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WATC Derby

The WATC Derby (2400m) is a Group 2 event held at Ascot Racecourse in April each autumn racing carnival.

2025 WATC Derby Results

  • 1st: TBD
  • 2nd: TBD
  • 3rd: TBD


WATC Derby News



The WATC Derby (Western Australia Turf Club Derby) is a Group 2 thoroughbred race at the Ascot Racecourse in Perth during the Perth Autumn Racing Carnival in April each year. Raced over the traditional derby distance of 2400m, it is an event for three-year-olds at set weights and is worth $400,000.

WATC Derby 2025 Odds & Results

Ascot R6
Schweppes Watc Derby (G2)
Final Race time:  1745046104
Runner DetailsWinPlace
1st
4. Machine Gun Gracie (3) J: Shaun O'Donnell 55kg
T: Justine Erkelens
2nd
6. Funchal (4) J: William Pike 55kg
T: Grant & Alana Williams
3rd
1. Sail Session (1) J: Lucy Fiore 57kg
T: Daniel Morton
4th
5. Noahquintilly (6) J: Shaun McGruddy 55kg
T: David Harrison
5th
7. Summer's Legacy (7) J: Clint Johnston-Porter 55kg
T: Grant & Alana Williams
6th
2. Maxwhooshtapin (2) J: Luke Campbell 57kg
T: Misty Bazeley
7th
3. Net Zero (5) J: Steven Parnham 57kg
T: Daniel Morton
Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing.
Data retrieved: 19/04/2025 07:25:24 PM (Australia/Brisbane)

The WATC Derby was worth half a million dollars before being demoted from Group 1 status in 2011.

As Perth’s leading staying race for three-year-olds, the WATC Derby attracts a highly competitive field of quality runners, both locally and interstate.

The WATC Derby – also known as the Western Australian Derby – was one of the only Group 1 races held at Perth; the others at the time being the Railway Stakes (1600m) and the Kingston Town Classic (1800m), but was downgraded to a Group 2 status event so the Winterbottom Stakes (1200m) could gain elite level status in 2011.

Regal Power (2019) and Western Empire (2021) are the last horses to complete the WATC Derby – Railway Stakes double in the same year.

Regal Power went on to frank the form in Melbourne the following autumn with a second in Flemington’s Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) and a win in the second edition of the then $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m).

Western Empire meanwhile backed-up from his 2021 Railway Stakes victory to place second in the Group 1 Kingston Town Classic (1800m) – now Northerly Stakes – behind Regal Power during an outstanding campaign.

As the highly prestigious Sydney Autumn Carnival is taking place around the same time in New South Wales, many of the top-line gallopers will be there contesting races like the Australian Derby and Australian Oaks. The WATC Derby winner, therefore, is usually an above average but not elite horse from a local Perth-based stable.

The WATC Derby form was franked in 2023 with the third placed filly, She’s Fit, going on to run second in Adelaide’s Group 1 Australasian Oaks (2000m).

The WATC Derby 2025 runs on Saturday April 19, 2025 at Ascot Racecourse in Perth. 

2025 WATC Derby
Date: Saturday April 19, 2025
Track: Ascot Racecourse
Distance: 2400m
Conditions: Three-year-olds at Set Weights
Status: Group 2
Prize Money: $400,000
Inaugurated: 1888

2025 WATC Derby Results

  • 1st: TBD
  • 2nd: TBD
  • 3rd: TBD

2025 WATC Derby Betting

The season’s latest WATC Derby 2025 betting odds and betting market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be available at Races.com.au.

Western Empire ($1.30 in 2021) was the last WATC Derby favourite to salute.

2025 WATC Derby Form

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 WATC DERBY FORM GUIDE

2025 WATC Derby Tips

Stay tuned for our insider WATC Derby 2025 Tips on the three-year-olds to back in the Group 2 feature this autumn.

  • To Win: #4 Machine Gun Gracie ($1.65 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Just seven line-up in this year’s WATC Derby field and the WA Oaks winning filly, Machine Gun Gracie, is odds-on for a reason. She’s no value but really hard to bet against here taking on the boys after putting away a field of her own kind by over three lengths at the track and trip last time out. So dominant in her Oaks victory, Justine Erkelens’ lovely daughter of Maschino chases a hat-trick and is proven at the 2400m which is a big plus. Tuscan Queen (2020) was the last to do the WA Oaks / Derby double and in a field this size dropping a half-kilo with Shaun O’Donnell retaining the ride from barrier three, Machine Gun Gracie can be the next!

2025 WATC Derby Field

Female runners in the WATC Derby field will likely have raced in the Group 3 WA Oaks (2400m) the week before or the Group 3 WA Champion Fillies (1600m) in February, so look for the dominant fillies in these set weight races as an indication for the WATC Derby as well as those gallopers that have proven themselves able to last the 2400m distance.

Tuscan Queen (2020) was the last filly to complete the WA Oaks – WATC Derby double.

Another good lead-up to the WATC Derby field is the Listed Melvista Stakes (2200m) in March, a race the 2017 winner Gatting won in the lead-up to the Group 2 before Action (2018) improved on a lead-up fifth in to salute in the WA Derby results by four lengths.

