Australian Derby News

Riff Rocket Hands Waller His Maiden Australian Derby 2024 Win

• Riff Rocket Leads 2024 Australian Derby Field & Betting
• Rosehill Guineas 2024 Results: Riff Rocket Flies Home Late Ahead of ATC Derby
• 2023 Australian Derby Results: Waterhouse Wins First With Major Beel
• Australian Derby 2023 Betting Tips & Best Bets
• Sharp ‘N’ Smart Tops 2023 Australian Derby Field & Odds

The Australian Derby is a classic Group 1 race for three-year-olds. Held on a Saturday in early April during the Sydney Autumn Racing Carnival, the race takes place at Royal Randwick Racecourse on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’. This is a classic Derby, raced over a distance of 2400 metres (a mile and a half) and offers $2 million in total prize money.

The Australian Derby prizemoney for 2020 was reduced to $1 million to help cope with the financial stress on the industry brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic but was back to $2 million in 2021.

As a set weights race, colts and geldings must carry 56.5kg and fillies must carry 54.5kg. The ATC Australian Derby is regarded as a prestigious event and attracts some of the greatest emerging stayers from around the country.

Run on Doncaster Mile Day the Australian Derby is one of four Group 1 races on the card along with the $4 million Doncaster Mile (1600m), $3 million TJ Smith Stakes (1200m), and the $1 million ATC Sires Produce Stakes (1400m).

Following a run in the ATC Derby some of the better young stayers may head to Adelaide in May for the Group 1 South Australian Derby (2500m) with Explosive Jack (2021) the last to do the interstate Derby double.

The Australian Derby winner is exempt from ballot for the upcoming Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes the following Saturday.

In 2024 the Chris Waller-trained Riff Rocket became the fourth horse in history to complete the interstate Victoria Derby – Australian Derby double. He also completed that year’s Rosehill Guineas – ATC Derby double and handed Waller his first Australian Derby victory as a trainer.

The 2024 Australian Derby form was franked with the runner-up Ceolwulf returning in the spring to complete the Epsom Handicap – King Charles III Stakes double.

The 2025 Australia Derby runs on Saturday April 5, 2025 on Day 1 of The Championships in Sydney – Doncaster Mile Day.

The key lead-up races for the Australian Derby are the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) held two weeks earlier and the Group 2 Tulloch Stakes (2000m) held one week before at Rosehill Gardens.

The Rosehill Guineas – Australian Derby double has recently been achieved by the likes of It’s A Dundeel (2013), Criterion (2014), and Riff Rocket (2024).

The Tulloch Stakes – Australian Derby was achieved four times in as many years by Jon Snow (2017), Levendi (2018), Angel Of Truth (2019), and Quick Thinker (2020).

In 2023 Major Beel improved on his lead-up second the Saturday prior in the Tulloch Stakes to score an upset Australian Derby win at 30/1.

2025 Australian Derby Results

• 1st: TBD
• 2nd: TBD
• 3rd: TBD

2025 Australian Derby Betting

Over the autumn the all-in and final field Australian Derby 2025 betting odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au on the Group 1 staying clash and will also be available here at Races.com.au.

Hitotsu ($3.30 in 2022) and Riff Rocket ($2.20 in 2024) – who both also won the VRC Derby the spring prior – are the latest favourites in Australian Derby betting to win.

There was a notable upset in 2023 with Major Beel winning at Australian Derby odds of $31.

2025 Australian Derby Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 AUSTRALIAN DERBY FORM GUIDE

2025 Australian Derby Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Australian Derby 2025 tips and best bets to be published below during race week.

• To Win: TBD

2025 Australian Derby Field

The Australian Derby field attracts a line-up of the season’s best three-year-old stayers. The majority of the horses that run in the ATC Derby field are colts and geldings, with the fillies generally running the following weekend in the Group 1 Australian Oaks (2400m) against their own kind.

The official 2025 Australian Derby field and barriers are set to be released by Racing NSW on Tuesday April 1, 2025, and will be published in full below.

2025 Australian Derby First Acceptances

Like all of the Group 1 races run at Randwick Racecourse on Doncaster Mile Day, the Australian Derby first acceptances close around a month before the race takes place.

The 2025 Australian Derby first acceptances close at midday on Tuesday the 11th of March 2025. 

2025 Australian Derby Nominations

Like all of the Group 1 races run at Randwick Racecourse on Doncaster Mile Day, the Australian Derby nominations close in early to mid-February around two months before the race takes place and often attract over 100 early entries.

The 2025 Australian Derby nominations close at midday on Tuesday the 11th of February 2025. 

Australian Derby History

With names such as Phar Lap, Tulloch and Kingstown Town included in the list of race winners, it’s little wonder why this race is so highly regarded in the industry. First won by Kyogle in 1861, the event was titled the Randwick Derby Stakes. In 1865, it was changed to the Australian Derby Stakes and in 1994 it was given its current name.

The Derby was originally run over 1 1/2 miles however was changed in 1972 to 2400m to conform to the metric system. Between 1932 and 1956 geldings were banned from competing in the race.

The 2020 Australian Derby results saw Quick Thinker become the fourth horse in as many years to do the Tulloch Stakes – ATC Derby double. The Kiwi also handed co-trainer Murray Baker with his fifth win in the classic.

In 2022 Hitotsu made history as the first horse since Mahogany (1993-94) to win the Victoria derby – Australian Derby interstate double. He also became the first Australian Guineas winner to back up and win the Australian Derby without a run in between.

Gai Waterhouse celebrated her maiden Australian Derby win in 2023 with Major Beel ($31) in partnership with Adrian Bott. Waterhouse’s father TJ Smith holds the Australian Derby record having prepared an incredible nine winners throughout his career.

See below for the full Australian Derby results going back to 2000.

The VRC Derby – ATC Derby double was last completed by Riff Rocket (2023/24).

Recent Australian Derby Winners