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The South Australian Derby is one of the four Group 1 races held as part of the Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival. It is a 2500 metre staying event that takes place at Morphettville Racecourse in May each year one week before the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m).

The SA Derby is for three-year-olds at set weights and offers a prize purse of $502,250.

The 2020 edition of the South Australian Derby offered a reduced $400,000 in prize money due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Entries in the race may have previously contested the Group 3 SA Chairman’s Stakes (2000m) at the track a fortnight earlier. The SA Chairman’s Stakes – SA Derby double was recently been completed by Howard Be Thy Name (2016), the fellow Darren Weir-trained Leicester (2018) and Jungle Magnate (2022).

Three-year-old fillies may come via the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) on Robert Sangster Stakes Day. Delicacy (2015) was the last filly to complete the SA Oaks – Derby double. More recently, Qafila (2019) improved on a lead-up fourth in the Schweppes Oaks to beat home the boys in the SA Derby next start.

As the leading three-year-olds race at Adelaide, the South Australian Derby field attracts high quality runners. One of the best winners was Mummify in 2003, who continued on to claim victory in that year’s Caulfield Cup in Melbourne and placed third in the Caulfield Cup the following year as well.

The staying distance and high status of the South Australian Derby means that some of the season’s finest horses compete in the race, which is why it is always a good race to watch as an indication for other important races held at the end of the year. For example, South Australian Derby winners Count Chivas (1995) and Shivas Revenge (1991) both continued on to place second in the Melbourne Cup, and the mighty Subzero won the SA Derby / Melbourne Cup double in 1992.

In 2020 Russian Camelot won the SA Derby as the punters’ pick and went on to run top three in his next four Group 1 runs in Melbourne over the spring including winning the Underwood Stakes.

The favourites were in form again in the 2021 SA Derby results with the ATC Derby winner Explosive Jack completing the interstate Derby double.

The 2023 South Australian Derby ran on Saturday May 13, 2023 at Morphettville Racecourse and saw the Patrick Payne-trained Dunkel ($8) explode late to score a narrow upset over the beaten favourite Promises Kept. 

SA Derby 2023
Date:	Saturday May 13, 2023
Track:	Morphettville Racecourse
Distance:	2500m
Race Type:	3YOs – Set Weights
Status:	Group 1
Prize Money:	$502,250

2023 SA Derby Results

• 1st: #3 Dunkel ($8)
• 2nd: #9 Promises Kept
• 3rd: #2 Aberfeldie Boy

The Patrick Payne-trained Tasmanian Derby winner Dunkel ($8) returned to winning form when given a perfectly timed ride by now Group 1 winning hoop Billy Egan rallying late to post a narrow upset over the nearly all-the-way front running favourite Promises Kept ($4F) in a thrilling SA Derby 2023 result.

Click here to read more on the exciting victory by Dunkel in the South Australian Derby 2023.

2023 South Australian Derby Results & Finishing Order

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	3	DUNKEL (NZ)	Patrick Payne	Billy Egan		7	56.5kg		$8
	2	9	PROMISES KEPT	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Mark Zahra	0.7L	8	56.5kg		$4F
	3	2	ABERFELDIE BOY	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	Craig Newitt	2.2L	13	56.5kg		$10
	4	7	LOCO	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Damien Oliver	2.3L	12	56.5kg		$10
	5	6	BENGAL BOY	Matt Cumani	Declan Bates	2.6L	6	56.5kg		$61
	6	5	RED SUN SENSATION	Peter G Moody	Brian Higgins	4L	9	56.5kg		$26
	7	4	HIGH APPROACH	Dan O’Sullivan	John Allen	5.8L	4	56.5kg		$12
	8	14	RESERVOIR DOG	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Jake Toeroek	6.1L	11	56.5kg		$91
	9	13	NORTHERN BARRAGE	Michael Kent	Jason Holder	6.1L	5	56.5kg		$26
	10	16	SHE’S FIT	Daniel Morton	Chris Parnham	6.5L	10	54.5kg		$4.20
	11	1	SUIZURO	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Opie Bosson	7.2L	16	56.5kg		$8
	12	12	CAPTAIN PLUTO (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Daniel Moor	8.9L	1	56.5kg		$91
	13	15	PRINCE TIKEA	Travis Doudle	Dom Tourneur	9.3L	2	56.5kg		$151
	14	8	GOTTABESAVVY (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Todd Pannell	9.8L	15	56.5kg		$61
	15	11	DUNWOODY (NZ)	Matt Cumani	Jarrod Fry	11.8L	3	56.5kg		$81
	16	10	AIN’T HE GRAND	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ben Allen	33.4L	14	56.5kg		$41
		19e	IMPENDING LINK	Greg Eurell			0
		20e	SAMUEL LANGHORNE (NZ)	Michael Kent			0
		17e	XTRAREVZ	John Sargent	Kerrin McEvoy		0
		18e	NIGHTSUN	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock			0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 South Australian Derby Betting

