Australian Derby

Turf race infobox
class = Group I
horse race = Australian Derby


caption =
location = Randwick Racecourse
Sydney, Australia flagicon|Australia
inaugurated = 1889
race type = Thoroughbred - Flat racing
website = [http://www.ajc.org.au/ Australian Jockey Club]
distance = 2400 metres (1½ miles)
track = Grass, right-handed
qualification = Three-year-olds
weight = Set weights
purse = AUD$1,800,000
bonuses = The Australian Derby is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run by the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. Open to three year olds, the race is held annually in the latter part of March or early April. The AJC says it is known as the top ranked event for 3-year-olds in Australian and New Zealand race classifications.

Contested over 2400 metres on a right-handed turf course, it has been won by some of the greats of the Australian turf, including Phar Lap, Tulloch, and Kingston Town.

Inaugurated in 1861 as the AJC Randwick Derby Stakes, the first edition was won by Kyogle, a grandson of the Touchstone who was a four-time Champion sire in Great Britain & Ireland. In 1865 the name of the race was changed to the AJC Australia Derby Stakes then from 1873 through 1993 it was called the AJC Derby. Although the race officially became the AJC Australian Derby in 1994, it is still commonly referred to as the AJC Derby.

Originally run at a distance of 1½ miles, in 1972 the race was changed to 2400 meters (1.491 miles) to conform to the metric system. In 1978 there was no race held and under a reorganization, it was changed from a spring racing event to be run in the autumn beginning in 1979.

From 1932 to 1956, geldings were banned from competing in the Derby.

Records

Time record: (at current 2400 meters distance)
* 2:28.41 - Octagonal (1996)

Largest winning margin:
* 10 lengths - Trident (1886)

Most wins by a jockey:
* 6 - Thomas Hales (1875, 1880, 1882, 1884, 1886, 1887)

Winners of the Australian Derby since 1979

Earlier winners

*1978 - "No race"
*1977 - Belmura Lad
*1976 - Great Lover
*1975 - Battle Sign
*1974 - Taras Bulba
*1973 - Imagele
*1972 - Gold Brick
*1971 - Classic Mission
*1970 - Silver Sharpe
*1969 - Divide And Rule
*1968 - Wilton Park
*1967 - Swift Peter
*1966 - El Gordo
*1965 - Prince Grant
*1964 - Royal Sovereign
*1963 - Summer Fiesta
*1962 - Summer Prince
*1961 - Summer Fair
*1960 - Persian Lyric
*1959 - Martello Towers
*1958 - Skyline
*1957 - Tulloch
*1956 - Monte Carlo
*1955 - Caranna
*1954 - Prince Delville
*1953 - Prince Morvi
*1952 - Deep River
*1951 - Channel Rise
*1950 - Alister
*1949 - Playboy
*1948 - Carbon Copy
*1947 - Valiant Crown
*1946 - Concerto
*1945 - Magnificent
*1944 - Tea Rose
*1943 - Moorland
*1942 - Main Topic
*1941 - Laureate
*1940 - Pandect
*1939 - Reading

*1938 - Nuffield
*1937 - Avenger
*1936 - Talking
*1935 - Allunga DH
*1935 - Homer DH
*1934 - Theo
*1933 - Hall Mark
*1932 - Peter Pan
*1931 - Ammon Ra
*1930 - Tregilla
*1929 - Phar Lap
*1928 - Prince Humphrey
*1927 - Trivalve
*1926 - Rampion
*1925 - Manfred
*1924 - Heroic
*1923 - Ballymena
*1922 - Rivoli
*1921 - Cupidon
*1920 - Salitros
*1919 - Artilleryman (DH)
*1919 - Richmond Main (DH)
*1918 - Gloaming
*1917 - Biplane
*1916 - Kilboy
*1915 - Cetigne
*1914 - Mountain Knight
*1913 - Beragoon
*1912 - Cider
*1911 - Cisco
*1910 - Tanami
*1909 - Prince Foote
*1908 - Parsee
*1907 - Mountain King
*1906 - Poseidon
*1905 - Noctuiform
*1904 - Sylvanite
*1903 - Belah
*1902 - Abundance
*1901 - Hautvilliers

*1900 - Malster
*1899 - Cranberry
*1898 - Picture
*1897 - Amberite
*1896 - Charge
*1895 - Bob Ray
*1894 - Bonnie Scotland
*1893 - Trenchant
*1892 - Camoola
*1891 - Stromboli
*1890 - Gibraltar
*1889 - Singapore
*1888 - Melos
*1887 - Abercorn
*1886 - Trident
*1885 - Nordenfeldt
*1884 - Bargo
*1883 - Le Grand
*1882 - Navigator
*1881 - Wheatear
*1880 - Grand Flaneur
*1879 - Nellie
*1878 - His Lordship
*1877 - Woodlands
*1876 - Robinson Crusoe
*1875 - Richmond
*1874 - Kingsborough
*1873 - Benvolio
*1872 - Loup Garou
*1871 - Javelin
*1870 - Florence
*1869 - Charon
*1868 - The Duke
*1867 - Fireworks
*1866 - The Barb
*1865 - Clove
*1864 - Yattendon
*1863 - Ramornie
*1862 - Regno
*1861 - Kyogle

References

* [http://www.studbook.org.au/RaceWinnersHistory.aspx?RACEID=4005 Australian Studbook - AJC Australian Derby Race Winners]
* [http://www.australian-racing.net.au/groupListed/searchPage.html Australian Racing Board Database]
* [http://www.ajc.org.au/upcomingraces/groupraces.aspx?RaceID=6 Australian Jockey Club]

ee also

The premiere race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds in other countries:
* Derby Italiano flagicon|Italy
* Deutsches Derby flagicon|Germany
* Epsom Derby flagicon|UK
* Kentucky Derby flagicon|USA
* Prix du Jockey Club flagicon|France
* Queen's Plate flagicon|Canada