Australian Derby

Australian Derby also known as AJC Derby, is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run by the Australian Jockey Club (AJC) at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia. Open to three year olds, the race is held annually in the latter part of March or early April. The AJC says it is known as the top ranked event for three-year-olds in Australian and New Zealand race classifications.

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.

History

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.

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

Originally run at a distance of 1½ 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.

[edit]Records

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)

Winners of the Australian Derby since 1979

Year        Winner         Jockey           Trainer          Time

2011 Shamrocker  Glen Boss Danny O'Brien 2:29.46

2010 Shoot Out  Stathi Katsidis John Wallace 2:27.58

2009 Roman Emperor  Jimmy Cassidy Bart Cummings 2:31.09

2008 Nom Du Jeu  Jeff Lloyd Murray Baker 2:36.29

2007 Fiumicino  Darren Beadman John Hawkes 2:36.04

2006 Headturner  Darren Beadman John Hawkes 2:29.92

2005 Eremein Corey Brown Allan Denham 2:35.83

2004 Starcraft Glen Boss Garry Newham 2:34.81

2003 Clangalang Scott Seamer Gerald Ryan 2:32.31

2002 Don Eduardo Damien Oliver Lee Freedman 2:32.76

2001 Universal Prince Justin Sheehan Bede Murray 2:30.80

2000 Fairway Brian York Jack Denham 2:34.02

1999 Sky Heights Glen Boss Colin Alderson 2:32.85

1998 Gold Guru Greg Childs Leon Macdonald 2:33.49

1997 Ebony Grosve Shane Dye Graeme Rogerson 2:28.83

1996 Octagonal Darren Beadman John Hawkes 2:28.41

1995 Ivory's Irish Larry Cassidy Bart Cummings 2:33.84

1994 Mahogany Greg Hall Lee Freedman 2:36.50

1993 Innocent King Jimmy Cassidy Kerry Jordan 2:33.60

1992 Naturalism Mick Dittman Lee Freedman 2:31.20

1991 Durbridge Greg Hall Brian Murphy 2:31.90

1990 Dr. Grace Jimmy Cassidy Geoff Chapman 2:31.70

1989 Research Mick Dittman Clarry Conners 2:34.00

1988 Beau Zam John Marshall Bart Cummings 2:34.60

1987 Myocard Mark De Montfort Geoff Chapman 2:32.60

1986 Bonecrusher Gary Stewart Frank Ritchie 2:35.60

1985 Tristarc Wayne Treloar Ross S. McDonald 2:31.50

1984 Prolific John Marshall Bart Cummings 2:34.80

1983 Strawberry Road Mick Dittman Doug Bougoure 2:41.80

1982 Rose of Kingston Gary Willetts Robert E. Hoysted 2:31.00

1981 Our Paddy Boy Mick Mallyon Colin Hayes 2:31.20

1980 Kingston Town Malcolm Johnston T. J. Smith 2:34.30

1979 Dulcify Brent Thomson Colin Hayes 2:30.70