Racing: O'Sullivan out to beat hot favourite

Lance O'Sullivan. Photo / Bradley Ambrose

Lance O'Sullivan was the last jockey to win the Derby at Ellerslie on a filly.

This afternoon the former champion jockey tries to beat one of the best chances since in Zarzuela.

The fact it was 1993 when O'Sullivan won the Derby on Popsy tells you all you need to know about the spartan record fillies have in the Derby.

Tidal Light (1986), Our Flight (1982) and Star Belle (1966) are the only other fillies to be successful in the past 44 years.

A moderating factor is that traditionally the Derby was run on Boxing Day and the Oaks at Trentham about four weeks later.

That was too tough a double for most and many fillies missed the Derby as a result.

"A filly can definitely win the Derby," said O'Sullivan yesterday as he helped prepare Corporal Jones to try to defeat the hot favourite Zarzuela.

"It wasn't a great field the year Popsy won, this is a far stronger line-up."

Three of the favourites - Zarzuela, Corporal Jones and Katie Lee - have drawn towards the outside, but O'Sullivan won't have it that barrier draws are important in this race.

"Popsy came from the outside gate - draws are irrelevant.

"The records show that most of the winners in the last 10 years have come from gates outside No 10."

That may be a fact, but Zarzuela will probably have to go back from her wide gate and will need luck late in the race.

Popsy came from last on the home bend in her year, but that scenario this time would be close to impossible, something O'Sullivan concedes.

"Nothing will come from last at the 400m - the field is too good for that."

O'Sullivan's early Derby experiences were not great.

"A bloke from Te Rapa put me on a horse in the Derby when I reckon it was probably only my second year riding."

The jockey who would eventually break all records has no great memories of his performance that day.

"I bet now he wishes he hadn't put me on."

A couple of years later O'Sullivan had the Derby won on Flight Bijou in the home straight then along came a pretty good horse - Bonecrusher.

He managed to win the race for the first time in 1990 on Surfers Paradise.

O'Sullivan rates the chances of Corporal Jones highly.

Arch rival Zarzuela will be ridden by apprentice James McDonald, who also happens to be the country's leading jockey.

O'Sullivan's says his advice to any jockey trying to win the Derby today is simple: "Don't stuff anything up."