Riff Rocket continued the NSW domination at Flemington when he out-bobbed Apulia in a thrilling finish to the $2,000,000 Group 1 Victory Derby (2500m).
It was back-to-back winners of the feature for Chris Waller and a first for James McDonald as the son of Triple Crown hero American Pharoah (USA) defeated the Fiorente (IRE) colt Apulia by a short-half-head with the Dundeel colt Sunset a length back in third.
A five-and-a-half-length winner of the Listed Super Impose Stakes at Flemington on October 7, Riff Rocket advances his record to four wins and two seconds from seven starts with earnings of $1,567,625.
After winning the race 12 months ago with Manzoice, stable representative Charlie Duckworth said the three best stayers fought out the race.
“The race unfolded beautifully in terms of where James positioned him,” Duckworth said.
“Everything looked like it was going to plan, and on the turn, it almost looked like he was coming off the bridle a little bit early.
“That gave us a little bit of a worry, and I thought we had the horse on the inside covered, but the eventual second-placegetter challenged us late.
“Coming into today, no one is sure whether they’ll stay the 2500 (metres) and obviously second and third did it well.
“It was a serious moment of silence when they hit the line, we weren’t quite sure whether we’d got there and done the job or not, the Kapitis family, Woppitt Bloodstock, they’ve obviously really stepped into their own in terms of ownership and they’re just fantastic people to deal with and this will mean absolutely everything to them.
“Penfolds being the sponsor is particularly special. It is called Derby Day and this is the Group 1 you want to be winning on the day and we’ve been fortunate to go back-to-back.
“It was really heart in your mouth and I still thought we’d got beaten so, when I heard the scream from Debbie (Kapitis) coming from the inside I thought well I’m obviously watching the wrong television.
“We actually joked this morning with Chris (Waller), he was a bit confident ahead of today, I don’t know whether they should be playing Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’ or David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ if we were lucky enough to win but I don’t think he’ll care which song they play now.”
“We always say that Derby horses need time but they also need miles in their legs to get to this stage.
“You’ll see all of those horses, they’ve all at least had a run at two (years old) and it stands them in such good stead for their future preparations.”
McDonald said it was a true test of stamina.
“I think the three best horses came away and it would’ve been a great spectacle to watch,” he said.
“I’ve been blessed with a couple of really close photos and this is another one that I thought I was done to a dinner on the line but, the poor Hayes boys will be hating on me.
“I was so happy with the first half of the race, it’s a real test for young horses, when I’ve seen a bit of movement up front, I was happy with the position and because of his electric turn of foot which he had a flat spot last time… I was cursing myself because he got there really quickly and was a sitting duck and I was lucky to get away with that one.”
A homebred for Debbie Kepitis’s Woppitt Bloodstock, Riff Rocket was foaled and raised at Coolmore and is the only winner from two to race for the Smart Missile mare Missile Coda, the winner of five of her 13 starts and runner-up to Savannah Amour in the Listed Hinkler Stakes at Doomben.
A $400,000 Magic Millions yearling, Missile Coda is out of the talented Lonhro mare Rain Melody, a three-quarter sister to I Believe (dam of multiple Group II winner and Group 1-placed Rain Affair and Listed winner Ranges), and a half-sister to Listed winner Walk Alone.
Missile Coda has a 2-year-old Nicconi filly named Codetta and was covered by Home Affairs last spring.
Riff Rocket is the eighth winner at the elite level and the first in Australia for American Pharoah (USA), who shuttled to Coolmore Stud for five seasons.
