The first of the three major Sydney Autumn Carnival meetings held at Royal Randwick took place today with an action packed afternoon of racing lightning up the track for the 2011 David Jones AJC Australian Derby Day.

As expected, Sydneysiders were treated to some champagne moments including the impressive interstate debut from the world’s best horse, Black Caviar.

Today the Peter Moody-trained superstar effortlessly recorded her 12^th consecutive victory and become a five-time Group 1 winner when she blew her competition away in the $1 million Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m).

Black Caviar all but stole the spotlight from today’s official feature, the 150^th AJC Australian Derby.

The $1.5 million David Jones Australian Derby (2400m) saw another classy female beat home the boys with the Danny O’Brien-trained Shamrocker claiming victory.

Shamrocker is just the ninth horse in history to win the AJC Derby and the first ever to win the rare Australian Guineas / Australian Derby double.

The other elite level showdown that took place at Randwick today was the $500,000 Group 1 Inglis Sires Produce Stakes (1200m) where Peter Snowden and Darley enjoyed their second 2YO Triple Crown leg success in the space of seven days.

After Sepoy’s Golden Slipper victory, promising stablemate and potential Group 1 winning miler Helmet won the Inglis Sires Produce Stakes relishing the step up to 1400m.

Below is the complete run down of today’s AJC Australian Derby Day programme and Randwick race results.

See what horses run, won and lost in all nine Group features that took place including the winning times, margins and where the winners are likely to head to next.

After today the Sydney autumn racing action continues at Randwick next Saturday, April 16, with the 2011 Doncaster Mile Day.

Randwick Race 1 Results – KINDERGARTEN STAKES (1100m)

• 1^st – Anise ($6)
• 2^nd – Queenian ($8)
• 3^rd – Hot Snitzel ($4.60EF)

Winning Margin: Nose

Winning Time: 1:04.61

Trainer Peter Snowden continued on from his Golden Slipper success last weekend to win the opening Derby Day race at Randwick with his improving General Nediym filly Anise.

Having been slightly disappointing this season, Anise showed true grit today having to come from well back in the field to run down the leaders over the last 200m and score a narrow victory a nose ahead of a fast finishing Queenian while the Gerald Ryan-trained Hot Snitzel was 1 ¼ lengths away third.

“She had to fight hard to get there but she did and that’s the main thing,” Snowden said.

“Fair to say she’s been disappointing in my mind…so it’s pleasing for me to see her win today.”

Anise has started four times for two wins and $172,000 in prize money – she will now be sent for a spell to be bought back in the spring.

Randwick Race 2 Results – CARBINE CLUB STAKES (1600m)

• 1^st – Needs Further ($2.70F)
• 2^nd – Divorces ($7.5)
• 3^rd – Shadows In The Sun ($15)

Winning Margin: 1 ¼ lengths

Winning Time: 1:35.90

Another win for the punters at Randwick in Race 2 on Derby Day with the Gai Waterhouse-trained Encosta De Lago colt Needs Further scoring an easy victory.

Winning the battle for the lead early on, Needs Further hit the front and in a brave performance lead all the way to beat home Peter Snowden’s Divorces while the Anthony Cummings-trained Shadows In The Sun finished in third.

It was a small compensation for owners Gooree Pastoral Company who missed out on two Group 1 wins in as many weeks with the scratching of Smart Missile from both the Golden Slipper and the Inglis Sires Produce Stakes.

A promising middle distance galloper according to trainer Gai, Needs Further will either run in the Group 3 Frank Packer Plate (2000m) at Randwick on Sydney Cup Day, April 23, or be sent for a spell ahead of a spring campaign.

Andrew Baddock from Gooree said the Frank Packer was the option.

He also listed the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in Sydney in October as a possible spring target.

“He’s come a long way in a short time and will be a nice horse during the spring,” Baddock said.

Winning jockey Nash Rawiller said he would recommend a trip to the paddock before targeting better races next season, Needs Further a ‘professional racehorse’ that is better than just the Frank Packer.

Randwick Race 3 Results – CHAIRMAN’S HANDICAP (2600m)

• 1^st – Once Were Wild ($8)
• 2^nd – Anudjawun ($10)
• 3^rd – C’est La Guerre ($10)

Winning Margin: 1 ¾ lengths

Winning Time: 2:43.44

The Gai Waterhouse-trained Once Were Wild relished the return to her home track at Randwick on AJC Derby Day, the daughter of Johannesburg back in good form with a strong win.

