Manzoice claims a maiden Group 1 for Almanzor in Victoria Derby

Manzoice's last-gasp success in the Penfolds Victoria Derby at Flemington on Saturday was to be the first Group 1 triumph for his shuttle sire Almanzor.

Chris Waller's runner, a handicap winner in August, was causing a bit of an upset in one of the Australian spring's keynote races. Although not already one of Almanzor's five black-type winners - all of which were at Listed level - connections felt he had been owed some luck.

He was towards the rear of the field under Michael Dee turning in and showed signs of inexperience but his rider found a way through and he picked off last week's Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes winner Sharp 'N' Smart (by Redwood) just before the line.

Manzoice was eighth to Snarp 'N' Smart in the event at Randwick and Waller's stable manager Charlie Duckworth told Racing.com: "Terrific performance from the horse and it's been the plan all the way through and things haven't gone his way with wide draws and wet tracks, but we've stuck solid with the plan that we set out to do.

"Beautiful ride from Micky Dee. It was obviously looking like he was going to be a bit unlucky on the turn, but he kept persevering, trying to get out and he knuckled down really well in the last 100 metres.

"He's a horse that I think will improve with the more racing he does as he's still a bit doughty mentally and doesn't really know what it's about.

"They [Almanzors] just are mentally behind the eight ball. They just take forever for the penny to drop and you can just see there he was going to put them away and then wandered around a bit."

Manzoice is a member of Almanzor's first southern hemisphere crop. The brilliant European champion racehorse divides his year between Haras d'Etreham in France and Cambridge Stud in New Zealand.

Bred by Sandra Hole out of the Kiwi Group 3 winner Choice, whose other foal Regal Ruby by Night Of Thunder is also a winner, he was bought by Waller and Mulcaster Bloodstock for A$340,000 (£188,000/€219,000) at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Manzoice's half-sister by Shooting To Win is scheduled to be offered at the NZB Ready to Run Sale in November.

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