Victoria Derby 2018, race seven results from Flemington

TRAINER Darren Weir has created a famous chapter in Australian racing, winning the $2 million Victoria Derby with his first entry.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 06: John Allen riding Extra Brut wins race 4 the UCI Stakes during Melbourne Racing at Flemington Racecourse on October 6, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Scott Barbour/Getty Images)

EXTRA Brut has won the $2 million Victoria Derby.

The 2500m, Group 1 three-year-olds classic was decided in a thrilling dash down the famous Flemington straight where Extra Brut exploded from the field with 300m to run.

Extra Brut finished a full length clear of Stars of Carrum. Chapada won the final dart to the line to finish third, almost three lengths behind the winnnig bay colt.

It was trainer Darren Weir’s first win in the Derby — and the first time he had ever had a runner in the iconic race.

“Real team effort I guess,” Weir said after his first Derby win.

“It’s great that the owners stuck solid with (jockey) Johnny (Allen). It shows you what class of rider he is, I don’t have to speak about him anymore.”

Irish Jockey John Allan was clearly emotional after the race, passing on a message to his family watching on at home after riding home his third Derby winner.

“Unbelievable,” Allen said when asked how it compared to some of his other big wins around the world.

“Obviously a big thank you to Darren Weir and his team and (part-owner) Brad Spicer and his team for giving me an opportunity,” he said.

An incredible reception for John Allen and Extra Brut, deserved winners of the 164th running of the @AAMI Victoria Derby. #Flemington pic.twitter.com/kCNdJI3UTR

— FlemingtonRacecourse (@FlemingtonVRC) November 3, 2018

Extra Brut is @DKWeirRacing's first ever AAMI Victoria Derby horse! Incredible.

One starter. One winner. #DerbyDay pic.twitter.com/1jpg6FJ7AK

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) November 3, 2018

Gai Waterhouse’s Derby favourite Thinkin’ Big wilted out of contention in the straight.

Earlier, English stayer A Prince Of Arran won his way into the Melbourne Cup with a stirring victory in the Lexus Stakes at Flemington.

A famous Derby.

His trainer Charlie Fellowes would have preferred not to run A Prince Of Arran on Saturday but with the six-year-old just outside the 24-horse limit for the Cup, his hand was forced.

Fellowes and his rival trainers had a longer than usual wait with the race delayed because of a problem with the photo-finish camera.

The Chris Waller-trained $4.20 favourite Brimham Rocks had to be re-plated but even with a new shoe fell half a length short of A Prince Of Arran ($4.40) and missed a Cup start while recording his fourth consecutive second.

A Prince Of Arran has firmed from $34 to $15 for the Cup on Tuesday but 32-year-old Fellowes was just as excited about what he describes at the biggest win of his career.

“That’s the biggest win of my career to date.

“It’s the first Group win of my career,” he said.

“To win at a massive day like today it’s huge.

“Getting into the Cup is amazing and we’ll now hopefully enjoy the next couple of days and the build-up as much as we can”

They’re off to the Cup.

A Prince Of Arran was ridden by Michael Walker who will ride him at 53kg on Tuesday with handicapper Greg Carpenter deciding not to penalise the horse for the win.

“I hit the front too early but nothing was taking me into the race, and in these staying races, these European horses keep going,” Walker said.

“He was pretty strong at the finish and I’m looking forward to Tuesday.”

Fellowes said the pre-race delay was nerve-racking.

“It was painful,” he said.

“If you told me that we would be stood here back in January before we went to Dubai I would have laughed at you.

“He’s always been the apple of my eye because he’s a very good looking horse. He was very quirky as a young horse and I always worried that he wouldn’t actually fulfil his potential.

“This year he really is doing what I hoped he would be able to do when he was younger.” Waller was naturally disappointed Brimham Rocks did not manage the win after being held up at the top of the straight.

“I am allowed to say I’m disappointed. Obviously being a part of the big race on Tuesday would’ve been very special, and if he won today he gets in it,” he said. “I shouldn’t be complaining but I feel for the owners. We’ve come this far and come so close.”

— with AAP