Stars Align As Paw Oswald Lands National Derby
POWERHOUSE Victorian sprinter Paw Oswald turned in a faultless performance to annex the Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
POWERHOUSE Victorian sprinter Paw Oswald turned in a faultless performance to annex the Group 1 National Derby (520m) at Wentworth Park on Saturday night.
Victorian trainer Mark Delbridge has crossed the border on a number of occasions in recent months and that persistence paid off in the grandest of fashion in the Derby decider.
Paw Oswald went into the $75,000-to-the-winner finale on the strength of three straight wins, the most recent a gritty 29.82 Derby heat success over Zig Zig Man a week earlier.
But in the finale the son of Feral Franky – runner-up in the race in 2019 – was simply brilliant, powering to the lead out of the straight the first time before holding a three-length margin at the finish to score in 29.50.
Jungle Johnny ran a terrific race to finish second while outsider Happy Bandit ran an eye-catching third.
The win, which was Delbridge's first Wentworth Park group 1, was a case of third time lucky for Paw Oswald, having previously contested two major Sydney finals without a result.
But the win carried even further sentiment with the dog carrying the ‘PAW' prefix of the Wheeler family which honours the late Paul Alexander Wheeler.
Adding further to the success, it comes exactly a decade after the great Fernando Bale won the Derby, the last time the Wheeler family tasted success in the time-honoured event.
"This is a terrific result – especially for the Wheeler family, to do it for them is great," Mark Delbridge said post race.
"All the driving back and forth, it has paid off tonight.
"We are now a National Derby winner.
"This just means a lot to us. To carry the PAW name of Paul Alexander Wheeler.
"Yes, it's just really special.
“This dog just loves Wentworth Park. It won't be the last time you see him here!”
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