Endless Rough Habit Plate replays have convinced trainer Helen Page to press on with Queensland Derby plans for Rudy.

Rudy takes his next step to the Derby on June 7 when he contests the Grand Prix Stakes (2200m) at Doomben on Saturday.

Page and her husband John, who trained Royal Sovereign to win three Derbys, repeatedly watched a replay of Rudy’s fifth in the Rough Habit before giving the green light for a Derby bid.

Rudy could have been switched back in distance to tackle the Queensland Guineas and possibly the Group One Stradbroke Handicap.

However, Rudy’s Rough Habit run convinced Page the gelding would stay the 2400m of the Derby.

“He was caught three and four deep the whole way with no cover. But he loomed up at the 250 metres to win and the hard run only told in the final stages,” she said.

“Tegan (jockey Tegan Harrison) was a victim of circumstances. It can happen from the 2000-metre start at Doomben.

“If they get you wide on the first corner you can stay there for the race.”

Top jockey Hugh Bowman will take over from Harrison and test Rudy as his Derby mount.

Rudy is raced by the Clarke brothers, Tom, Don and David, from Chinchilla in western Queensland and they gave up a big offer from Hong Kong to race Rudy this winter.

“We have been trying to get a Group horse for a long time so we didn’t have to think long about knocking back the offer,” Tom Clarke said.