Australia: The 2020 Epsom Derby winner Serpentine has won his first race since his Classic triumph.
The six-year-old landed the four runner Robbie Fradd Handicap at Eagle Farm in Queensland on his debut for his new trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott.
Three years ago Serpentine, then trained by Aidan O’Brien, pulled off a huge shock when he made virtually all the running to land the Derby under Emmet McNamara at a starting price of 25-1.
He slipped the field descending to Tattenham Corner to race into a 12-length lead and held much of his advantage to win by five-and-a-half lengths.
Unable to win another race in Europe he was sold to seven-time Melbourne Cup winner Lloyd Williams to continue his career in Australia, joining the stable of Robert Hickmott.
Williams had him gelded, a fate not suffered by any other Derby winner since 1900, according to historian Michael Church, and in six starts in Australia he failed to add to his score, finishing 20th of 22 and beaten 99 lengths in last year’s Melbourne Cup.
At Eagle Farm he was sent off a 4-1 chance for the 1m3f race and after being taken to the front by jockey Tim Clark, held off the challenge of favourite Kalapour all the way up the straight.
"I'm sure Gai and Adrian will get plenty of satisfaction out of that horse winning today,” Clark told Sky Racing. “He came from overseas in really good form, and maybe things didn't work out quite right for him in the spring with the wet tracks.
“This was the perfect race to kick him off, and he’s done the job nicely. He's right on track for a Brisbane Cup campaign after that win.
"This is a beautiful kick-off point. He’s a real natural stayer. He won't need a lot of races leading up to a two-mile race (Brisbane Cup). He was strong through the line.
"He really responded when he sensed that horse (Kalapour) come to him. He had to give that horse race fitness and 5.5kgs. He really dug in and on the line, he was pulling away from him. It was a good strong win to start the prep."
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