Lightly raced New Zealand-bred Young Werther (NZ) (Tavistock) has had his Group One chances enhanced with a favourable barrier draw for Saturday’s Gr.1 Victoria Derby (2500m).

The son of Tavistock will start from gate four with Damien Oliver onboard in the A$2m Flemington feature.

Young Werther, who is a current $3.50 favourite for the three-year-old feature, won on debut in September before finishing runner-up in the Listed Super Impose Stakes (1800m) earlier this month.

The Danny O’Brien-trained gelding was purchased by Aquis Farm and O’Brien for $140,000 out of Cambridge Stud’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 draft.

Six of the horses in blue riband event carry the NZ suffix with the Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Wertheimer (NZ) (Tavistock) and Albarado (NZ) (Savabeel) drawing gates six and eight respectively.