Fillies in fine fettle to again battle boys in Vic Trotters Derby

The Victoria Trotters Derby has traditionally been a tough assignment for fillies. There have been exceptions.

Fillies have won three of the past six editions of the three-year-old classic – Wilmas Mate in 2016, Une Belle Allure in 2017 and Pink Galahs in 2020.

Then there was a golden patch back in the 1990s when fillies dominated the race with Make Mine Lily’s (1993), Lunar Lass (1994), Tucumcari (1995) and Rival Lass (1996) all saluting.

Muckleford father and son team Chris and Brad Angove are hoping they can add to this record this year.

They are lining up two fillies in heats of the Haras Des Trotteurs Victoria Trotters Derby at Maryborough on Sunday.

Last-start Bendigo winner Stingofawasp is in the first of three heats on the all-trotting card and Ebonys Avenger faces the starter in the second.

Brad Angove knows how difficult taking on the boys can be, but says the two fillies – bred, owned and trained by the family – deserve a crack.

And, of course, the Group 1 $75,000 Haras Des Trotteurs Victoria Trotters Derby final – to be run at Maryborough on Sunday October 30 – is a feature all enthusiasts of the trotting gait would love to win.

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Chris Angove is a devotee of the trotter. He has had top performers in four decades as a trainer, winning four Group 1s including The Redwood Classic and many other features, but the Victoria Trotters Derby has eluded him.

Brad Angove says there are obviously some smart youngsters at the top end, but believes his fillies are good enough to hold their own in any company.

“They’re nice fillies and done a really good job,” he said. “They’re running good times. We know it’s a hard task against the boys, but we believe they’re up to it.”

On Stingofawasp, a winner of four races, Angove said she had trained on well since her return to winning form in open age company at Bendigo.

He said Ebonys Avenger had bounced back from a luckless run in the Catanach’s Jewellers Victoria Trotters Oaks, when she ran into trouble early, with a second at Melton.

Angove said she had gone into the Oaks a little underdone, but still ran home in 57.6 seconds.

“She only got going in the last 200m, so we weren’t too disappointed. All you could do was move on.”

He said then they finished in 27.7 after a slowly run race at Melton.

“She’s in good shape, although we would have liked better draws for both.”

Whatever the outcome of the Victoria Trotters Derby, Angove is considering a trip to the SA Oaks before the Vicbred Super Series to round out the year.

NSW Trotters Derby winner Harry Stamper is the favourite for the opening heat, Plymouth Chubb in heat two and Cravache Dor in the third.