The top SA Derby 2023 betting odds on the season’s staying three-year-olds will be available right here once betting on the lucrative Group 1 Adelaide race opens at Ladbrokes.com.au.

Russian Camelot ($2.90 in 2020) followed by Explosive Jack ($4 in 2021) are the latest favourites in South Australian Derby betting to salute for the punters.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST 2023 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DERBY ODDS (Final Field)

2023 South Australian Derby Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DERBY FORM GUIDE

2023 South Australian Derby Tips

Stay tuned for our insider South Australian Derby 2023 Tips on the Adelaide Group 1 staying showdown this May.

• To Win: #16 She’s Fit ($4.60 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Huge edition of the SA Derby with a host of in-form three-year-olds descending on Morphettville, but happy to stick with the favoured filly She’s Fit. The Dan Morton-trained WA raider remains at an attractive price around the $5 mark in betting, and she has the benefit of a lead-up run at the track. The WA Oaks winner is a nicely-bred daughter of Pride Of Dubai who has been excellent all prep. She is proven at a mile-and-a-half, was strong when third to the boys in the WA Oaks two back, and was eye-catching running second here in the Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m) last time out. Back up in distance, rock-hard fit, drawn well and drops weight. Back don’t sack.

2023 South Australian Derby Field

The SA Derby field attracts a smart line-up of mainly local three-year-old staying types with plenty of fillies backing-up off the Australasian Oaks to take on the colts and geldings at the same track over 500m further.

The official South Australian 2023 Derby field is set for release on the Tuesday leading up to SA Derby Day and will be published in full below.

The 2023 South Australian Derby final field features a capacity line-up of young stayers led in betting by Dan Morton’s WA Oaks winner She’s Fit coming off a second in the Australasian Oaks and resuming Cluster gelding Promises Kept now with the Maher/Eustace stable.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the SA Derby 2023 field and betting markets.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	x2x1110233	SUIZURO	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Opie Bosson	20	56.5kg		90
2	3243×13	ABERFELDIE BOY	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	Craig Newitt	16	56.5kg		86
3	1211119	DUNKEL (NZ)	Patrick Payne	Billy Egan	8	56.5kg		80
4	9x411x0775	HIGH APPROACH	Dan O’Sullivan	John Allen	5	56.5kg		80
5	x1325x6361	RED SUN SENSATION	Peter G Moody	Luke Nolen	10	56.5kg		75
6	89×3421	BENGAL BOY	Matt Cumani	Declan Bates	7	56.5kg		72
7	1222	LOCO	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Damien Oliver	15	56.5kg		72
8	32913×311	GOTTABESAVVY (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Todd Pannell	18	56.5kg		71
9	80×922911	PROMISES KEPT	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Mark Zahra	9	56.5kg		70
10	410×454	AIN’T HE GRAND	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	Ben Allen	17	56.5kg		70
11	93×851	DUNWOODY (NZ)	Matt Cumani	Jarrod Fry	4	56.5kg		67
12	19×3251	CAPTAIN PLUTO (NZ)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Daniel Moor	1	56.5kg		67
13	213623	NORTHERN BARRAGE	Michael Kent	Jason Holder	6	56.5kg		66
14	4423418×21	RESERVOIR DOG	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Jake Toeroek	14	56.5kg		64
15	x3131x5397	PRINCE TIKEA	Travis Doudle	Dom Tourneur	3	56.5kg		64
16	6×6231132	SHE’S FIT	Daniel Morton	Chris Parnham	11	54.5kg		87
17e	8x24212x71	XTRAREVZ	John Sargent	Kerrin McEvoy	13	56.5kg		63
18e	x231464374	NIGHTSUN	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock		12	56.5kg		62
19e	3218	IMPENDING LINK	Greg Eurell		2	56.5kg		62
20e	0441	SAMUEL LANGHORNE (NZ)	Michael Kent		19	56.5kg		62

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 South Australian Derby Nominations

Early South Australian Derby nominations for 2023 close on Tuesday the 2nd May, 2023 and will be updated in full below once announced.

