Written by Richard Edmunds
The resurgent riding career of Michael Walker took on extra Group 1 glow on Saturday as he returned to his homeland and won the Vodafone New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie aboard Sherwood Forest (Fastnet Rock).
As a former multiple premiership winner in New Zealand and seven-time Group 1 winner in Australia, Walker has made a significant impact on both sides of the Tasman in his two-decade career in the saddle. But his list of injuries is almost as long as his list of big-race victories, and earlier this year he came close to retiring.
Instead he has clawed his way back to racing’s pinnacle, winning last Saturday’s Blue Diamond on Tagaloa (Lord Kanaloa {Jpn}) and adding New Zealand’s most famous classic seven days later. It was his third New Zealand Derby victory, following on from Military Move (NZ) (Volksraad {GB}) in 2010 and Puccini (NZ) (Encosta De Lago) in 2014.
“Five weeks ago I was going to give it away,” said Walker, who also won Saturday’s G3 McKee Family Sunline Vase aboard Communique (NZ) (Redwood {GB}).
“I was too heavy and getting sick of all the injuries. I’ve had 13 operations on my left hip, including a hip replacement.
“Five weeks ago I was going to give it away... I was too heavy and getting sick of all the injuries. I’ve had 13 operations on my left hip, including a hip replacement." - Michael Walker
“But I decided to stick with it, and I’ve been very fortunate to have these results. I’m really grateful for the opportunity to come home and ride this horse.
“I have to rush off and catch a plane back now, so I can’t stick around for the celebrations. But seeing the connections’ smiling faces when I came back off the track was an awesome thrill. It’s why I keep doing this.”
Trainer Tony Pike
Sherwood Forest’s trainer Tony Pike was equally grateful to Walker for accepting his invitation across the Tasman.
“I just called Michael out of the blue and asked if he might be interested, and he said he would come straight over,” Pike said. “It was great of him to do that, and he gave the horse a perfect ride. I’ll try to call on him again if we head over to Sydney.”
Stamina the key to upset win
Sherwood Forest’s Derby triumph went against the script, coming at 13-to-one odds in a market dominated by two exciting 3-year-olds.
One of those was million-dollar Inglis Easter Yearling Sale purchase Dragon Leap (Pierro). Trained by Lance O’Sullivan and Andrew Scott, he had won three of his four starts including the G2 Auckland Guineas and an effortless victory in the G2 Avondale Guineas two weeks out from the Derby.
Dragon Leap
The other was Two Illicit (NZ) (Jimmy Choux {NZ}), a homebred filly carrying the colours of Trelawney Stud. She won the G2 Waikato Guineas by more than 7l earlier this month, and her co-trainer Roger James and jockey Vinnie Colgan had won the Derby four and six times respectively.
Despite a strong third behind Catalyst (NZ) (Darci Brahma {NZ}) in the G1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas in November, Sherwood Forest was largely overlooked. He had finished fourth in the Auckland Guineas and third in the Avondale Guineas, with a 2200 metre handicap victory against older horses in between.
But Pike believed Sherwood Forest’s stamina would make him a force to be reckoned with over the 2400 metres of the Derby, and he was right.
The race was run in 2:26.77, which is the fastest New Zealand Derby since So Casual (NZ) (Casual Lies {USA}) clocked 2:24.8 in 1998. Sherwood Forest relished the challenge and comprehensively outstayed his opposition.
Michael Walker
Walker had him handily placed in fourth behind a strong pace set by Peloton (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}). Two Illicit and Dragon Leap eyed each other in midfield, and when they made their move coming up to the home straight, Walker and Sherwood Forest went with them.
It was scripted as a war between two horses, but instead it was three as Sherwood Forest poked through in between Dragon Leap and Two Illicit.
The favourites threw everything they had at him, but Sherwood Forest kept finding more and more and started to edge clear.
Sherwood Forest stormed home to win the Derby
At the finish line he had a 1.25l advantage over Two Illicit, with 2l back to a fast-finishing Scorpz (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}), just ahead of Dragon Leap.
“He just outstayed them,” said Pike, who won the Derby in 2016 with Rangipo (Stryker).
“The last few races he’s been running in have been a little bit too sharp for him, but I’ve always thought he would come into his own over 2400 metres. It’s a fantastic result and hugely satisfying.
"I’ve always thought he would come into his own over 2400 metres. It’s a fantastic result and hugely satisfying." - Tony Pike
“He was a bit of a ratbag as a 2-year-old, but the team have put in a lot of work with him, and this season was always going to be about the Derby. It’s great when a plan comes off.
“It was a beautiful ride. We wanted it to be a true staying test. He presented him at the right time, and the horse showed what a genuine stayer he is.”
Walker was full of praise for his mount.
“He gave me an amazing ride,” he said. “He’s such a gentleman, and everything I asked for, he gave.
“The two favourites have such brilliance, but if there was a chink in their armour, it was going to be the distance. You have to be the best staying horse to win this race, and Tony gave me confidence that I was riding that horse.”
Sherwood Forest is raced by his breeders, the Goodson & Perron Family Trust, in partnership with Calder Bloodstock Ltd and Deborah Martin.
He has now won four of his 11 starts and more than NZ$737,000 in stakes. He won a maiden race at Ruakaka in September, and added the G3 War Decree S. at Riccarton a month later.
A trip across the Tasman now looms for Sherwood Forest. Pike said he had been considering the South Australian Derby, but that Saturday’s impressive performance made Sydney a more likely target.
