The Victoria Derby, also known as the

Penfolds Penfolds is an Australian wine producer that was founded in Adelaide in 1844 by Christopher Rawson Penfold, an English physician who emigrated to Australia, and his wife Mary Penfold. It is one of Australia's oldest wineries, and is currently ...

Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport. * Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

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 ...

for three-year-olds held under

Set Weights Set Weights (SW) is a condition for a Thoroughbred horse race. Horses carry a weight based on their age and sex. In a mixed-sex race, fillies and mares will usually carry less than colts, geldings and horses. Additional weight, or penalties, can als ...

conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at

Flemington Racecourse Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is the world's richest handicap and the world's richest 3200-metre horse race. The race ...

, in

Melbourne, Australia Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung/ or ) is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most-populous city in Australia, after Sydney. The city's name generally refers to a metropolitan area also known ...

scheduled annually on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Total prize money for the race is A$2,000,000.

History

Originally run at a distance of miles, in 1972 it was changed to 2,400 metres to conform to the

metric system The metric system is a system of measurement that standardization, standardizes a set of base units and a nomenclature for describing relatively large and small quantities via decimal-based multiplicative unit prefixes. Though the rules gover ...

. It was changed again in 1973 to its present distance of 2,500 metres. Delta 1950 VRC St Leger Flemington Racecourse Jockey Neville Sellwood Trainer Maurice McCarten

Delta 1950 VRC St Leger Flemington Racecourse Jockey Neville Sellwood Trainer Maurice McCarten

Poseidon 1906 VRC Melbourne Cup Owner Sir Hugh Denison Randwick Trainer Isaac Earnshaw

LUCRATIVE 1940 VRC DERBY MAURICE McCARTEN

Talking 1936 VRC Derby Flemington Racecourse Jockey Andy Knox Trainer Alf Papworth

First run in 1855, the first three editions were won by fillies but the last time a filly won was in 1923 when Frances Tressady claimed victory. In its history, only one horse has ever won the Victoria Derby more than once. Fireworks accomplished the feat, winning back-to-back runnings in November 1867 and again in 1868 after a change of the race date to New Year's Day. Between 1931 and 1956 geldings were not permitted to compete. Three horses have won their first race with a win in the Victoria Derby. In 1883, the

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 ...

-bred horse Martini Henry won the Victoria Derby at his first start. Fire Oak in 1990, Redding in 1992 and Preferment in 2014 are the only other maidens to win the Victoria Derby. In 2005, Clare Lindop became the first female jockey to ride in the Victoria Derby and became the first female to win in 2008. Gai Waterhouse became the first woman to train a winner when Nothin' Leica Dane won the 1995 running.

Distance

*1855–1971 - 1 miles (~2400 metres) *1972 – 2400 metres *1973 onwards - 2500 metres

Grade

*1855–1978 - Principal Race *1979 onwards - Group 1

1933 and 1953 racebooks

File:1933 VRC Derby Racebook P1.jpg, 1933 VRC Derby racebook front cover File:1933 VRC Derby Racebook P22.jpg, 1933 VRC Derby starters and results showing the winner, Hall Mark File:1933 VRC Derby Racebook P3.jpg, Back cover showing train timetables File:1953 VRC Derby Racebook P1.jpg, 1953 VRC Derby racebook front cover File:1953 VRC Derby Racebook P2.jpg, 1953 VRC Derby raceday officials File:1953 VRC Derby Racebook P3.jpg, 1953 VRC Derby showing the winner, Prince Morvi File:1953 VRC Derby Racebook P4.jpg, 1953 VRC Derby starters and results File:1953 VRC Derby Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing railway and admission charges

1954 racebook

File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg, 1954 VRC Derby racebook front cover File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg, 1954 VRC Derby raceday officials File:1954 VRC Derby Racebook P3.jpg, 1954 VRC Derby starters and results File:1954 VRC Derby Racebook P4.jpg, 1954 VRC Derby starters and results showing the winner, Pride of Egypt File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing enclosure information for visitors

Gallery of noted winners

File:NUFFIELD 1938 AJC SIRES PRODUCE STAKES HAROLD BADGER.jpg, 1938 winner – Nuffield File:Biplane 1917 AJC & VRC Derby Jockey B Deeley Trainer Tom Scully.jpg, 1917 winner – Biplane File:Magnificent 1944 AJC Breeders Plate Randwick Racecourse Jockey Pat Delaney Trainer Arthur Croall.jpg, 1945 winner – Magnificent File:Jockey riding race horse Manfred, New South Wales, April 1936.jpg, 1925 winner –

Manfred ''Manfred: A dramatic poem'' is a closet drama written in 1816–1817 by Lord Byron. It contains supernatural elements, in keeping with the popularity of the ghost story in England at the time. It is a typical example of Gothic fiction. Byr ...