The 2023 South Australian Derby nominations attracted 33 young stayers including the in-form Cluster gelding Promises Kept now with Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, his Group 1 Australasian Oaks winning stablemate Affaire A Suivre, and WA Oaks winning filly She’s Fit coming off a second in the Australasian Oaks.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	3243×13	ABERFELDIE BOY	G	3	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	86
2	57×3111	AFFAIRE A SUIVRE (NZ)	F	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	103
3	410×454	AIN’T HE GRAND	C	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	70
4	89×3421	BENGAL BOY	G	3	Matt Cumani	72
5	2930×1	BITCOIN (NZ)	G	3	Lindsey Smith	65
6	2490	CAPABLANCA	G	3	Danny Curran	54
7	19×325	CAPTAIN PLUTO (NZ)	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	63
8	1211119	DUNKEL (NZ)	G	3	Patrick Payne	80
9	93×851	DUNWOODY (NZ)	G	3	Matt Cumani	67
10	7421×71	FIRST IMMORTAL	G	3	Mark & Levi Kavanagh	66
11	32913×311	GOTTABESAVVY (NZ)	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	71
12	9x411x0775	HIGH APPROACH	G	3	Archie Alexander	80
13	3218	IMPENDING LINK	G	3	Greg Eurell	62
14	25×68500	KARAKA KIWI (NZ)	G	3	Jordan Frew	56
15	0x0627245	KETCHIKAN	G	3	Ryan Balfour	53
16	2x8030x12	KING’S CROSSING (NZ)	G	3	Danny O’Brien	64
17	1222	LOCO	G	3	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	72
18	433×3516	MOYA LASS	F	3	Julius Sandhu	63
19	x231464374	NIGHTSUN	G	3	Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock	62
20	213623	NORTHERN BARRAGE	G	3	Michael Kent	66
21	80×922911	PROMISES KEPT	G	3	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	70
22	x1325x6361	RED SUN SENSATION	G	3	Peter G Moody	75
23	64423418×2	RESERVOIR DOG	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	60
24	15x629x75	ROZNAMLA (NZ)	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	62
25	0441	SAMUEL LANGHORNE (NZ)	G	3	Michael Kent	62
26	6×6231132	SHE’S FIT	F	3	Daniel Morton	87
27	7309421	SPECIAL SWEY (NZ)	G	3	Chris Waller	61
28	3x6x51	STRUCK TWICE (NZ)	G	3	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	62
29	x2x1110233	SUIZURO	G	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	90
30	8x4x120	SUPERSTOCK (NZ)	G	3	Mark & Levi Kavanagh	61
31	21×233	TAPA CAPALL	G	3	David Brideoake & Matt Jenkins	64
32	8x446x2425	VERIFIER (NZ)	G	3	Nigel Blackiston	58
33	8x24212x71	XTRAREVZ	G	3	John Sargent	63

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

South Australian Derby History

The South Australian Derby was first run in 1860 when Midnight won. It began as a principal race run over 12 furlongs. Not long after its inception the event was not held for a period between 1869 and 1875. It recommenced in 1876 under the same status and distance. The race did not run again from 1885 to 1889 and in the years 1942 and 1943 due to the war. The distance of the Derby was converted to 2500m in 1973 before decreasing to 2400m in length in 1978. This was one year before it reached Group 1 status in 1979. For one year in 1980 the event was raced over a distance of 2600m before dropping back to 2500m the following year in 1981.
There was no South Australian Derby held in 1983 and a few years later in 1986 the distance reverted back to 2400m. In 2001 the event was again run over 2500m and has since remained the same.

Trainer Darren Weir made SA Derby history in 2018 when Leicester became his third straight winner on the trot, seeing the horseman emulate the great Bart Cummings from 40 years earlier.

