Gingernuts in Derby success
EMOTION overflowed before and after Saturday’s incident-packed $1million New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie.
The $600,000 first prize went to the horse named Gingernuts ridden by Opie Bosson and won with an authority seldom seen in a Derby.
The son of Iffraaj went to the line flicking and cocking his ears as he dominated his exhausted rivals.
His domination was matched by the antics of his legion of orange-capped owners and associates in the Te Akau Gingernuts Syndicate who greeted Bosson like the superstar he is when he entered the mounting yard before the race.
The grandstand shook as they cheered the winner over the line and continued in the Ellerslie birdcage and on the victory dais.
It was a treat to behold such joy and excitement from a host of first-time owners in the 35-strong syndicate.
It was an easy win by the son of Iffraaj trained at Matamata by Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards producing the first Derby winner for New Zealand’s major yearling buyer David Ellis.
By coincidence Gingernuts was bought out of the Ready To Run Sale for $42,500.
Natalie Young ventured across the Tasman from the new base she shares with co-trainer Trent Busuttin with the runner-up Rising Red handled by expat jockey Mick Dee.
‘‘We came here full of hope thinking we could win the race,’’ Young said. ‘‘But when we saw his barrier draw of 17 we knew we were up against it.
‘‘The draw cost us, Mick did a good job to get him across but the winner is a very good horse and was too good for us.’’
Rising Red will spend some time in the paddock in New Zealand and ‘‘if all goes well he’ll be on a plane to Sydney’’.
His mission is the AJC Derby won by Tavago for Young and Busuttin last autumn.
‘‘It could be wet like it often is and he grows another leg in the wet.’’
Brisbane in the winter is the target for Gingernuts who wasn’t among Derby nominations until his Avondale Guineas win a fortnight ago.
An emotional Ellis said he was thrilled for all the Te Akau team.
‘‘I’m so thrilled for Jamie and Stephen,’’ Ellis said. ‘‘And Opie rode him sensational - it’s just wonderful.’’
Richards said his Derby success was a huge buzz.
‘‘We didn’t know where we Trish Dunell were before the Avondale Guineas - there’s a lot of excited owners here.’’
Punters of Cha Siu Bao and Lincoln Blue did their dough when the pair inexplicably came out of the barrier bucking and lost all chance.
Jon Snow was a gallant third and Beaumarchais, the winner’s stablemate, fourth
The 2015 Derby runner-up Volkstok’n’barrell had an exhibition gallop earlier in the day in readiness for the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes (2000m) next Saturday.
With raceday rider Vinnie Colgan in the saddle, the Tavistock gelding warmed into his work stylishly and clocked 58.42 seconds for his last 1000m, 47.01 for the 800 and 34.85 for the last 600m.
Colgan and trainers Donna Logan and Chris Gibbs were pleased with Volkstok’n’barrell’s hit-out.
‘‘He’s definitely on track for next week,’’ a happy Gibbs said. ‘‘That was good work.’’ THERE might not have ever been a calmer trainer after watching a Golden Slipper favourite get beaten than Gary Portelli.
She Will Reign met with defeat for the first time when Frolic stormed down the outside fence in the Reisling Stakes on a very heavy track at Randwick yesterday.
However, She Will Reign maintained favouritism for the Golden Slipper, despite Magic Millions winner Houtzen staying unbeaten at Eagle Farm in her final lead-up.
‘‘She didn’t really handle those conditions but she was all right,’’ Portelli said.
‘‘If you are going to get beaten you rather it on this day rather than Slipper day. ‘‘She had a good blow after it. ‘‘She needed that run to be right for the Slipper.
‘‘I’m not that concerned she got beaten because she went outstanding.’’
She Will Reign was out to $3.60 but still favourite for the Golden Slipper, while Houtzen tightened into $4.40.
Reisling winner Frolic is into $11 and Gunnison, which nosed stablemate Invader in the Todman Stakes, is a $15 chance in the Slipper with Ladbrokes.
Portelli had walked the track with Ben Melham and Frolic’s jockey Tommy Berry before the first, and might have brought about his filly defeat.
‘‘I said to Tommy and Ben, it is like a road out here [near the outside fence] when we were out on there and when I saw Frolic I thought, you bugger, Tommy,’’ Portelli said.
Frolic continues to improve and is a chance in the Golden Slipper, even though she might have been flatter by being on the best ground.
‘‘To his credit, [Tommy] said, to me before the race ‘if they start trekking out into the middle of the track I have no issues coming to the outside fence, I think it is the best place to be’,’’ Frolic’s trainer Michael Freedman said.
‘‘Until she got out to that part of that track it looked like she was labouring but when she got onto the slightly better going she sprinted quickly like she did the other day.
‘‘She can only do what she has done. It was a restricted race the other day.
‘‘Obviously, the conditions today aren’t ideal and a few will come out of it with hard luck stories because of the track.
‘‘She has had a perfect prep going into the Slipper and now she has gained a start she has a nice two weeks into it.’’
‘ I'm so thrilled for Jamie and Stephen. And Opie rode him sensational - it's just wonderful.’ DAVID ELLIS:TE AKAU RACING