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2024 Australian Derby winner Riff Rocket

Riff Rocket Hands Waller His Maiden Australian Derby 2024 Win

Lucy Henderson April 6, 2024

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

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 Penalty 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

Table Credit: Racing Australia.


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