Jockey John Allen enjoyed his third South Australian Derby winning ride in 2020 aboard the favourite Russian Camelot who went on enjoy a hugely successful spring in Melbourne including his Cox Plate third to Sir Dragonet. The jockey returned and posted a fourth victory aboard the favourite Explosive Jack – winner of that year’s ATC Derby in Sydney – in 2021.

In 2023 Patrick Payne trained his first Group 1 winner with Dunkel in the SA Derby, a race the horseman won as a jockey back in 1994 aboard the Mick Price-trained Bullwinkle. The South Australian Derby 2023 results also saw jockey Billy Egan enjoy his maiden Group 1 victory.

Recent South Australian Derby Winners

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2023 South Australian Derby	1st	Dunkel	2 minutes 40.43 seconds
	2nd	Promises Kept
	3rd	Aberfeldie Boy
2022 South Australian Derby	1st	Jungle Magnate	2 minutes 37.31 seconds
	2nd	Yaphet
	3rd	Detonator Jack
2021 South Australian Derby	1st	Explosive Jack	2 minutes 38.99 seconds
	2nd	Let’s Karaka Deel
	3rd	Nobel Heights
2020 South Australian Derby	1st	Russian Camelot	2 minutes 42.02 seconds
	2nd	Dalasan
	3rd	Warning
2019 South Australian Derby	1st	Qafila	2 minutes 39.06 seconds
	2nd	Savvy Oak
	3rd	Mr Quickie
2018 South Australian Derby	1st	Leicester	2 minutes 38.95 seconds
	2nd	Rezealient
	3rd	Runaway
2017 South Australian Derby	1st	Volatile Mix	2 minutes 37.09 seconds
	2nd	Ruthven
	3rd	Odeon
2016 South Australian Derby	1st	Howard Be Thy Name	2 minutes 40.08 seconds
	2nd	Etymology
	3rd	Cool Chap
2015 South Australian Derby	1st	Delicacy	2 minutes 37.91 seconds
	2nd	Werther
	3rd	Allergic
2014 South Australian Derby	1st	Kushadasi	2 minutes 41.98 seconds
	2nd	Scratchy Bottom
	3rd	Best Case
2013 South Australian Derby	1st	Escado	2 minutes 39.05 seconds
	2nd	Hioctdane
	3rd	Shoreham
2012 South Australian Derby	1st	Zabeelionaire	2 minutes 42.1 seconds
	2nd	Sabrage
	3rd	Westsouthwest
2011 South Australian Derby	1st	Shadows In The Sun	2 minutes 39.8 seconds
	2nd	Echoes Of Heaven
	3rd	Lalla Rookh
2010 South Australian Derby	1st	Kidnapped	2 minutes 37.21 seconds
	2nd	Red Colossus
	3rd	Sea Galleon
2009 South Australian Derby	1st	Rebel Raider	2 minutes 40.39 seconds
	2nd	Astro Gains
	3rd	Fitoussi
2008 South Australian Derby	1st	Zarita	2 minutes 39.5 seconds
	2nd	Zagreb
	3rd	Neugine
2007 South Australian Derby	1st	Lazer Sharp	2 minutes 37.8 seconds
	2nd	Classic De Lago
	3rd	Red Lord
2006 South Australian Derby	1st	Testafiable	2 minutes 43.3 seconds
	2nd	Empire Gold
	3rd	Irazu
2005 South Australian Derby	1st	Tails Of Triomphe	2 minutes 37.1 seconds
	2nd	Douro Valley
	3rd	Kamsky
2004 South Australian Derby	1st	Hard To Get	2 minutes 37.1 seconds
	2nd	On A Jeune
	3rd	Better Jetsetter
2003 South Australian Derby	1st	Mummify	2 minutes 38.7 seconds
	2nd	Vicksburgh
	3rd	Lord Wooburn
2002 South Australian Derby	1st	Pantani	2 minutes 37.8 seconds
	2nd	Silver Baron
	3rd	Lester Thuderwing
2001 South Australian Derby	1st	Big Pat	2 minutes 36.2 seconds
	2nd	Bush Padre
	3rd	Adolescence
2000 South Australian Derby	1st	Blue Murder	2 minutes 38.4 seconds
	2nd	Mr Nelson
	3rd	Voile D’Or