Victoria Derby 2024

Victoria Derby

Preview, Trends & Analysis

The Rundown

This is the top gong staying event for the three-year-old’s on the racing calendar.

The Victoria Derby provides runners with a stamina testing 2500-metre run around the Flemington circuit in a bid to take out a prize pool worth $2,000,000.

The current champion of the race is the Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace-trained Hitotsu. 

It is a race that dates all the way back to 1855 and is one of the oldest, most prestigious events in Australian racing.

With the starting position being half way up the main straight, entrants greet the judge twice as the thundering hooves of three-year-old stayers attempt to carve their path to Group 1 success.

On what is arguably the biggest day of racing in the Spring Carnival there are three more exceptional Group 1 races on the card with the running of the AUD$2 million Kennedy Cantala (1600m), the AUD$1.5 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and the AUD$1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m). 

The Famous Winners and Record Results

The late great Bobbie Lewis holds the record for the most wins in the Victoria Derby as a jockey with eight victories (1900, 1901, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1914, 1921, 1927).

From a trainer perspective, James Scobie saddled up eight winners to be the most successful trainer in the race with winners in 1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1927, 1937.

Cups King Bary Cummings also dominated the race in his training career with seven Derby victories.

Fiveandahalfstar (2012) trained by Anthony Cummings – who ran the quickest ever Derby time in 2:35.92 – and Prized Icon (2016) trained by James Cummings continued the Cummings family legacy in the race. 


On the topic of leviathan racing families, the Lloyd Williams-owned Efficient is the most recent galloper to have won a Victoria Derby followed by Melbourne Cup.

Williams’ striking grey stayer outdid his Derby rivals in 2006 with a barnstorming finish as a heavily backed favourite and then went on to win the 2007 Melbourne Cup in front of Purple Moon.

Lee Freedman takes the mantle of the best Victorian Derby trainer since 1983, with three wins in that period. His winning stayers were Benicio in 2005, Portland Player in 1996 and the great Mahogany in 1993.

But despite all the names and champion horses being thrown about, the 2020 edition of the race might be one of the great racing stories we have come to see.

Maiden galloper Johnny Get Angry was trained to victory by AFL Premiership coach Denis Pagan.

The former North Melbourne and Carlton coach applied the blinkers for the first time to his horse and notched up his first ever Group 1 win as a trainer with young jockey Lachlan King also registering his maiden Group 1 triumph. 

The Statistics

The Recent Winners

Year 

Winner

Trainer

Jockey

Odds

2021

Hitotsu

Ciaron Maher & Dave Eustace

John Allen

$4

2020

Johnny Get Angry

Dennis Pagan

Lachlan King

$21

2019

Warning 

Anthony Freedman

Damien Oliver

$10

2018

Extra Brut

Darrren Weir

John Allen

$13

2017

Ace High

David Payne

Tye Anglnd

$7

2016

Prized Icon

James Cummings

Glyn Schofield

$17

2015

Tarzino 

Mick Price

Craig Newitt

$2.9

2014

Preferment 

Chris Waller

Damien Oliver

$12

2013

Polanski

Robbie Laing

Hugh Bowman

$5

2012

Fiveandahalfstar

Anthony Cummings

Damien Oliver

$51

2011

Sangster 

Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young

Hugh Bowman

$13

2010

Lion Tamer

Murray Baker

Hugh Bowman

$12

The Questions

When is the Victoria Derby held?

30th October, 2021.

Are there any other races on the day?
  • The Victoria Derby features four Group 1 races including the Derby itself.
  • The $2 million Kennedy Cantala (1600m), the $1.5 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and the $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) are the three other main Group 1 events on the day. 
  •  
How do I bet on the Victoria Derby?
  • Download the brand new BetDeluxe app on iPhone or Android from your app store and/or punch in betdeluxe.com.au to your browser.

    BetDeluxe is your home for all different types of ways to bet not only on the Victoria Derby but every race across Australia.
Where do the winners and runners of the Victoria Derby race next?
  • Nearly all Victoria Derby winners and runners are immediately sent to the paddock. 
  • The entrants of the Victoria Derby will usually return to tackle the AJC Derby during the Sydney Autumn Carnival and then potentially head towards a Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup path.

How To Bet On The Victoria Derby

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