Moments after thinking he’d blown the biggest win of his career, Sydney jockey Tye Angland has triumphed in the Victoria Derby.
Angland eventually guided favourite Ace High to a dominant victory in the $1.5 million Flemington classic.
It was his first winner in Victoria and ninth Group One success.
Three of those have now come this spring after wins with Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose and Ace High in the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick where he missed his brother Cody’s wedding to take the ride.
“If I didn’t do that, whoever had ridden him then would have been riding him today,” Angland said.
The 28-year-old, who has also ridden successfully in Hong Kong, is in no doubt where the Derby win ranks.
“It’s number one now,” he said.
“It was the Golden Rose the other week and that was a massive thrill but this is the Victoria Derby. There’s history behind it and I’m a part of it.”
Angland had Ace High well-placed with a few horses in front early in the 2500m race before ending up four-wide without cover 1200m from home.
“I thought, ‘That’s it, I can’t win from there’,” Angland said.
“Three strides later he was in rhythm.
“It wasn’t my plan to manoeuvre out there. It was the pace of the race and when the other horses took off it just fired him up.”
Angland bided his time before unleashing Ace High in the straight and the David Payne-trained colt powered to the front at the 200m to beat Sully by two lengths.
