Angland sends wedding cheers to his brother with Spring Champion Stakes win

Clinton Payne - Saturday October 7

Tye Angland made the "gut wrenching" decision to miss his brother's wedding on Saturday to ride Ace High in the Group I Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and he was vindicated when the David Payne-trained galloper proved too good.

Advertisement
Ace High (orange) wins the Spring Champion Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.
Photo: Steve Hart

Angland's older brother Cody is one of Australia's best bronco riders on the rodeo circuit and he was married, according to Tye, "in the middle of nowhere up in Springsure", a town in the Central Highlands region of Queensland, 350km west of Rockhampton.

"It wasn't an easy decision. He's my brother," Angland said. "But for where I am in my career, this is where I need to be to go to the next level.

"As much as it was hard not to go to Cody's wedding, I needed to be selfish and stay on this horse.

"I rang him this morning and wished him well and I'll ring him again tonight.

"This will make the party a whole better, they all would have backed him."

The victory was Angland's second Group I success in the past three weeks, adding to his win aboard Trapeze Artist in the Golden Rose while for trainer David Payne it was his first since the autumn of 2015.

Ace High ($3.10 fav) led all the way to defeat the fast-finishing Chris Waller-trained Tangled ($5.50) by a short-head with Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young's Sully ($8.50) another 1-1/2 lengths back in third.

"We rode him to suit the race today," Payne said.

"There was no pace in the race so we opted to lead on him but you'll see a better horse when he can follow something.

"Today we had to make it a stayer's race."

The win was Payne's 107th Group I as a trainer, his sixth since moving from South Africa to Australia in 2002 and he may only have to wait another four weeks to add another to his mantle piece.

"We bought him as a Derby horse," Payne said. "I'll speak to the owner and see how we go. I'm keen on the (Victoria) Derby.

"I had Criterion, Praecido and Honorius and they all ran well. He's the best of them, well I don't know better than Criterion but he's a good stayer.

"Criterion was more brilliant. His brilliance got him the trip. He was more of a miler."

Ace High firmed into $9 for the Victoria Derby after his Spring Champion Stakes win behind the favourites Main Stage at $6 and Tavistock Abbey at $8.

Post-race Angland pleaded guilty to striking Ace High four times more than allowed and stewards fined him $4000. 

Advertisment
More Reading...
Extremely Good Filly Wins G2 Furious for Myracehorse
There has always been a big boom on Extreme Choice filly Apocalyptic following her flashing second on debut last December and we finally saw her back at the races at Randwick on Saturday and it proved well worth the wait!
Concorde Stakes Success For Headwall
With the first two across the line highlighting their claims for an Everest slot, Matthew Smith’s Headwall (Dream Ahead) came with a well-timed run in the $1m Group 3 ATC Concorde Stakes (1000m) to deny the unlucky Lady Shenandoah (Snitzel).
Zoustar 5YO Showing Promise
Promising gelding Have A Crack retained his unbeaten New Zealand record with a gritty performance to take out the Rich Hill Stud (1200m) at Ellerslie on Saturday.
$750,000 Deep Field Colt a SW on Debut
Nearly all of the good colts and geldings by now pensioned sire Deep Field find their way to Hong Kong, but astute trainer Clinton McDonald was determined to keep Rosberg paying $750,000 for the colt at the Inglis Ready 2Race Sale last year and he was rewarded at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
El Roca Filly Wins G3 Gold Trail
Lollapalooza went into Saturday’s Gr.3 Gold Trail Stakes (1200m) at Ellerslie as a maiden, but she came out of it as one of the leaders of her generation and the clear favourite for the Gr.1 New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m).
G1 Shamus Award - Quintessa Wins Proisir Plate
The early spring has tended to bring the very best out of Quintessa, and that trend continued at Ellerslie on Saturday with a spectacular last-to-first performance at $36 odds in the Gr.1 Proisir Plate.
Exciting Stakes-Winner for Yes Yes Yes
Relocated to Gooree Park Stud this year, Everest hero Yes Yes Yes produced an exciting stakes-winner in New Zealand on Saturday with promising three year-old Affirmative Action taking out the $100,000 Listed Sir Colin Meads Trophy (1200m) at his second race start.
G1 Spring Ahead As Angel Capital Remains Unbeaten First Up
A winner of the Listed McKenzie Stakes on this day last year, outstanding Harry Angel 4yo Angel Capital remained unbeaten first-up, winning the Listed MVRC Chautauqua Stakes (1200m) in dominant fashion.
Catch Me If You Can Tactics Sees Changingoftheguard Break Aussie Duck
Having not won since June 2024 at Group 2 level at Ascot, a front running ride by James McDonald aboard the Kris Lees trained Changingoftheguard (IRE) saw the son of Galileo win the $200,000 Listed ATC City Tattersalls Club Cup (2400m).
Front Runner Lindermann Wins Chelmsford Stakes
Capitalising on his outstanding second up form, Chris Waller’s Group 1-winning Lonhro gelding Lindermann held on to win the Group 2 ATC Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.