and we've never made a fuss of having the colours but we're very proud of them," Newsom said.

"It would be lovely to see them go past the post at Flemington on Saturday."