Australian Derby

Australian Derby

Group I race
Nuffield, 1938 winner Harold Badger
Location	Randwick Racecourse Sydney, Australia
Inaugurated	1861; 163 years ago (1861) (as Randwick Derby Stakes)
Race type	Thoroughbred - Flat racing
Website	Australian Jockey Club
Race information
Distance	2,400 metres (~1+1⁄2 miles)
Surface	Turf
Track	Right-handed
Qualification	Three-year-olds
Weight	Set Weights colts and geldings – 56+1⁄2 kg fillies – 54+1⁄2 kg
Purse	A$2,000,000 (2023)
Bonuses	Exempt from ballot in Queen Elizabeth Stakes

The Australian Derby is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights held at Randwick Racecourse, Sydney, Australia in April, during the Autumn ATC Championships Carnival. The race is considered to be the top ranked event for three-year-olds in Australian and New Zealand race classifications.^[1]

Inaugurated in 1861 as the AJC Randwick Derby Stakes, the first race 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.

The official records show that Prince Humphrey won the 1928 Derby, but he wasn't in the race. It was a horse called Cragsman, by the same sire but with a different dam. This substitution came to light when Dick Tate of Toowoomba saw a picture of the Derby winner and was aware that Prince Humphrey had different markings, and had photographs to prove it.^[2]

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

Originally run at a distance of 1+1⁄2 miles, in 1972 the race was changed to 2,400 metres (~11.93 furlongs) to conform to the metric system. In 1978 there was no race held and under a reorganisation, it was changed from a spring racing event to be run in the autumn beginning in 1979. Contested over 2,400 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.

Time record: (at current 2,400 metres 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)

• 
  Front cover of the 1934 AJC Derby racebook
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  Inside cover of the 1934 AJC Derby showing raceday officials
• 
  Starters and results of the 1934 AJC Derby showing the winner, Theo
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  Starters and results of the 1934 AJC Derby
• 
  Front cover of the 1943 AJC Derby racebook
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  Inside cover 1943 AJC Derby showing raceday officials
• 
  Starters and results1943 AJC Derby showing the winner, Moorland
• 
  Starters and results 1943 AJC Derby

• 
  Front cover of the 1945 AJC Derby racebook
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  Starters and results 1945 AJC Derby showing the winner, Magnificent
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  Front cover of 1948 AJC Australian Derby racebook
• 
  1948 AJC Australian Derby racebook recording the winner, Carbon Copy
• 
  1948 AJC Australian Derby racebook
• 
  1948 AJC Australian Derby racebook

• 
  Poseidon, 1906 winner
• 
  Gloaming, 1918 winner
• 
  Manfred, 1925 winner
• 
  Biplane, 1917 winner
• 
  Ammon Ra, 1931 winner

Notes:

• Australian Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing
• List of Australian Group races
• Group races

The premier race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds in other countries:

• New Zealand Derby
• Derby Italiano
• Deutsches Derby
• Epsom Derby
• Kentucky Derby
• Prix du Jockey Club
• Tōkyō Yūshun
• Queen's Plate

• First three placegetters Australian Derby (ATC)