Regal Power (2019), Western Empire (2021) and Alaskan God (2022) are the latest horses to do the Melvista Stakes – WATC Derby double.

In 2024 Buckets Ridge and A Lot Of Good Men ran first and second in the Melvista, and then finished in the reverse order with a Lot Of Good Men turning the tables to win the WATC Derby over Buckets Ridge next start.

The official 2025 WATC Derby field will be announced below once final acceptances close on the Wednesday of race week.

The WATC Derby 2025 final field features just seven young hopefuls led in betting by odds-on favourite Machine Gun Gracie coming off a demolition job in the WA Oaks at the track and trip.

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 8×7312111 SAIL SESSION Daniel Morton Ms Lucy Fiore 1 57kg 78
2 31652 MAXWHOOSHTAPIN Misty Bazeley Luke Campbell (a) 2 57kg 68
3 07×4612393 NET ZERO Daniel Morton Steven Parnham 5 57kg 66
4 21211 MACHINE GUN GRACIE Justine Erkelens Shaun O’Donnell 3 55kg 80
5 Lx91767043 NOAHQUINTILLY David Harrison Shaun McGruddy 6 55kg 67
6 124632 FUNCHAL Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 4 55kg 68
7 x322141754 SUMMER’S LEGACY Grant & Alana Williams Clint Johnston-Porter 7 55kg 61

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2025 WATC Derby Nominations

Nominations for the WATC Derby in 2025 are taken the Tuesday of race week and will be published in full below once announced.

The 2025 WATC Derby nominations close on Tuesday the 15th of April 2025. 

WATC Derby History

First run in 1888 when Harridan claimed victory, the WATC Derby is one of the oldest and most prominent races in Perth. Beginning as a Principal race run over 12 furlongs, the race distance was converted into 2400m in 1972. It reached Group 1 status soon after in 1979 and 1987 is the only time in its long history when the race was not held.

The WATC Derby was downgraded back to a Group 2 event in 2011. The fillies have a strong recent record in WATC Derby history including wins by Delicacy (2015), Arcadia Dream (2016) and Tuscan Queen (2020).

Other notable WATC Derby winners include Plastered (2005), Grand Journey (2008), Respondent (2014), and subsequent The All-Star Mile champion Regal Power (2019).

Recent WATC Derby Winners

The full list of WATC Derby winners and placegetters going back to 2000 are found below.

Year Place Horse Time
2025
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st TBD TBD
2nd TBD
3rd TBD
2024
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st A Lot Of Good Men 2 minutes 29.80 seconds
2nd Buckets Ridge
3rd Lord Vampi
2023
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Awesome John 2 minutes 32.06 seconds
2nd Another Chino
3rd She’s Fit
2022
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Alaskan God 2 minutes 31.71 seconds
2nd Pale Rider
3rd Black Fantasy
2021
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Western Empire 2 minutes 30.91 seconds
2nd Temptacion
3rd Kerman Rock
2020
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Tuscan Queen 2 minutes 32.24 seconds
2nd Red Hot Tip
3rd Criminal Code
2019
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Regal Power 2 minutes 30.69 seconds
2nd Cockney Crew
3rd Ping Me Another
2018
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Action 2 minutes 29.92 seconds
2nd Like A Butterfly
3rd Media Baron
2017
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Gatting 2 minutes 30.33 seconds
2nd Very Tempting
3rd Chill The Champers
2016
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Arcadia Dream 2 minutes 31.3 seconds
2nd Who Dat Singa
3rd Culverin
2015
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Delicacy 2 minutes 38.23 seconds
2nd Keysbrook
3rd Boom Time
2014
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Respondent 2 minutes 29.59 seconds
2nd Ihtsahymn
3rd Real Love
2013
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Mystic Prince 2 minutes 31.43 seconds
2nd Moreish
3rd Desert Glow
2012
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Rohan 2 minutes 34.5 seconds
2nd Flashy Fella
3rd The Social Network
2011
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Dreamaway 2 minutes 30.7 seconds
2nd Playing God
3rd Rio Danek
2010
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Chartreux 2 minutes 27.96 seconds
2nd Bridgestone
3rd Brother Mak
2009
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Marcus Maximus 2 minutes 31.2 seconds
2nd Berlioz
3rd Phenomenons
2008
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Grand Journey 2 minutes 28.8 seconds
2nd Yuro
3rd Star Encounter
2007
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Guyno 2 minutes 29 seconds
2nd Ballack
3rd Original Lovalover
2006
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Catsfun 2 minutes 29.7 seconds
2nd Raise A Call
3rd Scenic Shot
2005
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Plastered 2: minutes 31.3 seconds
2nd Royal Drive
3rd Master Minx
2004
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Mr Sandgroper 2 minutes 36.2 seconds
2nd Fatal Attraction
3rd Cr. Prosecutor / Magic
2003
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Shirazamatazz 2 minutes 32.8 seconds
2nd Conspirator
3rd Golden Prospect
2002
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Honor Lap 2 minutes 31.5 seconds
2nd Lord Mason
3rd Storm Fille
2001
W.A.T.C. Derby
Race Not Held  
2000
W.A.T.C. Derby
1st Old Money 2 minutes 30.4 seconds
2nd Tingling
3rd Grand Turismo

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