In Brief
- Popular filly wins competition decided by the fans.
- Deroche recently returned to work in Spreyton.
- Race targets to be decided later in the year.
A month-long competition to find Tasmania’s galloper of the decade concluded this week with the final coming down to the Leanne Gaffney-trained Deroche and the now-retired Hot Dipped, formerly trained by Brendan McShane.
Both sides will readily admit there was some strong campaigning to secure the title and ultimately it was Deroche who won the competition with 61% of voting in the final.
While only a nominal title, the competition win is something connections will wear as a badge of honour and continues a stellar three-year-old season for the chestnut filly.
The filly’s managing owner Denise Martin from Star Thoroughbreds is an awe of Deroche’s performances this season, particularly the two runs at Group 3 level.
“When you are a three-year-old beating the older horses at weight-for age, that’s just hard to do,” Martin said proudly.
Martin confirmed that the daughter of Needs Further has just returned to work in Spreyton and all options, including those across the water, will be left open.
“Leanne (Gaffney) has said we’ll see where we are going in August or early September.
“If she’s going well and there’s an opportunity for some races in Victoria we wouldn’t be against that suggestion,” said Martin.
Deroche concluded her three-year-old season with a win in the Group 3 Vamos Stakes on Launceston Cup Day but there is a sense of unfinished business, with the filly desperately unlucky not to win the Bow Mistress in Hobart just over a fortnight prior.
“I think all the owners, most of which are Tassie based, think the one thing they would like to do is win both of the Group 3’s in Tasmania,” said Martin on the fillies and mares features run during the Tasmanian Summer Racing Carnival.
Deroche has now been in the care of Leanne Gaffney for just on 12 months and Martin is extremely complimentary of the job Gaffney has done.
“She presents the filly to the races in such grand order, her team has done a fantastic job,” said Martin who not only partnered with Gaffney for feature success with Deroche, but also Newhart who won the 2020 Ladbrokes Devonport Cup.
Watch Deroche winning the Vamos Stakes over 1400m in Launceston.