Kelly 'extremely proud' of Hitotsu

Wendy Kelly watched on trackside at Flemington as Hitotsu crossed the line first in the Victoria Derby on October 30.

The Group 1-winning trainer didn't have a runner in Australia's oldest classic race, nor a runner on the day, but that says even more about Kelly herself.

Kelly's husband Kevin, a renowned industry bloodstock agent, found Hitotsu at the 2020 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sales and then the Cranbourne-based trainer put the polish on the Maurice colt at his first three outings for owner Kevin Payne.

"We were actually at the races with Mr Payne to watch the horse," Kelly said of Derby Day.

"It was mixed feelings, thrilled for Mr Payne, thrilled for the horse and a little bit sad, but that's probably natural.

"As things go along, they always get good offers for these horses and it was too good to refuse for Mr Payne.

"We suggested to Mr Payne he retain a share in the horse if he could, only because we knew how good he was and what he would do as a three-year-old."

Kelly paid $100,000 for the colt and saddled him up in a Blue Diamond Stakes as well as an unlucky sixth placing in the VRC Sires, before Ozzie Kheir and his part-owners came knocking.

"My husband Kevin always looks at the Arrowfield draft and really liked him," Kelly recalled.

"Kevin has a marvelous eye for a horse and has selected a number of good horses for different trainers over the years.

"I knew pretty much the first time we ever galloped him that he was pretty smart.

"He has a massive set of lungs and was a very natural athlete.

"And I'd always said to Mr Payne he would be a Derby horse."

Kelly was proven right when the colt stormed home comfortably to win the $2 million Victoria Derby for trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Payne, who retained a significant stake in the horse, and his new part-owners.

"It wasn't a surprise to us to see what he did because we knew how good he was," Kelly reflected.

"Everything we did with him was to have him used to the pressures of that big-time racing.

"Hence the reason we went through the Diamond, I knew the Diamond and Preludes would always be too short for him, but he held his own.

"And that whole campaign with us was aimed at having him ready to go as a three-year-old.

"We are extremely proud."

So while Kelly might not have been holding the Derby trophy aloft, she can take great satisfaction from the vital role she played in his G1 triumph.

Kelly tasted success at the elite level herself when Bon Hoffa won the Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes in 2007.

Remarkably, just 33 hours after Hitotsu won the Victoria Derby, his dam Love Is Fickle delivered a filly by Castlevecchio.