For the second straight year, dual state-based trainer Phillip Stokes has won the South Australian Derby at Morphettville with a longshot.
After Femminile scored at $19 last year, Wigmore, having just his second outing for Stokes, scored at $41 in the 2518m Classic for three-year-olds on Saturday.
Providing Teo Nugent with his second winner at the highest level, Wigmore scored by a short-head from VRC Oaks winner Strictly Business ($12) with Autumn Mystery ($31) a half-length away third.
Wigmore only came into Stokes’ care three weeks after running fourth in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 7 and made his debut for his new trainer in the Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at Morphettville last Saturday.
The gelding finished seventh and Stokes said there had been plenty of improvement noticed between last week and race day after the gelding stayed at the trainer’s Morphettville base after preparing for the Derby in Melbourne.
Stokes said OTI manager Terry Henderson had asked him to sell down 25 per cent of Wigmore which the trainer was able to do to some friends with an immediate result.
It was Group 1 win number nine for Stokes and for the immediate future he is not planning any more Group 1 assaults with Wigmore.
“We just brought him along slowly. He’s very clean winded and a big thanks to OTI,” Stokes said.
“They’re massive supporters. We’ve won this race twice with them and we’ve had a few Group 1 winners now.
“We’re getting up there, Group 1 winners wise. They’re very important. It’s good for everyone and there’s a lot of good owners in this.
“It’s a great result.”
Stokes said a trip north to Brisbane may be unlikely for the Queensland Derby (2400m) later in the month.
“He’s done an amazing job after being up for so long,” Stokes said.
“We may have a Melbourne Cup horse on our hands.”
Stokes said Nugent had been the lucky recipient after Lachlan Neindorf was ruled out through suspension.
He said Neindorf had done a lot of the work aboard Wigmore when he first entered the stable at Pakenham, and the rider had suggested his father go in the ownership of the Derby winner.
Nugent said he had known Stokes since he was 12 years old and joked that one day he would be the trainer’s apprentice.
“I went over to Ireland to learn how to ride horses and for whatever reason, it didn’t work out and I went to Ciaron Maher instead,” Nugent said.
“It’s good to team up with Phil and get a Group 1 winner behind us.
“He was always super throughout my apprenticeship, and he would always chuck me on in town.
“Just of late, I’ve been coming over to Adelaide, warming up for the season and to get a Group 1 win, it’s a massive thrill.
“Phil had this horse trained to the minute. This is his first campaign and to be in work for six months, he tipped me off when I got on, he was feeling super well.
“He’s a typical Kiwi mudlover, he got through that track, no worries at all, so it’s onwards and upwards for him, for sure.”
