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...
Magic Millions 2025 Magazine Online
The 2025 Magic Millions magazine is now online with a great mix of gallery images, editorial and vendor profilies.
City of Troy Crowned 2024 Cartier European Horse of the Year
Outstanding Justify colt City of Troy was crowned Horse of the Year at the 2024 Cartier awards on Wednesday night in London at a star studded ceremony at the Dorchester Hotel.
Cambridge Stud News
It’s been the spring that keeps giving for Cambridge Stud and it’s not over yet.
Best On Breeding
The cerise, white crossed sashes and black cap of Bob Peters, Peter's Investments, may not be the once dominant force they have been for decades in Western Australian racing, but they are far from finished.
$2,000 Gavelhouse Bargain Keeps on Winning!
The Grey Goose continued to belie her purchase price last start when recording her fifth win at Wingatui, bringing her career earnings to more than $225,000.
Pinhook Winners 2024 NZB Ready to Run – Churchill Colt the Star
A record breaking NZB Ready to Run Sale this week at Karaka delivered plenty of pinhook success with 18 two year-olds selling for $300,000 or more above their yearling purchase price, so let’s take a look at some of the best of them.
Halo Racing Reduction features in November (Late) catalogue
Shares in reigning G1 Caulfield Cup champion Duke de Sessa, G1 Toorak Hcp winner Attrition and tomorrow’s G1 Railway Stakes favourite Light Infantry Man headline an exciting Inglis Digital November (Late) Online Sale.
$1.3million Snitzel Colt Ready to Fire on Debut for Te Akau
Mark Walker and Sam Bergerson are confident they have the young firepower to make an early impression in the first of the black type features at Pukekohe Park on Saturday.
One to Watch – Hawkesbury
Castelvecchio has gone from nowhere to somewhere during the course of this spring with three stakes-winners putting his name in lights and he had a promising three year-old colt salute at Hawkesbury on Thursday that has now won two of three starts.
Luberon Heads Cambridge Stud Saturday Charge
Lance Noble will attempt to add to a strong run of spring form for Cambridge Stud when he sends out five well-credentialled runners in Brendan and Jo Lindsay’s black and gold colours at Pukekohe on Saturday.