Thrilled American owners keen to reward Ray for American Dealer’s Derby triumph

American co-owner Gordon Banks is so impressed by the job trainer Ray Green has done with American Dealer, he says it’s on the cards Lincoln Farms will get the horse back next year.

Banks and his Miami cousin Marc Hanover enjoyed one of their happiest moments in racing when the little fighter upstaged his rivals in tonight’s A$102,000 Queensland Derby, turning on a courageous run for driver Anthony Butt to beat Kiwi rival and hot favourite Krug into third.

The Queensland Derby trophy won by American Dealer.“We’ve been lucky with big wins but this is one of the happiest. That was a whole lot of fun after getting up at 5am on a Saturday to watch it.

“I’m very happy for Ray. He’s a wonderful person and a great trainer. And while he’s going to a different trainer because the horse’s immediate targets are in Victoria, we’re not ruling out that he goes back to to New Zealand and Ray at some stage. He deserves it.

“There are some big four-year-old races in New Zealand for him to race in.”

Banks and Hanover, who bought American Dealer from Lincoln Farms in July, 2020, said while the horse went through a bad patch for a month or so recently, Green had rejuvenated him superbly.

“The horse was continually written off without proper respect but he had bad post (draw) after bad post and he’d beaten Krug before.

“Anthony is hot, he’s a great, big money driver. He won a Sires Stakes Final for us with Joannes A Delight (in 2014).

“He pushed awful hard to lead but you could see the horse looked strong the whole way.”

Banks said American Dealer will be floated to Sydney on Monday where he would spell for a month.

Then it was likely he would go to their Victorian trainer Nathan Purdon to prepare for the Victoria Derby and Breeders Crown in October and November.

“It’s awkward with Covid so it’s hard to know how things will play out. But that’s the plan.”

Butt, who won both his earlier drives on the night with Tommy Lincoln and Tough Monarch in the Queensland Trotters’ Cup, was at his brilliant best behind American Dealer.

American Dealer is going strongly at the finish of the Queensland Derby, beating Captain Crusader.Beaten for early speed, his No.1 plan to lead was soon out the window but in true style, he was quick to find an early one-one possie.

And when he saw a challenge coming three wide he had no hesitation in whipping round the field and attacking for the front.

He soon had Krug to contend with as Blair Orange made a run to the death, but the favourite was under heavy pressure turning for home and it was left to Captain Crusader to push him closest.

At the line he had 1.7 metres to spare, clocking a slick mile rate of 1:55.9 for the 2680 metres.

The winner’s purse of A$59,850 took his Brisbane earnings in five starts to A$98,458.