Trainer Darren Weir collected his first win in the Group 1 $2m AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) today when Extra Brut overpowered his rival three year olds down the long Flemington straight.
Extra Brut, above, was the winner of the 2018 Victoria Derby at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Winning jockey, Irishman John Allen, settled Extra Brut near the tail of the field in a solidly run Victoria Derby with Corey Parish on the Lindsay Park trained Seberate ($101) setting a slick pace.
Allen made his move forward at the 800m and started to circle field and was the widest runner on the home turn.
Extra Brut ($10) started to wind up and hit top gear at the 300m and gained the front soon after to score a clear cut win on the line over Stars Of Carrum ($18) with Chapada ($16) in third spot.
The big spending Aquis Farm only recently bought into the ownership of Extra Brut and now have a Victoria Derby winner to stand at stud on the farm when he retires.
Extra Brut was Weir’s first runner in the Victoria Derby and premier trainer got an instant winning result.
“It is a big thrill to win a Victoria Derby,” Weir said.
“The owners had stuck with Johnny. They all work hard at home, all the jockeys, but he probably works extra hard, he is there every day doing the track work and it is great for him to be a part of it.”
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott trained Thinkin’ Big was sent out as the $2.90 favourite and was expected to go straight to the front and be hard to catch.
Tim Clark couldn’t find the front on Thinkin’ Big who settled in fourth and fifth position in the run but when the pressure was on half way down the straight, the High Chaparral colt couldn’t match strides with the placegetters and faded at the end to finish twelfth, seven and a quarter lengths behind the winner.
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