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Lisa Allpress has picked up the ride on Leading Role in the Gr.1 Vodafone New Zealand Derby after a late change of plans by Chris Johnson.

Johnson had been engaged to take the mount at Ellerslie on Saturday and trainer Gary Vile was thrilled to have him aboard. However, that mood changed yesterday when Vile received a call from Johnson’s manager, John Tanahill, to say Johnson would instead be staying south to ride at Wingatui,

“It came as a shock,” Vile said. “It’s pretty ordinary of him. But I’m very happy to have Lisa on. I’ve no fears about her riding him in the Derby.

“She has ridden lots of winners for me and she’s hungry. She’s already looked at the Avondale Guineas and seen what happened.”

Leading Role finished 10th in the Gr.2 Avondale Guineas after being trapped wide throughout.

“His run in the Avondale Guineas was way better than it might seem. He did a lot of work,” Vile said.

Leading Role’s whole preparation this campaign has been aimed at the Derby.

“He’s the fittest I’ve got him,” he said. “He worked right handed this morning (Wednesday) and he worked great. He went with a Rating 65 horse and left him behind.”

The Awapuni trainer will be staging his first attempt on the Derby and he believes Leading Role is more than just an outside chance.

“He’ll stay all day and,out of gate 11, he’s a chance,” Vile said.

A son of Darci Brahma, Leading Role has won two of his 12 starts. The first win came in the Gr.2 Wakefield Challenge Stakes at Trentham as a two-year-old and the other, a three-year-old 1400 metres at Trentham last December.

Vile is also pleased with the condition of Jackstar, who is being set for the Gr.1 Barfoot & Thompson Auckland Cup on Saturday week.

Jackstar finished strongly for sixth, under two lengths from the winner El Soldado, in his latest assignment, the Gr.2 Avondale Cup.

“I thought he was very impressive in the Avondale Cup,” Vile said. “He ran the fastest sectional from the 800 home.

“He got further back than we wanted, but not through any fault of Cameron (Lammas). He’s back on again in the Auckland Cup.”

Lammas first rode Jackstar when winning the Listed New Zealand St Leger (2500m) at Trentham almost a year ago and was also in the saddle in his next two starts for a win at Awapuni and a fourth in the Listed Hawke’s Bay Gold Cup.

He has been Jackstar’s rider seven times this season for a win in the Chalmers (3200m) at Trentham and seconds in the Listed Marton Cup and Gr.3 Wellington Cup before the last-start Avondale Cup attempt