Records

Time record: (at current 2,500 metres distance) * 2:33.60 - Star Of The Realm (1991) Most wins by a

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

: * 8 - Bobbie Lewis (1900, 1901, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1914, 1921, 1927) Most wins by a trainer: * 8 - James Scobie : (1900, 1901, 1903, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1927, 1937)

Social attraction

While the major focus of AAMI Victoria Derby Day is the racing (since it is the only race day in Australia where each and every race has Group Status), in recent years the annual Fashions on the Field held on the fourth and last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival celebrations have shared the limelight. Derby Day has become Men's Day in the Fashion Stakes, and every year increasing numbers of fashionable gentlemen competing for prizes and a spot in the social columns. Traditionally black and white are worn on this day by women and

morning dress Morning dress, also known as formal day dress, is the Formal attire, formal Western dress code for day wear (disambiguation), day attire, consisting chiefly of a morning coat, waistcoat, and formal trousers for men, and an appropriate gown for ...

by men. The flower of the day is a blue

cornflower ''Centaurea cyanus'', commonly known as cornflower or bachelor's button (among other names), is an annual flowering plant in the family Asteraceae native to Europe. In the past, it often grew as a weed in cornfields (in the broad sense of "co ...

. The idea of wearing a cornflower on Derby Day was introduced in 1962 by Mrs Sheelah Wood, wife of prominent VRC committeeman of the time, Mr Samuel Richard Creswick Wood. The 2006 Victoria Derby drew the event's largest crowd, with 129,069 in attendance.

Attendance

*2024 – 81,612 *2023 – 73,056 *2022 – 71,327 *2021 – 5,000 (restricted attendance due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

) *2020 – 0 (no attendance due to COVID-19 pandemic restrictions) *2019 – 80,214 *2018 – 91,194 *2017 – 87,526 *2016 – 90,136 *2015 – 85,943 *2014 – 90,244 *2013 – 95,223 *2012 – 98,823 *2011 – 92,336 *2010 – 90,361 *2009 – 108,178 *2008 – 117,776 *2007 – 115,705 *2006 – 129,089 *2005 – 115,660 *2004 – 115,542 *2003 – 97,059 *2002 – 101,898 *2001 – 93,029 *2000 – 92,581 *1999 – 76,514 *1998 – 75,805 *1997 – 64,528 *1996 – 64,099 *1995 – 60,404 *1994 – 54,467 *1993 – 49,029 *1992 – 45,729 *1991 – 46,781 *1990 – 47,497 *1989 – 47,226 *1988 – 44,848 *1987 – 41,878 *1986 – 42,824 *1985 – 40,522 *1984 – 39,771 *1983 – 40,017 *1982 – 42,519 *1981 – 39,729 *1980 – 38,032

Winners

* 2024 - Goldrush Guru * 2023 - Riff Rocket * 2022 - Manzoice * 2021 - Hitotsu * 2020 - Johnny Get Angry * 2019 - Warning * 2018 - Extra Brut * 2017 - Ace High * 2016 - Prized Icon *2015 - Tarzino *2014 - Preferment *2013 - Polanski *2012 - Fiveandahalfstar *2011 - Sangster *2010 - Lion Tamer *2009 - Monaco Consul *2008 - Rebel Raider *2007 - Kibbutz *2006 - Efficient *2005 - Benicio *2004 - Plastered *2003 -

Elvstroem Elvstroem (14 November 2000 – 15 November 2024) was a Bay (horse), bay Thoroughbred racehorse, by world champion sire Danehill (horse), Danehill from the former champion three-year-old filly, Circles of Gold. Dam Circles of Gold was a 1991 c ...

*2002 - Helenus *2001 - Amalfi *2000 - Hit The Roof *1999 - Blackfriars *1998 - Arena *1997 - Second Coming *1996 - Portland Player *1995 - Nothin' Leica Dane *1994 - Blevic *1993 -

Mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...

*1992 - Redding *1991 - Star Of The Realm *1990 - Fire Oak *1989 - Stylish Century *1988 - King's High *1987 - Omnicorp *1986 - Raveneaux *1985 - Handy Proverb *1984 - Red Anchor *1983 - Bounty Hawk *1982 - Grosvenor *1981 - Brewery Boy *1980 - Sovereign Red *1979 - Big Print *1978 - Dulcify *1977 - Stormy Rex *1976 - Unaware *1975 - Galena Boy *1974 - Haymaker *1973 - Taj Rossi *1972 - Dayana *1971 - Classic Mission *1970 - Silver Sharpe *1969 - Daryl's Joy *1968 - Always There *1967 - Savoy *1966 - Khalif *1965 -

Tobin Bronze Tobin Bronze (1962–1994) was an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who competed with great success during the 1960s. A chestnut son of Arctic Explorer from the Masthead mare Amarco, he was a crowd favourite and won 24 of his 44 A ...

