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Bold Soul Digs Deep To Clinch Tasmanian Derby

3 minute read

Trainer Patrick Payne collected his third Tasmanian Derby at Hobart on Friday after Bold Soul justified his short quote in the feature event.

Bold Soul holds on to win the Tasmanian Derby

While only a narrow margin, Bold Soul proved a much easier watch than stablemate Dunkel last year, making it back-to-back feature wins for the stable.

Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne was on track to represent the stable and felt there was plenty of merit in the win.

"He had to dig deep but he got there and that's all that matters," Payne said.

"Obviously great for Patrick and all of his owners, we are just thrilled, and it was a really great ride by Jake Noonan."

Drawn the rail, Bold Soul wasn't the best away and Noonan did well to extricate himself away from the inside coming into the straight.

"He probably doesn't really help himself, he just missed the start a little bit and gets keen mid-race, but he was able to get him to the outside and gave him smooth sailing from there," Payne said.

"It was great to see him get over the line in front."

Having ridden the three-year-old to win the Launceston Guineas last start, Noonan felt there was a trick to riding Bold Soul.

"The key to him is just trying to get the first half of the race right, it's not about where you are positioned but just ensuring you have got him in the right rhythm," Noonan said.

"He did a really good job today because he was quite fierce for a good three furlongs there and that's hard to do over this trip.

"He presented at the right time and looked the winner, whether that early work with him racing himself took it's toll late and I'm not sure, but his class shone through and a credit to the horse he did a great job."

Stablemate Dunkel went on to win the South Australian Derby last year, though Noonan wasn't sure if the stable had the same plan for Bold Soul.

"I'm sure he can go on with it, how far into this preparation I'm not too sure, I'll leave that with Patty [Payne] and the connections," Noonan said.

"The fact that he is going to get a strong 2400m places him in a good spot as a three-year-old and he's just doing a lot of it on raw ability."