Victoria Derby

WHAT’S the best way to win a share of $1.5 million? You could have a crack at Tattslotto, but how about getting home a winner in the Victoria Derby?

With some of the superstar horses to take out the 2500m group one race, you probably have as much chance of winning the lotto.

Under set weight conditions, the race, for three year old gallopers, kicks off the four day Flemington leg of the Melbourne Spring Carnival, part of the best day of racing on the calendar, with races including The Coolmore, Mackinnon Stakes and The Classic.

From 1855 to 1971, the race was a 2400 metre chase, but the extra 100 metres was added in 1973. The pretty-named Rose of May was the first winner of the race, 160 years ago, a long way from last year’s winner, Tarzino.

One of the toughest races to win, only won horse has saluted more than once, with Fireworks storming home in 1867 and 1868.

The legendary Phar Lap is among the winners and his peer Tulloch also took out the race, two of the greatest horses ever to run down the Flemington straight.

You will routinely find 100,000 punters or more packing the stands at Flemington for the event, as 16 runners attempt to claim the derby.

Pointers to this race include the group two AAMI Vase, with last year’s winner Tarzino (2015), Efficient (2006), Plastered (2004), Helenus (2002), Blevic (1994) and Raveneaux (1986) all coming through the Moonee Valley race. Efficient nabbed both races in 2006 and went on to win the Melbourne Cup the year after.

2017 Victoria Derby result

1st – Ace High
2nd – Sully
3rd – Astoria

2016 Victoria Derby result

1. Prized Icon – $17.80
2. Sacred Elixir – $1.50
3. Inference – $3.60

Quinella – $25.20
Trifecta – $558.20
First Four – $3251.60

Victoria Derby – Recent runnings

2017: Ace High showed why the Sydney form was so well respected in the lead-up to the 2017 Victoria Derby. The David Payne-trained three-year-old was positioned out three wide by jockey Tye Angland, but its class prevailed as it powered away for an easy victory. Sully battled on well for second after sitting just off the pace set by Weather with You and Astoria finished off well to continue the strong Sydney form.

2016: James Cummings continued the strong tradition of Victoria Derby winners when he lined up Prized Icon to victory at Flemington. The three-year-old had been consistent throughout its career which included a placing behind Yankee Rose in the Spring Champion Stakes and it continued to excellent form by Sydney-trained horses at the Melbourne spring carnival.

2015: What a run it was from the favourite. Piloted home by top hoop Craig Newitt, Targino stormed to victory over Etymology and Kia Ora. On the home straight, he came down the outside and streaked away from the field to salute.

2014: Another D. Oliver special, Preferment, an $8.50 chance, gave the gun jockey his fifth Victoria Derby, fighting off a superb challenge from Bondeiger ($11) and Nozomi ($41). The son of the all time great Zabeel, Preferment knocked over the $2.45 favourite Hampton Court, who did not fire a shot.

2013: A three year old bay colt that cost just $4000 came home to win the 2013 incarnation of the race. A feel good story, Polanski never looked like losing on the way home, fending off Complacent by three lengths, with Thunder Fantasy third.

2012: Favourite Its A Dundeel was rolled by a Fiveandahalfstar effort from a $25 outsider. The Anthony Cummings trained Fiveandahalfstar beat out Super Cool and Rawnaq to give Oliver yet another win in the big race.

2011: Star hoop Hugh Bowman claimed his third Victoria Derby with a superb ride on Sangster in the 2011 incarnation of the event

Previous Victoria Derby winners

2017 – Ace High
2016 – Prized Icon
2015 – Tarzino
2014 – Preferment
2013 – Polanski
2012 – Fiveandahalfstar

