Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The G1 Victoria Derby is one of Australia’s oldest and most discussed races. Every year, the question arises on whether the race is too gruelling or too long for 3-year-olds so early in the spring, but almost every year, the race is won by a horse who goes on to prove that it takes a special horse to win the Derby.
A history of champions
The G1 Victoria Derby has been finding future champions since its inception and so it took a very special horse to win the race twice. The Derby was first run at Flemington by the Victoria Turf Club in 1855, and two years later in 1857, another club, the Victoria Jockey Club had their own Derby, also at Flemington. A few years later, the Jockey Club renamed their race to the Victoria S., but then in 1864, both clubs disbanded and Flemington was taken over by the newly founded Victoria Racing Club.
The club ran their Derby in the spring, won by the colt Fireworks (Kelpie {GB}), but for some long-forgotten reason, after the 1867 Derby, the committee decided to move the Derby to New Year’s Day. They ran the Derby for the second time in 1867/68 season, and again it was won by Fireworks.
The decision was quickly reverted, and the race embedded itself the following season as a spring fixture, leaving just one horse to win the 3-year-old Classic twice.
Fireworks had been a good juvenile, winning the AJC Champagne S. He also won the AJC Australian Derby (Spring), the VRC St Leger, the All Aged S. and the Launceston Cup. He became an excellent stallion, leaving 12 stakes winners including Victoria Derby winners Lapidist, and Robin Hood, as well as Victoria Oaks winner Rose d’Amour.
More recent champions
In the last twenty years, thirteen Victoria Derby winners have more than one Group 1 win on their resume, and only three of those already had a Group 1 on their record before the Derby, showing that horses who win the G1 Victoria Derby tend to go on and win again at the top level.
The last 10 years has been a little light but last year’s winner Riff Rocket (American Pharoah {USA}) went on to add both G1 Rosehill Guineas, and G1 Australian Derby, before sadly dying of colic as an early 4-year-old with untapped potential.
The late Riff Rocket, winner of the 2023 G1 Victoria Derby | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
The 2021 winner Hitotsu (Maurice {Jpn}) added both the G1 Australian Guineas, and G1 Australian Derby and now stands at stud. He was the first horse since 1994 to complete the big Melbourne and Sydney Derby double.
“We’re proud to stand him as an Arrowfield-bred star returning home, a horse whose attributes and pedigrees we know thoroughly and can back enthusiastically with large numbers of our own mares. Along with the committed support of Hitotsu’s high-profile owners, that provides a solid platform for early-crop commercial success breeders can rely on,” said Arrowfield’s John Messara when he retired.
Hitotsu, winner of the 2021 G1 Victoria Derby | Standing at Arrowfield Stud, image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
A further eight Victoria Derby winners between 2004 and 2015 won at least one more Group 1 after their Derby win, with 2014 winner Preferment (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) being the most successful with wins in the G1 Turnbull, G1 BMW S. and G1 Australian Cup, while 2011 winner Sangster (NZ) (Savabeel) added both the G1 Auckland Cup, and G1 Waikato International S. And 2006 winner Efficient (NZ) (Zabeel {NZ}) became the first horse since Phar Lap (NZ) (Night Raid {GB}) to win the Victoria Derby at three and the G1 Melbourne Cup at four. He also won the G1 Turnbull S. at five.
The G1 Spring Champion as a springboard
Anthony Cummings trained El Castello (Castelvecchio) is looking to copy recent G1 Victoria Derby winners Ace High (High Chaparral {Ire}) and Monaco Consul (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}) who both won the G1 Spring Champion S. before winning the Victoria Derby.
Cummings spoke to TTR earlier this week about El Castello, saying “He was showing something pretty much from day one. He had the talent and it just had to all come together for him to become the racehorse he is today.”
In the past twenty years, the only other horse to have previously won a Group 1 leading into the Derby is 2016 winner Prized Icon (More Than Ready) who, just like Fireworks, won the G1 Champagne S. at two.
Who has the form coming into 2024?
El Castello leads this year’s field coming into the race with a picket fence form line, having won his last four in succession including the G1 Spring Champion S.
El Castello, winner of the G1 Spring Champion S. in October | Image courtesy of Sportpix
The other last start winners are Red Aces (Dundeel {NZ}), Goldrush Guru (American Pharoah {USA}), Saint Emilion (Snitzel), Kingofwallstreet (Dundeel {NZ}), and War Ribbon (Calyx {GB}). “He’s brilliant. Kingofwallstreet is a horse that is mature beyond his years. He hasn’t missed a beat since his last run,” said trainer Matt Cumani.
Trainer Nick Ryan told racenet.com.au that Red Aces is ready for Saturday. "He's had a really good week since then, bounced out of the run, everything touchwood has gone really smooth. We're really happy with the horse, he's worked well this week and we couldn't have him in better order."
Last year’s winner Riff Rocket came into the race at his seventh start, having won on debut at two and then having won two of his four starts at three leading into the race. He’d run second at Group 3-level in his start prior, but the key is that he’d always shown class.
The most experienced horse in the field is Tenbury Wells (Fastnet Rock) who has won two of his nine starts.
“After the Gloaming we had a bit of a meeting and we were happy enough to go straight to the Derby,” Brad Widdup said.
Brad Widdup | Image courtesy of Ashlea Brennan
“We nominated for the Spring Champion just to have a look at the race but when those three or four nice horses were nominated, we were happy enough to go straight to the Derby. It's always been the plan.”
The most expensive horse is lightly raced West Indies (NZ) (Fastnet Rock) who is a winner from three starts, running fourth the other two times. He was a $525,000 purchase by Ciaron Maher and Astute Bloodstock at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale from Cambridge Stud.
Trainer Julius Sandhu hasn't been keen to have a runner in the Derby, believing it's too early for a 3-year-old, but he will run lightly raced Oxford Blue (Fiorente {Ire}). "I've always operated from the view that the Victoria Derby over 2500 metres is a bit too early for 3-year-olds being in spring and a lot of them have just turned three. It's a big ask," Sandhu told racing.com on Thursday.
"He's the horse that's just picked himself to be a Derby horse. He's put himself there and that's the reason why he's in the Derby. He's done everything in his stride without being pushed. It's always been about the horse's welfare and wellbeing. He's done every single thing I've asked him to do. He would come back and ask for more and more and more."
