Denis Pagan and Lachie King take centre stage with Johnny Get Angry in Victoria Derby

Mark Smith - Saturday October 31

It was an emotional first winner at the highest level for owner/trainer Denis Pagan and apprentice jockey  Lachie King when the Tavistock gelding Johnny Get Angry proved himself the best stayer in Saturday’s $2,000,000 Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington.

A maiden no more Johnny Get Angry (Scott Barbour/Racing Photos)

A maiden in six starts for the former AFL premiership-winning coach, Johnny Get Angry fought like a tiger down the length of the straight to defeat the luckless Dundeel colt Hit The Shot by a length with the favoured Tavistock gelding Young Werther a short-neck back in third.

Johnny Get Angry is the first horse Pagan has trained and he said it was ten times better feeling than coaching a premiership.

 “I am lost for words. It is just an amazing feeling,” Pagan said.

&

Advertisement
;

;

 

;

 

;ldq

 

uo;I had a good lunch yesterday, probably had too much to drink. “I thought I was low key and had handled it, but I can’t have expected this.

 

“Everyone was telling me I should use a senior jockey, but I wanted to stick with Lachie, who has stuck with me."

Lachie King was no less emotional in emulating his father Steven King, who rode Star of the Realm to win the 1991 Victoria Derby.

“This is fantastic, I am very emotional, it is an amazing feeling,” King said.

“We thought he could win today. Everything went to plan. It’s a fairytale. I just have to thank Dennis, he is the best thing to happen to my career.   

“I thought I was going too good and got there too early. Dad said patience, patience, try and buy as much time as you can. I thought I would have to time it right because I knew Ollie (Damien Oliver) would pull something out. When I let him down he exploded for me with the blinkers on.”

Purchased by Malua Racing / Flemington Bloodstock for $50,000 out of the Bradbury Park draft at the 2019 NZB Karaka Yearling Sale, Johnny Get Angry was bred by Australian breeder Greg Perry and is the lone winner from three foals to race out of the Zabeel mare Luminova who hails from the family of Group 1   South Australian Derby winner Markham (Salieri).

Johnny Get Angry becomes the 23rd stakes-winner and sixth Group 1 winner for Cambridge Studs ill-fated Tavistock.

The Tavistock – Zabeel cross has proven to be lethal.

The 2015 Victoria Derby winner Tarzino, the Group 1 SAJC Schweppes Oaks winner Toffee Tongue, and the Group 1 The Hong Kong Gold Cup winner Werther are by Tavistock out of Zabeel mares while the ATC Derby hero Tavago is out of a Stravinsky mare who is out of a Zabeel mare.

An $85,000 Magic Millions Yearling, Luminova has a yearling colt by Almanzor (FR) and was covered by Reliable Man (GB) last spring.

Advertisment

Race Result - Aami Victoria Derby Gr1 2500m

Flemington Track: Good(3) Time: 2:41.91
1
Johnny Get Angry
- 3g Tavistock (NZ) x Luminova (NZ) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: Denis Pagan Rdr: Lachlan King 57
2
1.0
Hit The Shot
- 3c Dundeel (NZ) x Tang (AUS) (Redoute's Choice (AUS))
Tnr: Matthew Cumani Rdr: Fred W Kersley 57
3
1.2
Young Werther
- 3g Tavistock (NZ) x Romantic Time (NZ) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: D Oliver 57
4
1.5
Cherry Tortoni
- 3g Night Of Thunder (IRE) x Tortoni (AUS) (Strategic (AUS))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: W Egan 57
5
2.2
Let's Karaka Deel
- 3c Dundeel (NZ) x Tegwin (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: C Maher & D Eustace Rdr: John Allen 57
6
2.5
Token Spirit
- 3c Wandjina (AUS) x Miss Keepsake (NZ) (Keeper (AUS))
Tnr: R Griffiths & M De Kock Rdr: Damian Lane 57
7
5.0
Albarado
- 3c Savabeel (AUS) x O'Fille (NZ) (O'Reilly (NZ))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: M Zahra 57
8
5.2
Cetshwayo
- 3g Dundeel (NZ) x Haraka (AUS) (Foreplay (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Jamie Kah 57
9
7.0
Wisaka
- 3g Tavistock (NZ) x Sarvon (AUS) (Zabeel (NZ))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: B Melham 57
10
7.5
Tour Of Duty
- 3c Hinchinbrook (AUS) x Rippled (GB) (Dalakhani (IRE))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: J B Mc Donald 57
11
8.5
Redwood Shadow
- 3g Redwood (GB) x Prickley Princess (NZ) (Thorn Park (AUS))
Tnr: M Price & M Kent Jnr Rdr: Jye McNeil 57
12
8.9
Wertheimer
- 3g Tavistock (NZ) x Wild About Me (NZ) (Lonhro (AUS))
Tnr: T Busuttin & N Young Rdr: J Bowman 57
13
10.9
Kenzan
- 3g Adelaide (IRE) x Canelot (AUS) (Canny Lad (AUS))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: D Moor 57
14
11.6
Born To Succeed
- 3c Snitzel (AUS) x Miss Match (ARG) (Indygo Shiner (USA))
Tnr: Saab Hasan Rdr: M J Walker 57
More Reading...
$6million Frankel Mare Tops Fasig -Tipton November Sale
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale, billed as the World’s Premier Breeding Stock Event, was held Monday at the company’s Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Twenty-five offerings sold for $1,000,000 or more, led by a trio of Grade/Group 1 winners with international appeal.
Melbourne Cup Winner for Extreme Choice – Rare Slice of History
This year’s $8.5million Group I VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) produced a genuinely amazing fairytale result for the connections of five year-old Extreme Choice gelding Knight’s Choice, but part of that fairytale is his sire Extreme Choice, who has carved out something seriously special as being only the second sire in history to produce the winner of a Golden Slipper and a Melbourne Cup.
Knights Choice a True Underdog Story
Punters were left stunned when the Queenslander Knight's Choice and Japanese visitor Warp Speed (JPN) emerged from the pack to fight out a dramatic finish to the $8,560,000 Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.
Rosemont and Partners Stakes Quinella on Cup Day
Written Tycoon posted his second new stakes-winner on Melbourne Cup Day when promising three year-old gelding Catoggio took out the Listed VRC Amanda Elliot Stakes (1400m)  for Rosemont Stud and partners, who also race the second horse Bosustow.
Kiwi Bred Gringotts Wins $3million Big Dance
Talented New Zealand-bred gelding Gringotts(NZ) (Per Incanto) delivered a big payday for his connections with victory in Tuesday’s A$3 million Big Dance (1600m) at Randwick.
2024 Melbourne Cup Result - It's Knights Choice
The 2024 Melbourne Cup has been run and won with Knight’s Choice, a five-year-old gelding by Extreme Choice victorious.
El Vencedor wins G3 Balmerino Stakes
El Vencedor is making a habit of picking up major victories at Ellerslie, adding the Gr.3 Balmerino Stakes (2000m) to his burgeoning record at Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup Day meeting.
More Stakes Success for Air Assault
Group I placed last season in the SA Derby, talented gelding Air Assault kept the winning run going for Victoria Derby winning trainer Andrew Gluyas when taking out the Listed SAJC John Letts Cup (1800m) at Morphettville on Melbourne Cup Day.
Coolmore Announce Euro 2025 Fees
Coolmore have announced fees for their 20 strong European sire roster with three new additions City of Troy (Justify), Auguste Rodin (Deep Impact)and Henry Longfellow (Dubawi) and a significant increase for Wootton Bassett, who is currently in Australia.
Sires With Winners - Tuesday November 5
Here is the full list of 145 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.