AFL icon Denis Pagan embroiled in Melbourne Cup spat with Glen Boss

Denis Pagan was a fearsome personality in the footy world and he’s not backing down when it comes to people questioning his racing pedigree.

Denis Pagan isn't paying attention to any outside noise. Photo: Jackson Flindell and Getty Images.

Johnny Get Angry has earned his place in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup and will be running, despite what Glen Boss and others have said in the lead-up.

That’s the view of Johnny’s trainer, former AFL coach Denis Pagan, who pulled off an unlikely Group One win with the son of Tavistock 12 months ago.

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Johnny Get Angry’s position in the Cup field has come under fire after being beaten a combined margin of 48L at his last two starts.

Outspoken jockey Glen Boss, winner of three consecutive Melbourne Cups aboard the great Makybe Diva, was particularly scathing of Johnny Get Angry taking up a spot in the 24-horse field.

“He shouldn’t be in the race. He’s going to attract no turnover, no money,” Boss told RSN listeners on Wednesday.

“He’s simply going to do nothing for the race, apart from being a bit of a speed hump.

“His form suggests he shouldn’t be in the race, and you’ve got to have the best 24 runners in the Melbourne Cup to create excitement, generate turnover and make the race a better race.”

Johnny Get Angry, a $101 chance with TAB, qualified for the Cup with a 1L victory in last year’s Victoria Derby.

“He’s in the field and he’s earned his spot, regardless of what anyone says,” Pagan told Punters. “He won the Derby, he’s earned his spot.

“I’m not interested in what Glen Boss is saying, I’m only interested in my own horse. Once a big mouth, always a big mouth.”

Denis Pagan is backing his horse. Picture: Sarah Matray

Glen Boss is no fan of Johnny Get Angry. Picture: Tara Croser.

While Pagan had little time for Boss’ Johnny Get Angry commentary, it was the word of another jockey in Damien Oliver that convinced the ex-Kangaroos and Carlton coach to press on with his Cup dream.

“It’s been a dream the whole way through (to have a Melbourne Cup runner), but I wasn’t going to run him after the Geelong Cup.

“I had every vet check done on him, he had the RV scans done on him, I had my own vet X-ray his knees, scope him — everything we could possibly do, and there was nothing wrong with him.

“I thought, ‘Geez, what’s going on here?’

“I got Damien Oliver to ride him in work on Monday morning after I took the headgear off, the tongue tie, the crossover noseband, the blinkers.

“He galloped superbly, running his last 400m in 22.7 seconds — that’s not a bad effort at the end of 1800m.

“I didn’t expect to be pushing on to the Cup, but Damien got off him and said, ‘You’d be mad not to run him’.”

Pagan wouldn’t be drawn into his Cup expectations or “best case finishing position” but said he’s been in a similar position before with “Johnny”.

“This time last year I had a Derby runner that was 50-1, a maiden,” Pagan said. “I just want to see ‘Johnny’ run a good race.”

Johnny Get Angry is primed to run on Tuesday. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images)

This story first appeared on punters.com.au and was reproduced with permission