Tye Angland scored the biggest win of his career by taking out the Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday.
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The Wantabadgery wonder claimed the time honoured feature with Ace High for trainer David Payne.
It has already been a bring spring for the 28-year-old, but the win in the $1.5 million feature rates as the career highlight.
“This has jumped a few and is at the top of the list now,” Angland said.
“We all work hard in the racing game and to be able to be rewarded with the VRC Derby is a massive thrill.”
Angland and Ace High had to do plenty of work during the race but still managed to clear away from their rivals to win by two lengths.
It was far from the plan going in, especially after drawing in close, and Angland was pleased it all worked out in the end.
“I jumped from a good barrier but around the 1200 metres there was no pace in the race so my horse was a little strong through the run and I ended up outside their heels,” he said.
“It wasn’t where I wanted to be but in hindsight, with the pace of the race, if that wasn’t me out there it was going to be someone else and I would have been boxed in behind them.
“I got him into his rhythm, kept his momentum up and he proved too good.”
While expecting him to run really well coming off a Group One win, even Angland was surprised by just how well Ace High performed.
“When I got pushed out a bit wide my concern was whether he was going to run out the trip,” he said.
“I was worried, definitely worried, as I wasn’t where I wanted to be and I didn’t think he could win in that manner.”
It capped off a big season for the 28-year-old.
He was the only multiple Group One winner in the Sydney spring, where he won on Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose and Ace High in the Spring Champion Stakes, before going on to bigger things.
“This spring carnival has been really good to me, I’ve won three Group Ones in the last six weeks, so for where I am at in my career I need these wins to keep boosting me along,” Angland said.
“I’m trying to put my name up the list.”
The Derby win also backed up the hard choice not to go to brother Cody’s wedding last month in order to ride Ace High to victory in the Spring Champion Stakes.
It kicks off a big week for Riverina connections at Flemington.
The Harden bred and Gundagai part-owned Single Gaze will line up in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
After finishing second in the Caulfield Cup, the mare has drawn barrier 11 in the race that stops a nation.
Single Gaze is a $41 chance.
