Classy New Zealand runner Lion Tamer has continued their impressive form in Australia this season, winning the classic three-year-olds showdown of the year with a comprehensive victory in the 2010 Victoria Derby at Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival today.
Storming Home colt Lion Tamer was coming off a solid second place finish to Rekindled Interest in the AAMI Vase, but turned the tables today with a smashing run in the $1.5 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m), relishing the soft rain-affected track.
The Murray and Bjorn-trained Lion Tamer settled well with champion hoop Hugh Bowman settling him into second spot behind the early leader Almindoro.
The pace was right as were the conditions and after going to the front at the 800m mark Lion Tamer pulled away from the field impressively, beating his closest rival Praecido by a comprehensive six and a half lengths – easily the biggest winning margin of the day – with Retrieve a close third.
Lion Tamer has now won five of their 11 career starts, obviously a wet tracker that likes the ground soft, which worked for them in the Derby today.
The favourite Rekindled Interest was a well-beaten fifth, finishing over 12 lengths away from the winner.
2010 AAMI Victoria Derby Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Weight | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 3 | LION TAMER(14) | Hugh Bowman | Murray & Bjorn Baker | 55.5 | 2-46.43 |
| 2nd | 5 | PRAECIDO(10) | Craig Williams | David Payne | 55.5 | 6.5L |
| 3rd | 1 | RETRIEVE(2) | Kerrin McEvoy | Peter Snowden | 55.5 | 6.7L |
| 4th | 9 | DIGITAL FORTRESS(12) | Blake Shinn | Guy Walter | 55.5 | 7.7L |
| 5th | 2 | REKINDLED INTEREST(6) | Dwayne Dunn | Jim Conlan | 55.5 | 12.2L |
| 6th | 11 | ALMINDORO(4) | Steven King | Steve Richards | 55.5 | 14.2L |
| 7th | 6 | YULALONA(13) | Mark Zahra | Peter Snowden | 55.5 | 15.0L |
| 8th | 12 | COSMONAUT(16) | Michael Rodd | Bart Cummings | 55.5 | 17.7L |
| 9th | 10 | SHOOTOFF(11) | Corey Brown | Graeme Rogerson | 55.5 | 19.0L |
| 10th | 16 | ULUNDI(3) | Ben Melham | Pat Carey | 55.5 | 20.5L |
| 11th | 8 | LUCKYI’MBAREFOOT(1) | Dean Holland | Tracey Templeton | 55.5 | 26.0L |
| 12th | 13 | KIRINATA(9) | Nash Rawiller | Paul Perry | 55.5 | 34.0L |
| 13th | 14 | PERFECT PECS(15) | Craig Newitt | Rick Hore-Lacy | 55.5 | 35.7L |
| 14th | 4 | SMOKIN’ JOEY(5) | Damien Oliver | Lee Freedman | 55.5 | 40.7L |
| 15th | 15 | TALE OF THUNDER(7) | Jim Cassidy | John P Thompson | 55.5 | 42.7L |
| 16th | 7 | KUDAKULARI(8) | Steven Arnold | Bart Cummings | 55.5 | 47.2L |
| Src | 17 | ABSOLUTELYAWESOME | Luke Nolen | Michael Moroney | ||
| Src | 18 | SHADOWOFEXCELLENCE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | |||
| Src | 19 | ACCLAIMED CHAOS | Dean Yendall | Peter Healey | ||
| Src | 20 | KERCHINGS | Michael Walker | Anthony Cummings |
