Champion Victorian trainer Emma Stewart has been a regular plunderer of South Australian feature races, but Yankee Roller gave her a first win in the Group 3 2018 SA BOTRA South Australian Derby (2230m) at Globe Derby Park.
For outstanding reinsman Gavin Lang, it was his third success in the blue riband classic having scored on The Sentry (2004) and Maffioso (2008), the latter for trainer Peter Tonkin, father of Stewart’s partner Clayton.
Yankee Roller upset a sensational betting plunge on former New Zealand three-year-old The Brooklyn Brawler which finished second, beaten a neck.
When betting opened on the Derby, Yankee Roller was the $1.50 favourite with The Brooklyn Brawler at $3.80. There was some early money and the Phillip Walters-trained and driven pacer firmed to $3.30, a price he stayed at until only hours before the race.
Then there was unlimited support for The Brooklyn Brawler and he eventually ran the $1.90 favourite with Yankee Roller drifting out to $2.50.
The favoured pair came from back row draws, The Brooklyn Brawler (nine) and Yankee Roller (10) but when the field settled down, the former was outside the leader Muscle Up Major ($14.20) which had gone to the front from gate seven while Lang, with a superb drive, was one-out, one-back.
Walters tried to go for the lead after 300 metres but The Brooklyn Brawler didn’t respond to his urgings.
“The lead was there,” Walters said, “but he just wouldn’t go to the front.
“He’s a big lazy horse that is still learning.”
So, the plunge runner sat parked for the rest of the trip.
When the pressure was applied with a 28.7 second third quarter, The Brooklyn Brawler put his head in front of Muscle Up Major, but Lang was ready to bring Yankee Roller with what proved to be a winning run.
The Brooklyn Brawler refused to give up but after such an easy runner Yankee Roller prevailed by a neck with No Alabi ($18.50), five metres away third.
“I thought he might have won a bit easier,” Lang said. “After such a good run I thought he was entitled to run through the line a bit stronger.”
Trainer Emma Stewart wasn’t disappointed.
“It was his first run for nearly four months,” Stewart said.
“He has had trials but there is nothing like a race for improving fitness and I think the runner-up in a good horse.
“I believe Yankee Roller is among the top three of my three-year-olds and I’m sure he will be improved by the run.”
Both Yankee Roller and The Brooklyn Brawler are likely to clash again shortly as they are both being aimed at the up-coming Victoria Derby.
