Sydney racing prowess took centre stage in this year’s Victoria Derby, with Stormy Marco effortlessly handling a seven-day turnaround to secure victory in the $3 million Group 1 event at Flemington on Saturday. The 2500-metre race, Australia’s oldest Classic, saw the Chris Waller-trained colt achieve his maiden top-flight win under the guidance of champion jockey James McDonald.
This triumph followed the colt’s fourth-place finish in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick just a week prior. Post-race, McDonald humorously drew parallels between this win and another significant success he’d experienced at the iconic racecourse.
“I’m so happy Chris backed him up, he just knows his horses so well and he was here to produce a wicked turn of foot,” McDonald stated. “It was just like I was on Verry Elleegant again, it was so smooth. I don’t think he’s like your typical VRC Derby horse, but he’s got class. He’s a sharp horse. I thought he could have been a Guineas horse, so it shows the ilk we hold him in. He’s done a good job.”
McDonald, of course, was the rider aboard Verry Elleegant when she achieved a memorable victory in the 2021 Melbourne Cup. While Stormy Marco may not yet be in her class, he certainly validated the confidence of the punters, who backed him into the $4.40 favourite, marking the second win of his eight-race career.
Despite a challenging barrier draw of 14 in the 16-horse field, McDonald adopted a conservative approach early on. He was able to gradually improve his position throughout the race, presenting Stormy Marco at the opportune moment in the home straight. The colt surged to the lead with 300 metres remaining, ultimately winning by two lengths.
The runner-up was the $101 outsider Cold Shower, with the first filly to compete in the Derby for 36 years, Quick Finish ($21), finishing a further 1-1/4 lengths back in third.
“It’s a funny thing barrier draws, we drew the car park, but when you’re drawing inside you feel like you have to hold the spot,” McDonald commented. “If this horse probably drew inside, we would have been niggling to the first corner, a little bit disorganized. I just want to keep it smooth, I wanted him to relax. I had Zahra (Mark, on Vallice) to my inside and he was saying, ‘sleep baby, sleep’. That’s all we did, the two of us, and he had superior form.”
This marked McDonald’s second Victoria Derby win, having previously triumphed three years earlier aboard Riff Rocket, also trained by Waller. The victory adds to Waller’s impressive Victoria Derby tally, which includes wins with Preferment (2014) and Manzoice (2022).
The Derby success capped off a stellar 40 minutes for the formidable trainer-jockey combination and the distinctive green and red silks of Hermitage Thoroughbreds, as Lady Shenandoah followed Stormy Marco’s win with a commanding performance in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes.
For the latest racing odds and markets, check out these Australian betting sites.
