Chapple-Hyam pays tribute after Derby winner Dr Devious dies at stud aged 28

Peter Chapple-Hyam has paid tribute to his 1992 Derby winner Dr Devious, who has died peacefully at stud in Sardinia, just short of his 29th birthday.

Dr Devious enjoyed an extraordinary career on the track, racing 15 times in two seasons, including twice in the States, as well as in Ireland, France and Japan. He meant the world to Chapple-Hyam, who was in his heyday at the time and also saddled the dual 2,000 Guineas winner Rodrigo De Triano at Epsom.

Chapple-Hyam, who trained Dr Devious for US businessman Sidney Craig, said: "You should never compare your friends, but he was as good a horse as I ever had. He was also a smashing horse to be around. I don't think he ever bit anyone, and he certainly never kicked anyone. There was never any malice in him whatsoever."

Dr Devious won four of his six races as a two-year-old, including the Dewhurst Stakes, and had the Kentucky Derby as his early target as a three-year-old. Racing in the temporary care of Ron McAnally there, he struggled with the surface there and finished only seventh, but returned to Manton so well that Chapple-Hyam was keen to run him 32 days later in the Derby, rather than wait for the Eclipse.

He recalls: "He had a difficult trip back from the States, via Hamburg zoo, but was so well when he got back to Manton that he got loose just a couple of days later.

"In those days the Derby was on Wednesday and we took both Dr Devious and Rodrigo De Triano for a canter round at the start of the week. Dr Devious went so well that Lester tried to get off Rodrigo to ride him, but John Reid wasn't having it and by the time of the race the Doctor was challenging for favouritism. We knew Rodrigo wouldn't stay, and Dr Devious beat St Jovite a couple of lengths."

Reid remembers: "I never expected to get the ride and before the Derby I'd ridden him just once at Manton and then in a canter at Epsom that week, but he went so well at Manton that I was absolutely buzzing.

"I was very, very confident on the day because he had all the attributes you would want. He had speed and stamina, and he was the right build for the track. He was also a horse who always wanted to give you everything, and I felt that all I had to do was keep him out of trouble. I had plenty of horse under me turning in and I'll never forget the feeling I got passing the post in front.

"He was very special to me."

Dr Devious beat St Jovite again in the Irish Champion Stakes and then ran in the Arc, the Breeders' Cup Turf and the Japan Cup before retiring to stud the winner of six races, three at Group 1 level, with earnings of £812,294.

His most notable offspring were Canadian International and Hong Kong Vase winner Collier Hill, and Prix de l'Opera winner Kinnaird.

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