South Australian breeder Harry Perks has bred his third Group 1 Victoria Derby winner after the heavily supported Goldrush Guru ran clear for Jamie Kah in the distance classic at Flemington on Saturday.
Perks, who has also bred the likes of Caulfield Cup winner Southern Speed and ATC Derby winner Gold Guru, was the breeder of the 2008 $101 Victoria Derby bolter Rebel Raider, as well as 2019 winner Warning.
Of course, Rebel Raider was ridden that year by Clare Lindop, who became the first female to win the classic. Kah on Saturday became just the second, with her perfectly timed ride to continue a day of varying fortune.
Unlike Rebel Raider, who started at $101 in 2008, Goldrush Guru was heavily supported to win the race.
Opening up at $15 at acceptances on Wednesday, the colt started at $8 and looked the winner a long way out as Kah sent him clear in the home straight.
The victory was a triumph for stallion American Pharoah, who also sired last year’s ill-fated Victoria Derby winner Riff Rocket.
Such a brilliant win in the G1 Victoria Derby as the #MillParkRaised American Pharoah colt Goldrush Guru joins fellow farm graduates Warning and Rebel Raider as winners of the prestigious contest. Congrats @ajGlue, @MacdonaldRacing, @jamieleekah07, Harry Perks & connections 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Gni3IO6xQq
— Mill Park Stud (@millparkstud) November 2, 2024
“It’s lovely to be back here,” Perks said after the race. “I race this colt with these guys and we just keep breeding from the family and a good one keeps coming along.
“We thought he’d be a Derby sort of horse as his dam (Glam Guru) ran second (in 2019) in the Wakeful Stakes.”
On the line, Goldrush Guru had a one-and-a-half-length margin over $41 bolter Scary, with China Sea ($11) filling third place.
$3.90 favourite El Castello got a long way back and worked home late for fifth.
Kah had endured a mixed day as she was stood down from the Wakeful Stakes after her mount threw her head back and hit her in the face, just a race after an emotional win on Another Wil, who was bred by long-time friend Colin McKenna, who died last week.
“It means everything to us,” Kah said. “Obviously, we love riding Group 1 winners, but it just makes it so much more special when it’s for some fantastic people like Andrew (Gluyas).
“I used to ride for Andrew and Lou. I rode some shockers back in the day for them, so it was nice to repay them on the big stage on Derby Day.
“My plan was to get back on him. Couldn’t hold him early. I was going to be wide and somehow found a little gap to slot into.
“Once I found the gap, he just fell asleep and gave me a beautiful run throughout.
“He won it a long way out and I could have stopped him for another lap, but he wanted to keep going.
“They’ve trained this horse to perfection, he’s looked good winning in Adelaide but obviously the class is a bit different. I didn’t know how he was going to measure up but they’ve done a good job.”
