Max Delight stuns favourites in NSW Derby

A LIGHTNING mile left several favourites gasping for breath as 50-1 outsider Max Delight scored a shock win in tonight's APG-sponsored NSW Derby at Menangle.

Starting at $71, Max Delight came out hard early before settling three back on the pegs as favoured runners Centenario ($2.50 favourite) and Victorian Derby winner Muscle Factory ($3.10) along with surprise early leader Lochinvar Art tussle for the early lead.

It was another master stroke by Menangle's leading reinsman Todd McCarthy to sit and wait before springing into action as the field wheeled in the home straight.

Surprisingly Centenario (Chris Alford) was among the first beaten and Muscle Factory followed soon afterwards as the record-breaking speed began to take its toll.

The David Aiken trained Max Delight surged to the front in the home straight while stablemate Malcolms Rhythm (Luke McCarthy) found a gap up on the pegs and grabbed second place, 1.4m behind the winner, who rated 1:51.5 to take an incredible 1.2s of Smolda and Demon Delight's previous record for the journey.
Lochinvar Art (Luke McCarthy) finished third.

Aiken was naturally ecstatic after the win, his second group one of the night.

"Derbys are the hardest races to win and I have been trying to win this race for a long time, so this is particularly satisfying," said Aiken.

Reinsman Todd McCarthy, gunning for the Miracle Mile later in the night with Tiger Tara, was also over the moon with his success.

"I have to thank David for the support he has shown me and I am just glad I was able to reward them with this win," he said.

While Aiken landed the quinella in the big race, the McCarthy brothers, Todd and Luke also finished first and third in the $200,000 feature.

Max Delight was certainly bred to be good, besides being by champion sire Bettors Delight, he is out of a former NSW Oaks winner in Lady Euthenia, who won the fillies' classic in 2010.

Sean Vella
SVella@clubmenangle.com.au