Back-to-back South Australian Derby success for trainer Phillip Stokes
Phillip Stokes, the dual state trainer, has secured the South Australian Derby at Morphettville for the second year running with an unexpected long-priced runner.
Wigmore, in his second race for Stokes following Femminile's $19 upset last season, powered home at $41 in Saturday's 2518m three-year-old Classic.
Jockey Teo Nugent notched his second Group 1 triumph as Wigmore held off Strictly Business ($12), the VRC Oaks winner, by a short head, with Autumn Mystery ($31) closing to within a half-length for third.
Three weeks after a fourth-place finish in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby at Ellerslie on March 7, Wigmore transferred to Stokes and debuted for him last Saturday in Morphettville's Chairman's Stakes (2000m).
Ending up seventh there, the gelding showed marked enhancement from that run to Derby day, having been kept at Stokes' Morphettville stables post-Melbourne prep.
According to Stokes, OTI's Terry Henderson sought to divest 25 per cent of Wigmore's shares, a move the trainer executed among pals with instant positive outcomes.
Stokes now boasts nine Group 1 successes, though no immediate elite challenges are planned for the gelding.
"We just brought him along slowly. He's very clean winded and a big thanks to OTI," Stokes said.
"They're massive supporters. We've won this race twice with them and we've had a few Group 1 winners now.
"We're getting up there, Group 1 winners wise. They're very important. It's good for everyone and there's a lot of good owners in this.
"It's a great result."
A northern journey to the Queensland Derby (2400m) in Brisbane later this month appears doubtful, per Stokes.
"He's done an amazing job after being up for so long," Stokes said.
"We may have a Melbourne Cup horse on our hands."
Nugent took the mount due to Lachlan Neindorf's suspension, as Stokes detailed.
Neindorf had put in substantial early miles on Wigmore at Pakenham, even urging his father to invest in the eventual Derby champion.
Nugent, acquainted with Stokes from age 12, quipped about once aiming to be his apprentice.
"I went over to Ireland to learn how to ride horses and for whatever reason, it didn't work out and I went to Ciaron Maher instead," Nugent said.
"It's good to team up with Phil and get a Group 1 winner behind us.
"He was always super throughout my apprenticeship, and he would always chuck me on in town.
"Just of late, I've been coming over to Adelaide, warming up for the season and to get a Group 1 win, it's a massive thrill.
"Phil had this horse trained to the minute. This is his first campaign and to be in work for six months, he tipped me off when I got on, he was feeling super well.
"He's a typical Kiwi mudlover, he got through that track, no worries at all, so it's onwards and upwards for him, for sure."
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