Former North Melbourne and Carlton coach Denis Pagan has engaged in a war of words with jockey Glen Boss.
Boss recently criticised the two-time premiership coach's runner in the Melbourne Cup, with Pagan training runner Johnny Get Angry, who won the 2020 Victoria Derby but has since been winless.
Johnny Get Angry has not only been winless but hasn't been close to figuring in the finish of a race since the Derby win. In his last two starts, he has been a combined 48 lengths off the winners.
Speaking on RSN, Boss didn't hide his displeasure in seeing Pagan's horse accepting a slot for the Melbourne Cup.
โHe shouldnโt be in the race. Heโs going to attract no turnover, no money,โ Boss said.
โHeโs simply going to do nothing for the race, apart from being a bit of a speed hump.
โHis form suggests he shouldnโt be in the race, and youโve got to have the best 24 runners in the Melbourne Cup to create excitement, generate turnover and make the race a better race.โ
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However, when questioned on the comments from the former rider of three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, Pagan said his runner had earned his spot despite a few poor runs, while also managing to give Boss a cheeky clip on the way through.
โHeโs in the field and heโs earned his spot, regardless of what anyone says,โ Pagan told Punters.
โHe won the Derby, heโs earned his spot.
โIโm not interested in what Glen Boss is saying, Iโm only interested in my own horse. Once a big mouth, always a big mouth.โ
Pagan went on to say that he believes the horse is in good order despite the fact he has looked miles off his best form this campaign.
โItโs been a dream the whole way through (to have a Melbourne Cup runner), but I wasnโt going to run him after the Geelong Cup.," Pagan said.
โI had every vet check done on him, he had the RV scans done on him, I had my own vet X-ray his knees, scope him โ everything we could possibly do, and there was nothing wrong with him.
โI thought, โGeez, whatโs going on here?โ
โI got Damien Oliver to ride him in work on Monday morning after I took the headgear off, the tongue tie, the crossover noseband, the blinkers.
โHe galloped superbly, running his last 400m in 22.7 seconds โ thatโs not a bad effort at the end of 1800m.
โI didnโt expect to be pushing on to the Cup, but Damien got off him and said, โYouโd be mad not to run himโ.โ
