Couple's Derby day totally hobbled

Lee Tiley and her husband Nigel broke bones riding retired racehorse Ben Harper on different days, three weeks ago. Picture / Brett Phibbs

Asking who has been taking the rubbish out wouldn't be a good move on what promises to be a hugely disappointing day for jockey Lee Tiley and her husband, ex-jockey and trainer Nigel Tiley.

Both had been looking forward to this afternoon's $600,000 Mercedes Derby at Ellerslie, the highlight of the first day of the Auckland Racing Club's March racing carnival.

That was until in a 10 million-to-one chance, both broke a leg falling from the same horse on different days, three weeks ago.

The Derby is an icon race for the Tileys, Nigel is the only person in modern history to have ridden a Derby winner, Ring The Bell in 1980 and then trained one, Look Who's Talking in 1994. The country's premier classic is one of the few features yet to be conquered by Lee Tiley, whose best finish was a fifth on Catalan Gold.

She was hoping to correct that this afternoon on Sculptor, the horse she won the $150,000 Great Northern Guineas on at Ellerslie on Boxing Day.

But she is sidelined for three months after a titanium rod was inserted into her right femur, following a crash from retired racehorse Ben Harper, whom she was preparing for the hunting season.

"I leaned over off his back to open a gate and he got a fright and I fell."

Within days her husband broke his right ankle falling from Ben Harper while riding on the beach.

Lee Tiley said her leg was still not comfortable enough for her to attend today's meeting, but Nigel Tiley will get along on his crutches to run the punters' club for Radioworks.

The pair have different views on who will win the Derby. Nigel Tiley says Congrats has been set for the race and hasn't had a gut-buster on the way through. "Black Panther should have won at least one of his last few starts and Wahid is the quality horse in the race."

Lee Tiley believes Sculptor is a live chance if the showers arrive.

"Otherwise I like Black Panther. I won on him in his first race and the extra distance here will suit."