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 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.
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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.
