While most of the hype surrounding Saturday’s Eagle Farm meeting is on the super line-up of the $1.36 million Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m), another to clash on the card is the Queensland Derby 2013.

Queensland Oaks winner Gondokoro is the only filly in this weekend's 2013 Queensland Derby field. Photo Daniel Costello.

Like the Stradbroke this year’s $500,000 Group 1 Channel Seven Queensland Derby (2400m) has drawn a capacity field of hopefuls with 18 starters plus five emergencies engaged for Eagle Farm Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEST).

Queensland Derby betting currently has Kiwi horse Survived as the $3.40 favourite after the consistent John Bary-trained Zed gelding debuted down under with a luckless second in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate (2100m).

Prior to that they won four on the trot back home in NZ, including a blistering 4.5 length effort in the Group 3 Hawke’s Bay Gold Cup (2200m), and they are tipped to turn the tables on their last start conqueror Hawkspur on Saturday.

Chris Waller’s Purrealist gelding and Rough Habit Plate winner Hawkspur meanwhile occupies the second line of Queensland Derby betting at $4.20, the galloper nicely drawn in barrier five with Hall of Famer Jim Cassidy to ride.

After their third on the trot having backed up from their Rough Habit win to easily account for their rivals in the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes (2220m) at Doomben on May 25, they will boast the fitness edge over Survived on Saturday but may be overdone.

Other single figure fancies in the markets include Grand Prix Stakes runner-up Rhythm To Spare ($6.50) who won two earlier races this autumn in Melbourne, and early market mover Gondokoro – the sole filly in the field coming off a big three length victory in last weekend’s Group 1 Queensland Oaks over the same track and distance as the Derby.

With so much talent in the field narrowing down the Queensland Derby winner can be a tough task, which is where Races.com.au comes in!

We’ve gone over the field, form, history and stats and come up with the below must know Queensland Derby facts so you can place the winning wagers online at bookmaker.com.au this weekend.

2013 Queensland Derby Form Facts & Betting Stats

Last year’s Queensland Derby winner was the Peter Moody-trained Brambles who came off back-to-back wins in the Rough Habit and Grand Prix, jumped from barrier 11 (of 18) and was ridden by Brad Rawiller

This year both the Rough Habit Plate and the Grand Prix Stakes were won by the same horse again with #1 Hawkspur ($4.20) completing the double, now after the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival’s three-year-old stayers’ triple crown on Saturday

The Grand Prix Stakes has produced four of the past 10 Queensland Derby winners

Moody meanwhile is without a runner and Brad Rawiller is sweating on a ride engaged on the fourth emergency #22e Tonopah ($71)

Last year’s winning barrier 11 was drawn by #15 Celtic Prince ($34) but with the five emergencies failing to gain a start it will belong to #18 Gondokoro (currently in 14)

Easily the most successful Queensland Derby barrier in history is gate four with four winners in the past 30 years which belongs this year to #2 Honorius ($11) but if the emergencies come out it will be #10 Faust ($61) in the favourable barrier

#4 Survived ($3.40) easily boasts the best Win Rate of the field with 62.50% followed by #3 Usainity (44.44%) and #9 Rhythm To Spare (40%)

The highest Place Rate then belongs to #9 Rhythm To Spare (100%) who is yet to finish out of the money followed by #3 Usainity (88.895), #4 Survived (87.50%) and #10 Faust (87.50%)

Along with #1 Hawkspur the other last start winners in the field are then #8 Trakstar (3YO Handicap, 2200m, Ipswich, 17/05/2013), #14 Ali Vital (3YO Handicap, 2200m, Doomben, 29/05/2013), #17 Zagami (Class 1 Handicap, 2200m, Sunshine Coast, 2200m) and #18 Gondokoro (Group 1 Queensland Oaks, 2400, Eagle Farm, 01/06/2013)

The only one of the 18 confirmed starters to have won at Eagle Farm before is #18 Gondokoro ($7)

Others with decent form then include #8 Trakstar (4-0-0-2), #3 Usainity (1-0-0-1) and #4 Survived (1-0-1-0)

Only three of the first 18 have had a start over the mile and a half (2400m) before and the only two to run top three are #12 Lucky Lucky Lucky (1-0-0-1) and #18 Gondokoro (2-1-0-1) who was also third in the Australian Oaks earlier

Queensland Oaks winner #18 Gondokoro is out to become just the third filly in the past 30 years to go on and win the double joining Dariana and Royal Magic

Eagle Farm may currently be rated a Dead (5) but with rain threatening in Brisbane the chance of a Slow track is there and those in the Derby with decent form on Slow tracks include #1 Hawkspur (3-2-1-0), #4 Survived (2-1-1-0), #10 Faust (1-0-1-0), #14 Ali Vital (1-1-0-0), #15 Celtic Prince (2-1-0-0) and #18 Gondokoro (4-1-0-1)

In the past decade three Queensland Derby favourites have saluted, and only two failing to run a place, with #4 Survived out to become the next

Jim Cassidy is the most successful QLD Derby jockey since 1983 with three wins from 13 rides and this year will look to make it four wins with #1 Hawkspur

Stay tuned to Races.com.au to view our insider Queensland Derby betting tips to be published shortly.

If you’ve already made your selections and want to lock them in now at the best prices in the country then head over to bookmaker.com.au and don’t forget to also check out their juicy Pick Your Own Queensland Derby Odds markets too!

2013 Queensland Derby Field & Form Guide

Eagle Farm Race 7 – 3:00pm (AEST) – 08/06/2013

*All odds quoted are Fixed Win from bookmaker.com.au and subject to change  

*Form Guide Credit – [sportsbet]