Save articles for later
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.
Riff Rocket has won the group 1 Victoria Derby in front of a bumper crowd at Flemington.
Ridden by in-form jockey James McDonald and trained by Chris Waller, the pre-race favourite edged out Apulia with a photo finish needed to separate them.
Sunsets completed the placings.
The larger than life owner of Winx, Debbie Kepitis, was overjoyed with the win of Riff Rocket.
Kepitis bred Riff Rocket, by American triple crown winner American Pharoah, and he had to overcome the late charge from Apulia to win the time-honoured Derby.
“I can’t put them into words really,” Kepitis said.
“We bred him, and it’s my daughter’s husband and I [in the ownership], and this is so special. Our purple and white [family silks colours], a group 1 on Derby day, and it’s the Derby.
“Chris Waller is a genius. His staff are absolutely amazing.
“This just ticks so many boxes in racing. We had the wonderful joy of Winx, so nothing will ever compare to her, but the Derby. He didn’t win it until the line. Oh my god.”
It was Waller’s fourth win in the Derby and his third in a row, and the win gave McDonald back to back derbies after he and Waller combined with Manzoice last spring.
Eye-catching Coolmore win by Ozzmosis
Damien Ractliffe
His father won the Coolmore, and his grandfather won the Coolmore – now Ozzmosis has followed in their footsteps, winning the race which will make him a stallion.
The son of Zoustar, trained by Bjorn Baker and ridden by Rachel King, basically led the entire way down the Flemington straight, and even when the Coolmore-owned Shinzo loomed, Ozzmosis had another kick.
Northern Meteor, Ozzmosis’ grandsire, won the 2008 Coolmore, and Zoustar also won the race in 2013.
Flashing finish: Ozzmosis ridden by Rachel King.Credit: Racing Photos / Getty Images
Saturday’s victory turns Ozzmosis into a multi-million stallion, almost certain to stand at stud at Newgate in the future.
It capped off a whirlwind 24 hours for Newgate Farm’s owner Henry Field, whose star colt King’s Gambit was scratched from the Coolmore on Friday due to an elevated temperature.
More to come
Most Viewed in Sport
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article