Victoria Derby

Turf race infobox
class = Group 1
horse race = Victoria Derby


caption =
location = Flemington Racecourse
Melbourne, Australia flagicon|Australia
inaugurated = 1855
race type = Thoroughbred - Flat racing
website = [http://www.vrc.net.au/victoria-racing-club/ Victoria Racing Club]
distance = 2500 meters (1.553 miles)
track = Grass, left-handed
qualification = Three-year-olds
weight = Colts & geldings: 55.5kg
Fillies 53kg
purse = A$1.5 million
bonuses = The Victoria Derby is an Australian Thoroughbred horse race held annually on the first day of Melbourne's annual Spring Racing Carnival, Victorian Derby Day, held at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. A Group One race for three-year-old horses, it is raced on a left-handed turf course at a distance of 2500 metres (1.553 miles). It marks the beginning of Melbourne Cup Week with Victoria Derby Day traditionally held on the Saturday prior to Melbourne Cup Day, which is the first Tuesday in November every year.

Originally run at a distance of 1½ miles, in 1972 it was changed to 2400 metres to conform to the metric system. However, the new distance brought potential danger from too short a run from the start to the first turn and as such it was changed again in 1973 to its present distance of 2500 metres.

While the major focus of Victoria Derby Day is the stars of the turf, in recent years the annual 'Fashions on the Field' celebrations have shared the limelight. 'Derby Day' has become 'Men's day' in the Fashion Stakes, and every year increasing numbers of fashionable gentlemen competing for prizes and a spot in the social columns. Traditionally black and white are worn on this day by women and morning suits by men. The flower of the day is a blue cornflower. In 2006, a crowd of over 129,089 broke the Flemington attendance record previously held by Melbourne Cup day 2003.

History

First run in 1855, the first three editions were won by fillies but the last time a filly won was in 1923 when Frances Tressady claimed victory. In its history, only one horse has ever won the Victoria Derby more than once. Fireworks accomplished the feat, winning back-to-back runnings in November 1867 and again in 1868 after a change of the race date to New Year's day. Between 1931 and 1956 geldings were not permitted to compete.

Three horses made their racing debut with a win in the Victoria Derby. In 1883, the New Zealand-bred horse Martini Henry won the Victoria Derby in his racing debut. It did not happen again for another 107 years when Fire Oak won in 1990 and then two years later, Redding in 1992.

In 2005 Clare Lindop became the first female jockey to ride in the Victoria Derby. Gai Waterhouse became the first woman to train a winner when Nothin' Leica Dane won the 1995 running.

Records

Time record: (at current 2500 metres distance)
* 2:33.60 - Star Of The Realm (1991)

Most wins:
* 2 - Fireworks (1867, 1868)

Most wins by a jockey:
* 8 - Bobbie Lewis (1900, 1901, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1914, 1921, 1927)

Most wins by a trainer:
* 8 - James Scobie : (1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1927, 1937)

Winners of the Victoria Derby since 1993

Earlier winners

*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

ee also

* Thoroughbred racing in Australia
* Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival

External links

* [http://www.melbournecup.com/ Victoria Derby Homepage (Official)]

References

* [http://www.studbook.org.au/RaceWinnersHistory.aspx?RACEID=4006 Australian Studbook - VRC Victoria Derby Race Winners]