Racing: Jimmy shines despite rain

Jonathan Riddell rode a perfect race on Jimmy Choux in the NZ Derby yesterday. Photo / Getty Images

Super athlete Jimmy Choux over came the dreaded favouritism tag and a testing wet track to dominate and win the $2.2 million Telecom Derby at Ellerslie yesterday.

When the rain arrived turning the track into a swimming pool, punters were prepared to take Jimmy Choux on.

After all, Jimmy Choux is bred to be a sprinter - something his trainer John Bary acknowledges - but the 3-year-old cannot read and only knows how to win on race day.

The colt son of Thorn Park has been in impeccable form this season - albeit one unplaced performance due to a heart fibulation - and showed plenty of determination when it mattered on a heavy track.

Regular jockey Jonathan Riddell had the favourite perfectly positioned one off the rail in the middle of the pack before asking his charge to work into the race at the 600m mark.

Jimmy Choux loomed up to the leaders four wide on the home turn and sprinted to the front with plenty of challengers in hot pursuit.

He he scored by two lengths over Historian with a further 1 lengths to On The Level (third).

All honours were with the winner who has been the dominant player in an exciting age group all season.

"This horse is something special. He got the wet track today and won easily enough and I think he would've given them a hiding on a dry track.

"I'll travel anywhere to ride this horse he's a once-in-a-lifetime horse for me," said Riddell.

Hastings-based Bary was quick to pass a lot of the praise for the victory to Riddell and his hard working staff.

"He's proven he can stay now as he got the 2400m on a wet track. We'll get the horse back home to Hastings and see how he pulls up. We are looking at Sydney now with him for another campaign.

"The Rosehill Guineas and the Doncaster Handicap are the two races we have in mind for him. I still think he's at his best as a sprinter-miler but today he's shown his guts and class running out 2400m."

Amaryllis overcame the testing conditions to post a gutsy victory in the $100,000 (Group Three) Darley Plate in the hands of leading jockey James McDonald.

The 5-year-old raced forward on the speed throughout the 1200m event sitting outside the leader and showed plenty of determination when it mattered scoring by 1 lengths over the solid finishing Vincent Mangano.

A further head away in third position was Vonusti.

"She's a good horse who just needs a little luck on these premier race days. If it was a firm track I think she would've won by more," said McDonald.

The daughter of Red Ransom has been a good performer for trainers Steven Ramsay and Julia Ritchie, scoring eight wins and four placings from 25 starts.

"I thought she would be tough to beat on top of the ground but when the rain arrived I didn't know how she'd go in it," said Ramsay. "I knew we had her fit enough as we have the hill that we work all our horses over and that fitness showed today.

"I'll have to sit down now with the owners and map out her next start as there is a race in Sydney that is ideal."

Punters were left reeling after the shock defeat of star filly King's Rose in the $70,000 (Group Three) Lowland Stakes at Hastings.

The 2100m event was taken out impressively by the Keeper-sired filly Midnight Lady who scored by two lengths over Kiwi Lady. A nose away in third was I Gotta Feeling with a further head back to King's Rose.

Midnight Lady had no luck in her last start at Te Rapa when checked in the home straight,. She was unplaced behind King's Rose in the Sir Tristram Fillies Classic.

Yesterday's victory was a pleasing return to form for the Paul Duncan-trained filly.

King's Rose was dragged back to second to last by Chris Johnson who then attempted to save ground on the favourite.

When Johnson pulled her to the outer of the track and ask her to sprint the response was a sustained and eye-catching finish for fourth. This was an impressive trial for the New Zealand Oaks (Group One) at Trentham in two weeks.

Punters backed her into $1.60 favouritism and were left wondering how a filly who had won five in a row could be beaten in a nine-horse field. Opie Bosson will be back on board in the Oaks.