*1964 - Royal Sovereign *1963 - Craftsman *1962 - Coppelius *1961 - New Statesman *1960 - Sky High *1959 - Travel Boy *1958 - Sir Blink *1957 - Tulloch *1956 - Monte Carlo *1955 - Sailor's Guide *1954 - Pride Of Egypt *1953 - Prince Morvi *1952 - Advocate *1951 -

Hydrogen Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...

*1950 - Alister *1949 -

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...

*1948 - Comic Court *1947 - Beau Gem *1946 - Prince Standard *1945 - Magnificent *1944 - San Martin *1943 - Precept *1942 - Great Britain *1941 - Skipton *1940 - Lucrative *1939 - Reading *1938 - Nuffield *1937 - Hua *1936 - Talking *1935 - Feldspar *1934 - Theo *1933 - Hall Mark *1932 - Liberal *1931 - Johnnie Jason *1930 - Balloon King *1929 -

Phar Lap Phar Lap (4 October 1926 – 5 April 1932) was a New Zealand-born champion Australian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Achieving great success during his distinguished career, his initial underdog status gave people hope during the ear ...

*1928 - Strephon *1927 - Trivalve *1926 - Rampion *1925 -

*1924 - Spearfelt *1923 - Frances Tressady *1922 - Whittier *1921 - Furious *1920 - Salitros *1919 - Richmond Main *1918 - Eusebius *1917 - Biplane *1916 - Wolaroi *1915 - Patrobas *1914 - Carlita *1913 - Beragoon *1912 - Wolawa *1911 - Wilari *1910 - Beverage *1909 - Prince Foote *1908 - Alawa *1907 - Mountain King *1906 -

Poseidon Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...

*1905 - Lady Wallace *1904 - Sylvanite *1903 - F.J.A *1902 - Abundance *1901 - Hautvilliers *1900 - Maltster *1899 - Merriwee *1898 - Cocos *1897 - Amberite *1896 -

Newhaven Newhaven is a port town in the Lewes district of East Sussex, England, lying at the mouth of the River Ouse. The town developed during the Middle Ages as the nearby port of Seaford began drying up, forcing a new port to be established. A ...

*1895 - Wallace *1894 - The Harvester *1893 - Carnage *1892 - Carmoola *1891 - Strathmore *1890 - The Admiral *1889 - Dreadnought *1888 - Ensign *1887 - The Australian Peer *1886 - Trident *1885 - Nordenfeldt *1884 - Rufus *1883 - Martini Henry *1882 - Navigator *1881 - Darebin *1880 -

Grand Flaneur Grand Flaneur (1877–1900) was an outstanding Australian Thoroughbred racehorse and sire, who won nine successive races, including the AJC Derby, the Victoria Derby and the 1880 Melbourne Cup, before he retired undefeated. He had won races ove ...

*1879 - Suwarrow *1878 - Wellington *1877 -

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

*1876 -

Briseis Briseis (; , ), also known as Hippodameia (, ), is a significant character in the ''Iliad''. Her role as a status symbol is at the heart of the dispute between Achilles and Agamemnon that initiates the plot of Homer's epic. She was married to ...

*1875 - Robin Hood *1874 - Melbourne *1873 - Lapidist *1872 - Loup Garou *1871 - Miss Jessie *1870 - Florence *1869 - Charon *1869 - My Dream (run New Year's Day) *1868 - Fireworks (run New Year's Day) *1867 -

Fireworks Fireworks are Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a large numbe ...

*1866 - Sea Gull *1865 - Angler *1864 -

Lantern A lantern is a source of lighting, often portable. It typically features a protective enclosure for the light sourcehistorically usually a candle, a oil lamp, wick in oil, or a thermoluminescence, thermoluminescent Gas mantle, mesh, and often a ...

*1863 - Oriflamme *1862 - Barwon *1861 - Camden *1860 - Flying Colours *1859 - Buzzard *1858 - Brownlock *1857 - Tricolor *1856 - Flying Doe *1855 - Rose Of May

References

External links

Victoria Derby Homepage (Official)Everything you need to know on Victoria Derby
{{VRC Race Days and Events Flat horse races for three-year-olds Group 1 stakes races in Australia Flemington Racecourse