A win for the Kiwi-bred galloper Johnny Get Angry in Saturday’s Victoria Derby would produce one of the more unusual Derby stories.

The Tavistock gelding, one of six New Zealand-bred horses in the 14-horse field, is trained at Flemington by Denis Pagan, who took up training only this year, at the age of 72.

Johnny Get Angry was Pagan’s first runner as a trainer, finishing third – at 100-1 – in a listed 1600m at Flemington in July.

Johnny Get Angry is still a maiden but is also the third-highest rated Derby runner, behind Cherry Tortoni and Albarado. Cherry Tortoni and Albarado are the only runners to have won more than once and the Derby favourite, Young Werther, will be having just his third start.

Johnny Get Angry ran third, albeit well beaten, behind Cherry Tortoni in the Group II Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley at his last start and at his previous attempt came from 13^th at the 400m to finish a close fourth in a Listed 1800m at Flemington.

He will race in blinkers for the first time this weekend and will also be aided by a barrier-extension, which provides more room in the stalls.

 Pagan has had only 11 runners in his training career, with his sole win coming in July.

However, his background as an AFL player and coach has meant he has had attracted more publicity than most tyro trainers. Pagan made over 140 first grade appearances as an AFL player and as a coach won two premierships with North Melbourne and also coached Carlton.

He has raced numerous horses and spent a year as a pre-trainer, before being licensed to train his own horses. He leases boxes from Flemington trainers Leon and Troy Corstens, who have also been his training mentors.

Pagan is not a fan of dull names for his racing team, which also includes Let It Rip Reggie, Frankie Two Angels, My Squeeze Louise and Don’t Rush Ruby.

Johnny Get Angry, who is bred on the golden Tavistock-Zabeel cross, was a $50,000 yearling buy at Karaka and is named after a 1962 hit single for American singer Joanie Sommers.

Johnny Get Angry will be ridden by apprentice Lachie King, whose father, Steven, twice won the Victoria Derby.

Tavistock has three other horses – Young Werther, Wertheimer and Wisaka - in the Derby field, though Wisaka was foaled in Australia and is not credited as New Zealand-bred.

The other Kiwi-bred contenders are Albarado (by Savabeel), Let’s Karaka Deel (Dundeel) and Redwood Shadow (Redwood).

Young Werther will be the least experienced horse to tackle the Derby in the last 20 years but his trainer, Danny O’Brien, is confident the horse has the maturity and fitness to cope with 2500m. Young Werther, who is from a Fastnet Rock mare, was a $140,000 yearling buy at Karaka.

Cranbourne stablemates Albarado and Wertheimer are trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, who won the 2011 Victoria Derby with Sangster, when based at Cambridge.

Some of the owners involved in Sangster’s Derby triumph are also shareholders in Albarado, including Tommy Heptinstall, Dave Kneebone, and Kevin O’Brien, while Heptinstall is also a part-owner of Wertheimer.

Wertheimer began his career in New Zealand, with Cambridge trainer Andrew Campbell, who remains a part-owner.