2011 – Sangster
2010 – Lion Tamer
2009 – Monaco Consul
2008 – Rebel Raider
2007 – Kibbutz
2006 – Efficient
2005 – Benicio
2004 – Plastered
2003 – Elvstroem
2002 – Helenus
2001 – Amalfi
2000 – Hit The Roof
1999 – Blackfriars
1998 – Arena
1997 – Second Coming
1996 – Portland Player
1995 – Nothin’ Leica Dane
1994 – Blevic
1993 – Mahogany
1992 – Redding
1991 – Star Of The Realm
1990 – Fire Oak
1989 – Stylish Century
1988 – King’s High
1987 – Omnicorp
1986 – Raveneaux
1985 – Handy Proverb
1984 – Red Anchor
1983 – Bounty Hawk
1982 – Grosvenor
1981 – Brewery Boy
1980 – Sovereign Red
1979 – Big Print
1978 – Dulcify
1977 – Stormy Rex
1976 – Unaware
1975 – Galena Boy
1974 – Haymaker
1973 – Taj Rossi
1972 – Dayana
1971 – Classic Mission
1970 – Silver Sharpe
1969 – Daryl’s Joy
1968 – Always There
1967 – Savoy
1966 – Khalif
1965 – Tobin Bronze
1964 – Royal Sovereign
1963 – Craftsman
1962 – Coppelius
1961 – New Statesman
1960 – Sky High
1959 – Travel Boy
1958 – Sir Blink
1957 – Tulloch
1956 – Monte Carlo
1955 – Sailor’s Guide
1954 – Pride Of Egypt
1953 – Prince Morvi
1952 – Advocate
1951 – Hydrogen
1950 – Alister
1949 – Delta
1948 – Comic Court
1947 – Beau Gem
1946 – Prince Standard
1945 – Magnificent
1944 – San Martin
1943 – Precept
1942 – Great Britain
1941 – Skipton
1940 – Lucrative
1939 – Reading
1938 – Nuffield
1937 – Hua
1936 – Talking
1935 – Feldspar
1934 – Theo
1933 – Hall Mark
1932 – Liberal
1931 – Johnnie Jason
1930 – Balloon King
1929 – Phar Lap
1928 – Strephon
1927 – Trivalve
1926 – Rampion
1925 – Manfred
1924 – Spearfelt
1923 – Frances Tressady
1922 – Whittier
1921 – Furious
1920 – Salitros
1919 – Richmond Main
1918 – Eusebius
1917 – Biplane
1916 – Wolaroi
1915 – Patrobas
1914 – Carlita
1913 – Beragoon
1912 – Wolawa
1911 – Wilari
1910 – Beverage
1909 – Prince Foote
1908 – Alawa
1907 – Mountain King
1906 – Poseidon
1905 – Lady Wallace
1904 – Sylvanite
1903 – F.J.A
1902 – Abundance
1901 – Hautvilliers
1900 – Maltster
1899 – Merriwee
1898 – Cocos
1897 – Amberite
1896 – Newhaven
1895 – Wallace
1894 – The Harvester
1893 – Carnage
1892 – Carmoola
1891 – Strathmore
1890 – The Admiral
1889 – Dreadnaught
1888 – Ensign
1887 – The Australian Peer
1886 – Trident
1885 – Nordenfeldt
1884 – Rufus
1883 – Martini Henry
1882 – Darebin
1881 – Grand Flaneur
1880 – Suwarrow
1879 – Wellington
1878 – Chester
1877 – Briseis
1876 – Robin Hood
1875 – Melbourne
1874 – Lapidist
1873 – Loup Garou
1872 – Miss Jessie
1871 – Florence
1870 – Charon
1869 – My Dream
1868 – Fireworks
1867 – Fireworks
1866 – Sea Gull
1865 – Angler
1864 – Lantern
1863 – Oriflamme
1862 – Barwon
1861 – Camden
1860 – Flying Colours
1859 – Buzzard
1858 – Brownlock
1857 – Tricolor
1856 – Flying Doe
1855 – Rose Of May

Most successful trainers and jockeys in the Victoria Derby

Legendary trainer James Scobie claimed a remarkable eight Victoria Derby’s, the first in 1900 and the last 37 years later in 1937.

The great Bobbie Lewis had plenty to thank Scobie for, piloting five of his winners home in a glittering career.
Damien Oliver has won the race five times.

Cups king Bart Cummings has trained the winner of the Victoria Derby seven times, with the last of his wins coming in 1987 with Omnicorp.

In modern times Lee Freedman is the pick of the trainers, having won it three times since 1983, with Benicio (2005), Portland Player (1996) and Mahogany (1993).

David Hayes has also been a prominent trainer in the great race, with Kings High (1988) and Kibbutz (2007) giving him two victories.

Here are the leading trainers and jockeys in the Victoria Derby with stats accurate from 1983 onwards.

Trainers with multiple Victoria Derby wins:

3 – Lee Freedman

2 – Bart Cummings, Mike Moroney, Peter Hayes, David Hall

Jockeys with multiple Victoria Derby wins:

5 – Damien Oliver

3 – Hugh Bowman

2 – Greg Childs, Stephen King, Greg Hall, Jimmy Cassidy

Tips for betting on the Victoria Derby

Steer clear of the favourite: They just don’t win. In the last 10 runnings of the event, the favourite has won the race just once and seven of those 10 favourites did not even run a drum. Remarkable.

Find a good roughie: Going back to 1983, you will find that outsiders have saluted in 11 derby’s, a strike rate of better than a third. Look at those horses floating around the $10 to $20 mark.

Betting sites and odds on the Victoria Derby

It’s a tough ask to pick a winner in the hotly contested Victoria Derby, so you have to make sure you wager your money with an online bookmaker you can trust. Here at HorseBetting.com.au we have sifted through the best of the best bookies and produced a list of the ones with the best odds and promotions on horse racing.

Top six bookies in Australia to bet on the Victoria Derby

Crownbet
Sportsbet
William Hill
Bet365
Luxbet
Palmerbet

2017 Victoria Derby odds

You’ll have to wait a couple more months for the best horses to emerge, because the bookies don’t want to do themselves in, but, if you keep a close eye on HorseBetting.com.au, you will find all the early markets, form and best tips in the lead up to the race on October 29.