Posting back-to-back Group wins for Waterhouse and jockey Nash Rawiller at the Randwick meet, Once Were Wild was ridden aggressively but she settled well and looked super as Rawiller let her roll.

She was far too strong for her rivals and Once Were Wild won her first race since taking out the Group 1 AJC Oaks (2400m) nearly 12 months ago.

Waterhouse will now head to the Sydney Cup on April 23 with Once Were Wild and stablemate Older Than Time who ran a nice Cup trial crossing for fourth.

Randwick Race 4 Results – DONCASTER MILE PRELUDE (1600m)

• 1^st – My Kingdom Of Fife ($151)
• 2^nd – Hidden Wonder ($15)
• 3^rd – Bold Glance ($14)

Winning Margin: Neck

Winning Time: 1:34.80

In the biggest AJC Derby Day upset, Chris Waller’s imported galloper My Kingdom Of Fife scored a surprise victory.

After missing the start My Kingdom Of Fife, previously owned and raced by The Queen, made up heaps of ground and saluted as the rank outsider beating home a gallant Kris Lees-trained Hidden Wonder by a neck while Queensland galloper Bold Glance was just a further long neck away in third in the ideal $2 million Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m) leading up to next Saturday.

Hands down My Kingdom Of Fife (by Kingmambo by Fairy Godmother) is the best import Waller has bought over and is a definite horse to watch later in the year when they head to the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival.

Randwick Race 5 Results – TJ SMITH STAKES (1200m)

• 1^st – Black Caviar ($1.14F)
• 2^nd – Hay List ($21)
• 3^rd – Triple Honour ($151)

Winning Margin: 2 ¾ lengths

Winning Time: 1:08.71

She is the undisputed queen of Australian racing and today Black Caviar showed Sydney why with another effortless victory – her first outside of Melbourne, fourth this season, fifth at Group 1 level and 12^th consecutively.

After a slightly awkward jump, she gave Hay List every chance and a large lead but she still ran him down without so much as breaking a sweat and will now head to the Brisbane Winter Carnival with her flawless record intact.

Randwick Race 6 Results – INGLIS SIRES PRODUCE STAKES (1400m)

• 1^st – Helmet ($4.60)
• 2^nd – Uate ($14)
• 3^rd – Pane In The Glass ($17)

Winning Margin: ½ length

Winning Time: 1:27.00

Helmet saluted for Snowden once again, the promising colt running the ideal Champagne Stakes lead-up today.

Found the line half a length ahead of a brave Uate while John Thompson’s Pane In The Glass came from out back and wide to run a game third.

All eye-catching runs and two-year-olds to watch in the future.

Randwick Race 7 Results – AJC AUSTRALIAN DERBY (2400m)

• 1^st – Shamrocker ($5)
• 2^nd – Retrieve ($8)
• 3^rd – Anacheeva ($21)

Winning Margin: 1 ¼ lengths

Winning Time: 2:29.46

Shamrocker was just too good for them today, the Danny O’Brien-trained filly backing up from her surprise Australian Guineas win two starts back with another brave performance heading into next Saturday’s AJC Oaks.

Retrieve with an improved run here and also showing form was Peter Moody’s Anacheeva, winner of the Caulfield Guineas during the spring hanging on to finish in the money for the first time this prep.

Randwick Race 8 Results – SAPPHIRE STAKES (1200m)

• 1^st – Hurtle Myrtle ($21)
• 2^nd – Kimillsy ($26)
• 3^rd – Marquardt ($18)

Winning Margin: 1 length

Winning Time: 1:10.62

An upset in the Sapphire Stakes today with the Matthew Smith-trained Hurtle Myrtle winning her first race since July of 2009.

This was a well-earned Group 2 success for the injury plagued Dane Shadow four-year-old, Hurtle Myrtle having faced a number of hurdles throughout the past year.

A thrilling finish, but the winner raced away in the end with Damien Oliver in the mount.

Randwick Race 9 Results – ADRIAN KNOX STAKES (2000m)

• 1^st – Crafty Irna
• 2^nd – Raspberries
• 3^rd – Becerra

The Ron Quinton-trained Crafty Irna produced a promising run here.

The Starcraft filly upset a number of more fancied rivals with a dominant win over Peter Snowdon’s Lonhro filly Raspberries who was brave in defeat and Lee Freedman’s Becerra also showing form for third.

Crafty Irna a possible AJC Oaks starter after today’s run.