Kiwi three year old Tavago produced a major boilover when he scored a runaway win in the Group 1 $2m BMW Australian Derby (2400m) on the first day off ‘The Championships’ at Randwick today.

Tavago was sent out as one of the outsiders of the field at $31 but won like an odds on pop, streaking away at the end of the 2400m to record a three and a quarter lengths victory over the Victorian filly Jameka ($8).

James McDonald’s mount Tally ($8) ran into third spot a further one and a quarter lengths back with the odds on favourite Tarzino ($1.65) failing to run on in the straight, winding up in fourth position.

The Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young trained Tavago was coming off a last start sixth in the Group 1 NZ$750,000 TV3 BMW NZ Derby (2400m) at Ellerslie on March 5 after missing the start and racing back in the field.

Today winning jockey Tommy Berry had Tavago on his toes behind the barriers and the Tavistock gelding was travelling sweetly in third spot on the fence behind the leader.

Berry knew that he plenty in reserve and let Tavago go at the top of the rise and the Derby was all but over.

Co-trainer Natalie Young said that Tavago could now head to Queensland for the Group 1 $600,000 Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11 but he will definitely be aimed towards the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

“A huge ride by Tommy,” Young said.

“He got him to jump this time, he put him there and he just destroyed them.”

“Going into it he was dappled up, he looked amazing. He was nice and relaxed out there and Tommy just gave him a perfect ride.”

“We have the Queensland Derby in the back of our minds.”

Favourite Tarzino began well and Craig Newitt took to the 18000m to ease the colt back into fourth spot behind the leaders and seemed to have a good run from there but struggle to make an impression down the Randwick straight.

Australian Derby Results

Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Starting Price
1	9	TAVAGO (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Tommy Berry	–	1	56.5kg	$31
2	13	JAMEKA	Ciaron Maher	Damien Oliver	3.3L	12	54.5kg	$8
3	4	TALLY	John O’Shea	James McDonald	4.6L	9	56.5kg	$8
4	1	TARZINO (NZ)	Mick Price	Craig Newitt	7L	6	56.5kg	$1.65F
5	3	ETYMOLOGY	John O’Shea	Sam Clipperton	8.3L	5	56.5kg	$41
6	8	WHAT’S THE STORY (NZ)	Stephen Mckee	Blake Shinn	9L	4	56.5kg	$20
7	7	GOLD AMBITION (NZ)	Bjorn Baker	Zac Purton	11.1L	13	56.5kg	$41
8	5	SOVEREIGN NATION	David Hayes & Tom Dabernig	Brenton Avdulla	12.2L	11	56.5kg	$31
9	2	VANBRUGH	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	13.1L	8	56.5kg	$17
10	6	TORGERSEN (NZ)	Chris Waller	Opie Bosson	13.5L	7	56.5kg	$31
11	10	CROSLEY HOTSHOT	Bjorn Baker	Damian Lane	13.7L	10	56.5kg	$101
12	12	ALFDEN	Barbara Joseph & Paul Jones	Tim Clark	26.1L	2	56.5kg	$201
13	11	OH SO SPLENDIDO (NZ)	Bruce Wallace	Christian Reith	31.3L	3	56.5kg	$151