A tearful Roger James rated Silent Achiever among the best horses he’s trained after she became the first filly since 1993 to win the New Zealand Derby (2400m).
Silent Achiever coped admirably with a slow Ellerslie track, drawing away in the last 250m to win the $750,000 classic by two and a half lengths.
James, who has now won the Derby five times, rarely gets emotional after races but he was wiping away tears after Silent Achiever’s triumph.
“I was so nervous because I thought I had the best horse in the race and the track really worried me,” he said.
“When the track became testing I started to double doubt myself that I’d done enough work with her and I’ve felt ill all day.”
One of the few other times James was in tears after a race was when former NZ Derby winner Zonda won the King’s Plate in 2001 after being sidelined by injury for 18 months, and he put Silent Achiever in that horse’s class.
“I’ve always said Zonda was the benchmark, but she’s up there now,” he said.
“I think you might have seen a special horse here.”
Silent Achiever got well back early on for James McDonald on what was a slow pace but improved three wide with cover and got to the front near the straight.
Carrick headed her early in the straight but the filly had plenty in reserve and she drew away to beat Rock `n’ Pop by two and a half lengths, with Carrick a head back in third.
“I was waiting for something to actually go past me so I could wait for the last furlong (200m) and I gave her a hit and she just exploded,” McDonald said.
James said Silent Achiever was likely to head to Sydney for the Storm Queen Stakes and the Australian Oaks.