Racing: Derby ride shocks trainer

Conceptual beats Vitesse Rose in the Do Bloodstock 2YO at Te Rapa. Photo / Supplied

Riddell left in no doubt as to Bary's opinion of his effort aboard Survived at Eagle Farm.

Yesterday Hastings trainer John Bary proved he had the right survivors' attitude to last in horse racing.

"Tomorrow morning, I'll walk into the barn and give Recite a pat."

That was the external Bary as he drove back to Hastings from Auckland Airport after his Brisbane flight.

Internally, Bary was reeling from Jonathan Riddell's mysterious ride on beaten favourite Survived in Saturday's A$500,000 Queensland Derby.

Nothing will occupy chat over beers or coffee this week more than THAT ride.

And that's both sides of the Tasman. "It's fair to say Jonathan is public enemy No 1 for [Australian and New Zealand] punters," said Bary.

For the record, Riddell took off around the field three wide from the 1400m after sitting in a nice place one spot off the running rail towards the back of the field.

From that point it was going to be a shocking ride if Survived didn't win.

It appeared Riddell was following Hugh Bowman, who, equally surprisingly, charged around the field on fellow Kiwi Usainity.

Bowman managed to get over to the rail on Usainity, but Survived was posted three and four wide from the 1000m.

Melbourne Cup-winning retired champion jockey Larry Olsen, as the television comments person, said: "Survived - I'm surprised he survived the race. You simply cannot ride Eagle Farm like that."

Survived finished in a well-beaten mid-field position. Bary said he watched the race replay with Riddell.

"I said: 'What happened?'. He said: 'I was following Bowman'."

"I said: 'Get me the colours'. And that's all we said. He knew I was angry."

The mysterious element is that Riddell is one of the cool heads in the saddle and does not make mistakes of that magnitude.

After a less-than-astute performance on Survived in the Rough Habit Plate in the Derby lead-up, the New Zealand horseman is two from two on Survived.

But Bary is keen to turn the page.

"No doubt it was a bad ride. But you can beat yourself up too much over these things. It's just a shame it had to happen in a group one race when the horse was as well as I've ever had him."

Bary knew immediately after the race that he'd done his job.

"His heart rate returned to 88 five to six minutes after the race."

Survived will spell in Queensland's warmth for four to five weeks and be prepared for the spring and Bary believes it will probably be a light domestic campaign.

Meantime, the pat on unbeaten juvenile Recite this morning will have completely turned the page.

Meanwhile, lack of size might possibly stop Saturday's juvenile winner Conceptual being sold to Hong Kong, but it won't prevent him winning good races.

Conceptual followed up his luckless Avondale debut with a stylish victory at Te Rapa on Saturday for trainer Nigel Tiley. "He's got a motor," declared rider Opie Bosson.

Popeye Braggins gallops like a long-legged spider.

Which probably explains a few things about the theories co-trainer Tony Pike has on the improving metric miler. Popeye Braggins hit a flat spot in his 3-year-old career after promising plenty.

Pike now believes the lanky bloke was running out of strength for his body shape, something he feels is largely being corrected.

"We had a big opinion of him early, but he disappointed quite a few times in his last preparation."

With three Te Rapa victories from his past four starts, the rising 5-year-old is poised for a promising next season. "He can have a break now and we'll head to the Hastings spring carnival," said Pike.