Riff Rocket Hands Waller His Maiden Australian Derby 2024 Win

One of only two Group 1 Randwick races that had eluded master horseman Chris Waller is now in his trophy cabinet after Riff Rocket flashed home off a ground-saving run by James McDonald to claim the Australian Derby 2024.

“It’s pretty special, simple as that, and these guys (owner Debbie Kepitis and the Ingham family) were here before I had the first Group 1 winner so it’s fitting,” Waller told Sky Thoroughbred Central after claiming his maiden Australian Derby.

“I don’t cry as much as I used to but this one’s pretty special.”

2024 Australian Derby winner Riff Rocket was excellent posting his third Group 1 victory. Photo: Steve Hart.

The spring’s Victoria Derby champion made the history books as just the fourth three-year-old to complete the interstate Derby double joining Dulcify, Mahogony and Hitotsu who was previously the most recent in 2021/22.

American Pharoah gelding Riff Rocket had enjoyed a terrific lead-up into the Group 1 $2 million Australian Derby (2400m) winning two of his three autumn starts including the Rosehill Guineas.

He franked that form relishing the 2400m fourth-up and fit with J-Mac returning to the saddle for the first time since they combined at Flemington to narrowly claim the VRC Derby last November.

An ace ride from McDonald saw him take off at the 800m mark, sticking to the inside to save ground and give the favourite every chance late after running third and then second last the early stages.

That made all the difference in an exciting finish as Riff Rocket got the passage he needed to run down the brave front runner, the John Sargent-trained $91 roughie Glad You Think So, and hold off the challenge by the sweeping Ceolwulf.

Riff Rocket ($2.20F) clung on to deny the eye-catching Joe Pride-trained Ceolwulf who had to circle and do the work only to finish second again after his runner-up Rosehill Guineas finish to the same horse the run before.

“He’s done a great job, he’s an amazing horse, he puts himself into the race at the right time,” Waller said of Riff Rocket.

“Amazing ride from James. He didn’t panic being back there, it was a truly-run Derby and we had that question mark over his staying ability, but how dare we?

“He’d won a Victorian Derby, he’s by American Pharoah, who’s a Derby winner and went beyond that in the Preakness and the Belmont for the Triple Crown. I guess that’s where he gets his stamina.

“Well done to the Kepitis team, they’re great supporters of ours.

Glad You Think So ran out of his skin holding for a distant third beaten just under five lengths to complete the Australian Derby trifecta off his impressive on-pace performance.

Waller is now a 160-time Group 1 winning trainer.

2024 Australian Derby Results & Finishing Order

Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Starting Price
1	1	RIFF ROCKET	Chris Waller	James McDonald		8	56.5kg	$2.20F
2	3	CEOLWULF (NZ)	Joseph Pride	Blake Shinn	0.34L	4	56.5kg	$7
3	9	GLAD YOU THINK SO	John Sargent	Ms Rachel King	4.47L	3	56.5kg	$91
4	2	TOM KITTEN	James Cummings	Adam Hyeronimus	5.13L	2	56.5kg	$7
5	6	IMMEDIACY (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Luke Currie	6.01L	11	56.5kg	$10
6	4	CAP FERRAT	Chris Waller	Nash Rawiller	6.03L	5	56.5kg	$14
7	7	WYMARK (NZ)	Michael Freedman	Tommy Berry	6.13L	12	56.5kg	$6.50
8	8	NOISY BOY	Todd Howlett	Jay Ford	9.12L	6	56.5kg	$31
9	5	GANBARE	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Tim Clark	9.59L	1	56.5kg	$21
10	10	ADAGIO	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Regan Bayliss	12.4L	9	56.5kg	$81
11	11	ZENMASTER	Craig Carmody	Chad Schofield	24.66L	7	56.5kg	$201
12	12	HOOLIGAN TOMMY (NZ)	John Sargent	Jason Collett	29.84L	10	56.5kg	$61
	14	ZARDOZI	James Cummings	Ms Jamie Kah		0
	13	SAXON BRAVE	Daiki Chujo	Joshua Parr		0