Eagle Farm free racing preview & tips | Queensland Derby Day 2025
| What | Queensland Derby Day 2025 |
| Where | Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007 |
| When | Saturday, May 31, 2025 |
| First Race | 11:43am AEST |
The Group 1 Queensland Derby and Kingsford Smith Cup will headline a massive day of racing at Eagle Farm this Saturday afternoon. The track was rated as a Soft 5 at the time of acceptances, but with more rain forecast this week, expect a genuine wet track throughout the day. The rail will be in the true position for the entire circuit, with the first of nine races set to jump at 11:43am AEST.
Queensland Derby tip: Party Crasher
Even though Party Crasher brings benchmark-grade form into the 2025 Queensland Derby, the Michael Hickmott-trained gelding appears to be a classy horse on the rise. The son of Ocean Park proved way too good for his older rivals over 2250m at Morphettville last time out, showing a blistering turn of foot to win by two lengths. After drawing barrier one, Craig Williams can settle Party Crasher behind the speed on the fence and gain the run of the race throughout the 2400m journey.
Queensland Derby
Race 8 – 
#13 Party Crasher (1)
3yo Gelding | T: Michael Hickmott | J: Craig Williams (57kg)
Kingsford Smith Cup tip: Benedetta
After finishing in the top four in three of her five starts this time in, Benedetta will get her best chance to claim her first Group 1 victory in the Kingsford Smith Cup. The Jason Warren-trained mare ran on nicely into fourth place in the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 last start, and it looks as though she wants further again. If Jamie Melham can take up a prominent position in the first six from barrier five, Benedetta can strike the front early in the straight and prove hard to run down.
Kingsford Smith Cup
Race 7 – 
#12 Benedetta (6)
5yo Mare | T: Jason Warren | J: Jamie Melham (57kg)
Best Bet at Eagle Farm: Tavi Time
Tavi Time returned to form last start with a dominant win in the Listed Scone Cup, defeating his rivals by 1.8 lengths over 1600m. This son of Tavistock settled behind the speed and gained the run of the race before exploding through a gap late to storm clear in the final 300m. Even though Tavi Time is yet to win at 1800m from two attempts, with James McDonald getting back in the saddle, the five-year-old gelding will have every chance to claim back-to-back wins.
Best Bet
Race 4 – 
#1 Tavi Time (3)
5yo Gelding | T: Kris Lees | J: James McDonald (58kg)
Next Best at Eagle Farm: Angel Capital
Angel Capital will have his first start for Chris Waller following his high-profile purchase by Yulong Investments on the back of his impressive Group 2 Autumn Stakes victory. The son of Harry Angel settled worse than midfield at Caulfield that day and unleashed a devastating turn of foot to win by 1.5 lengths. With Ben Melham retaining the ride from barrier four, Angel Capital will settle in a similar spot and repeat the dose to maintain his unbeaten first-up record.
Next Best
Race 6 – 
#2 Angel Capital (4)
3yo Colt | T: Chris Waller | J: Ben Melham (57kg)
Best Value at Eagle Farm: Bubba’s Bay
Kris Lees and Andrew Mallyon will combine with Bubba’s Bay in the Listed Helen Coughlan Stakes as the five-year-old mare returns to her favourite track. This daughter of Cable Bay has won five out of six at the Eagle Farm 1200m, and she has found a race that will set up perfectly for her, with very little speed expected. If Mallyon can find the front and run the race to suit Bubba’s Bay, the massive price of +1800 with horse racing bookmakers looks well over the odds.
Best Value
Race 9 – 
#5 Bubba’s Bay (4)
5yo Mare | T: Kris Lees | J: Andrew Mallyon (57kg)
Eagle Farm quaddie tips for Queeensland Derby Day
Eagle Farm quadrella selections
Saturday, May 31, 2025
- 2-3-6
- 1-10-12-13
- 3-4-6-13-16-17
- 5-6-7-8
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