Ace High wins Derby for Payne
– Ace High’s win for the ages prompted jockey Tye Angland to eloquently sum up the moment: “The Victoria Derby, there is history behind it and I’m a part of it now.’’
Almost unnoticed nearby, trainer David Payne was being congratulated by riding legend Lester Piggott as the two champions of the turf reminisced about a bygone era when they were friendly rivals.
“We go back a long way,’’ Payne said as Piggott, winner of a record nine English Derbies, walked away from the TV cameras and media scrum. “I rode against old Lester in South Africa many years ago and I was stable jockey for Lester’s cousin, Fred Rickaby, a great trainer. To see Lester come over and say well done means a lot to me.’’
It also meant a lot to Payne to finally win Australia’s oldest classic, the Group 1 Aus$1.5-million AAMI Victoria Derby over 2500m at Flemington on Saturday before 87,526 race fans.
“I’ve been trying for years to win this race, Praecido ran second, Criterion drew wide, Honorius wasn’t quite good enough – I’m getting older and I thought my chance might have gone,’’ Payne said.
“But when I purchased this colt for $130,000 at the Magic Millions, I had a feeling about him. His pedigree, his demeanour, the way he trains, he just looked a quality stayer to me and I always thought he was the one.
“You know, we never had one hiccup with his Derby preparation, which never usually happens. It worked out perfectly.’’
Well, almost. The stop-start tempo of the Victoria Derby caused Ace High to start over-racing and left jockey Angland with no option but to get out three and four wide mid-race without cover.
It mattered little. Ace High produced one of the strongest staying performances in a Victoria Derby for many years to cover extra ground but still storm past his rivals in the straight to win by two lengths from Sully with Astoria a half neck away third. – The Daily Telegraph.