The 2017 Victoria Derby steals the show at Flemington on the Melbourne Cup Carnival opener on Saturday, a comprehensive form guide analysis and all the Derby statistics you need to back the winner detailed below.

Main Stage is the only previous Flemington winner in the 2017 Victoria Derby field this Saturday. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Due to jump as Flemington Race 7 at 3:50pm (AEDT) on the all-Group race program, this season’s Group 1 $1.5 million AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m) has attracted a capacity line-up of young stayers.

In an open Victoria Derby betting market at Ladbrokes.com.au currently six of the contenders are under $10 for the win including last start Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) winner in Sydney Ace High ($5).

Tarzino (2015) is the only favourite since 2006 to salute for the Victoria Derby punters, opening up the 2017 edition to those runners trailing in the markets.

The dangers looking at the Victoria Derby odds include Chris Waller’s Ladbrokes Classic runner-up Tangled ($6), third in the same traditional lead-up Main Stage ($7.50) and Murray Baker’s last start Geelong Classic winning Kiwi Weather With You ($7.50).

To help you sort the VRC Derby horses to back and the three-year-olds stepping up in grade or distance to sack below we go over the full 2017 Victoria Derby Form Guide.

2017 Victoria Derby Form Facts & Betting Stats

• Last year’s Victoria Derby winner was the James Cummings-trained Prized Icon ($15) who improved on a last start Moonee Valley Vase fifth and jumped from barrier 4 (of 16) with Glyn Schofield in the saddle
• Last year’s winning trainer James Cummings chases back-to-back VRC Derby wins in 2017 with #3 Astoria ($9.50)
• The other previous Victoria Derby winning trainers with a 2017 runner are: Chris Waller with #2 Tangled ($6.50); Trent Busuttin with #5 Main Stage ($7), #6 Sully ($8.50), #13 Johnny Vinko ($26) and possible emergency runner #17e Beachwood ($101); Murray Baker with #7 Weather With You ($7.50); Robbie Laing with #9 Pissaro ($34); and Lindsay Park head-trainer David Hayes chasing his third with #4 Eshtiraak ($20) and #10 Justice Faith ($41)
• The previous Victoria Derby winning jockeys with a ride this weekend are: Noel Callow on #9 Pissaro, Craig Williams on #10 Justice Faith, and Hugh Bowman chasing his fourth victory aboard #6 Sully

• Last year’s winning barrier (4) has only produced two winners (since 1984) and is drawn this year by #13 Johnny Vinko
• The last time the same Victoria Derby barrier produced back-to-back winners was with Elvstroem (2003) and Plastered (2004) from barrier 5
• Barrier three hasn’t produced VRC Derby winner (since before 1983) and #1 Ace High ($5) is the favourite this year out to break the hoodoo

• Most successful Victoria Derby barrier (since 1983) producing five winners is barrier one drawn this year by #3 Astoria ($9.50)
• The Moonee Valley Vase has produced three Victoria Derby winners in the last seven years, while the last to do the double was Efficient (2006)
• The Moonee Valley Vase graduates from last Saturday on the quick back-up into the Derby field are: Pissaro (4^th) and Wolfe Tone (6^th)
• Before the Moonee Valley Vase 5^th last year’s VRC Derby winner Prized Icon ran third in Sydney’s Spring Champion Stakes
• Monaco Consul (1^st in 2009) was the last VRC Derby winner to back directly off the Spring Champion Stakes
• #1 Ace High is out to be the next Spring Champion Stakes – VRC Derby double winner
• The other Spring Champion Stakes graduates in the race on Saturday are Tangled (2^nd), Sully (3^rd) and Astoria (5^th)
• #3 Astoria was last seen running third in the Geelong Classic that produced the 2014 Victoria Derby winner Preferment (2^nd)
• #7 Weather With You ($7.50) is out to do the Geelong Classic – Victoria Derby double
• The other VRC Derby hopes out of the Geelong Classic are: Ocean’s Fourteen (2^nd), Astoria (3^rd), Justice Faith (6^th), Nothing Too Hard (7^th), Rockarral (10^th) and Johnny Vinko (11^th)

• The other key Derby lead-up race producing two winners in the last six years including Polanski (2013) who did the double is the Group 3 Norman Robinson Stakes now known as the Ladbrokes Classic
• The Ladbrokes Classic graduates in the VRC Derby 2017 field are: Tangled (2^nd), Main Stage (3^rd), Aberro (4^th) and Eshtiraak (5^th)
• Victoria Derby favourites have a poor recent strike rate with Tarzino (2015) the first since Efficient (2006) to win; #1 Ace High is out to be the next Derby top fancy to win this year

• The highest Win Rate of the field belongs to #12 Greycliffe (50%) followed by #4 Eshtiraak (33%), #5 Main Stage (33%), #6 Sully (33%) and #11 Ocean’s Fourteen (33%)
• Both #5 Main Stage (100%) and #11 Ocean’s Fourteen (100%) are yet to finish out of the money
• #5 Main Stage (2:1-1-0) is the only previous winner at the Flemington track

Stay tuned for our insider Victoria Derby 2017 tips, checking out the full race form guide in the meantime below courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.