The 2012 New Zealand Derby was a

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

which took place at

Ellerslie Racecourse Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, New Zealand, Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing ...

on Saturday 3 March 2012. It was the 137th running of the

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held in March each year. History The New Zealand Derby i ...

, and it was won by Silent Achiever. Silent Achiever was the first filly to win the race in 19 years, and just the fourth since 1966. Silent Achiever gave trainer Roger James his fifth victory in the race. Silent Achiever was still a maiden at the time early nominations for the Derby were taken. She was not nominated for the race, and neither her connections nor the public gave her any consideration as a Derby contender. But that all changed with an incredible series of stakes victories against males over the 2011/12 summer - the Group 2 Championship Stakes on January 1, the Group 3 Waikato Guineas on January 28 and the Group 2 Avondale Guineas on February 18. In these races Silent Achiever emphatically beat most other serious Derby contenders and established herself as the outright favourite for the race. Silent Achiever was a little slow to begin in the Derby, and she was a long way off the pace for much of the race. But jockey James McDonald made a bold, sustained move around the outside of the field around the far turn, and Silent Achiever hit the lead soon after the field turned for home. She held her advantage strongly to the line, drawing away to beat

2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas Stakes is a Group 1 flat race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies. It is run on the Rowley Mile at Newmarket over a distance of 1 mile (1.6 km) and scheduled to take place each yea ...

winner Rock 'n' Pop by two and a half lengths.

Race details

* ''Sponsor:'' Telecom * ''Prize money:'' NZ$750,000 * ''Track:'' Slow * ''Number of runners:'' 16 * ''Winner's time:'' 2:33.55

Full result

Winner's details

Further details of the winner, Silent Achiever: * ''Foaled:'' 18 September 2008 in

New Zealand New Zealand () is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and List of islands of New Zealand, over 600 smaller islands. It is the List of isla ...

* ''Sire:'' O'Reilly; ''Dam:'' Winning Spree (Zabeel) * ''Owner:'' K J Hickman * ''Trainer:'' Roger James * ''Breeder:'' K J Hickman * ''Starts:'' 7 * ''Wins:'' 5 * ''Seconds:'' 1 * ''Thirds:'' 1 * ''Earnings:'' $621,150

The road to the Derby

Early-season appearances in 2011-12 prior to running in the Derby.

* Silent Achiever – ''3rd Eight Carat Classic, 1st Championship Stakes, 1st Waikato Guineas, 1st Avondale Guineas'' * Rock 'n' Pop – ''2nd Ray Coupland Stakes, 1st

New Zealand 2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...

, 1st Karaka Mile, 3rd International Stakes'' * Carrick – ''3rd Avondale Guineas'' * Chicarita – ''1st Royal Stakes, 6th Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic'' * Zurella – ''1st Eulogy Stakes, 5th Royal Stakes, 1st Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic'' * Travolta – ''4th Avondale Guineas'' * Red Shift – ''No stakes races'' * Roamin – ''5th Avondale Guineas'' * Shuka – ''1st Ray Coupland Stakes, 2nd Canterbury Stakes, 5th

, 4th Great Northern Guineas, 2nd Championship Stakes, 3rd Waikato Guineas, 2nd Avondale Guineas'' * Angelology – ''No stakes races'' * Jeroboam – ''No stakes races'' * Colorado Sun - ''8th Avondale Guineas'' * Barney - ''3rd Championship Stakes Prelude, 6th Championship Stakes, 7th Waikato Guineas'' * Guess What - ''4th Waikato Guineas, 11th Avondale Guineas'' * Nine Pin - ''No stakes races'' * Mr Chez - ''4th Geelong Classic, 11th

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse ...

, 6th Avondale Guineas''

Subsequent Group 1 wins

Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2012 New Zealand Derby. * Silent Achiever -

New Zealand Stakes The New Zealand Stakes, currently run as the Bonecrusher New Zealand Stakes, is a Group One thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand. It is run at Ellerslie Racecourse on Champions Day in March of every year, with a stake of $1 million.https://www ...

Ranvet Stakes The Ranvet Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds and older over a distance of 2,000 metres, held at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia in March. Total prize money is A$ ...

The BMW Stakes H E Tancred Stakes is an Australian Turf Club Group 1 Weight for Age Thoroughbred horse race for horses three years old and older, run over 2,400 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. The prize money for the event is A$1,50 ...

* Shuka -

Captain Cook Stakes The TAB Classic is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 1,600 metres (1 mile) at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand. Known for many years as the Captain Cook Stakes, in 2023 it became known as the ...

References