Promising staying three year old Angel Of Truth spread his wings again in a repeat front running performance to win the Group 1 $2m Harrolds Australian Derby (2400m) on Day One of The Championships at Randwick today.
Top Sydney jockey Corey Brown steered Angel Of Truth to an all the way win last Saturday in the Group 2 $200,000 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) and he adopted the same winning tactics again today.
Brown set an even tempo once Angel Of Truth found the front heading out of the straight the first time and once over the rise in the run home, the gelding was never going to get beat and went on to record a dominant three and a quarter lengths Australian Derby victory at the good odds of $15.
“Once he got to the front, he did what he liked. 600m from home he was travelling and once he gets to his top he sustains it,” Brown said.
“He gave some cheek and I looked over my shoulder after getting the front. Full credit Gwenda and the team for the win.”
Madison County chased home Angel Of Truth last week in the Tulloch Stakes and was runner up again at $7.50 just head of the Tony Pike trained Surely Sacred at $13.
The Ciaron Maher trained Global Exchange was sent out as the $5.50 equal favourite and even though he tried hard in the straight, could only manage sixth place while co-favourite Chapada never threatened to finish tenth.
Winning trainer Gwenda Markwell was happy to see Angel Of Truth dictating the race out in front and she knew at the half way mark that her stable star would be hard to run down.
“He’s a good horse. When I saw him leading with his ears pricked around the 1000m mark i thought he is going to take a lot of running down here. It was great,” Markwell said.