Betting on the AAMI Victoria Derby
Flemington Racecourse
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The Victoria Derby is a race rich in tradition as it dates back in 1855 when it was won by Rose Of May. As time went by, it has become one of the most anticipated horse races in the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and one of the more important Group 1 races in the Australian horse racing calendar. It has a race distance of 2500 metres and it is staged counter-clockwise.
This race is the main attraction of Derby Day at the Flemington Racecourse. Aside from this Group 1 race, the Myer Classic, the LKS Mackinnon Stakes and the Coolmore Stud Stakes are also held during Derby Day.
From the race’s inception in 1855 until 1971, the race distance of the Victoria Derby was 1 ½ miles. However, that distance was adjusted to 2400 metres as a result of Australia’s transition to the metric system. During the 1972 Victoria Derby that was won by Dayana, race organizers saw that the run from the barrier gate to the first turn is relatively short. This is the reason why they added an additional 100 metres to the race and this 2500-metre distance is still used up to now.
Though the Victoria Derby is a century-old horse race, only one race horse, Fireworks, has managed to win this race more than once. He did the achievement in back-to-back fashion in 1867 and 1868. Since it is a highly anticipated event, horse trainers nominate all of their horses that can qualify for the race. This high volume of aspirants alters the field of the Victoria Derby dramatically.
This high number of aspirants also makes each staging of the Victoria Derby a tough one for every horse and jockey will give everything that they have to win the race. This race is also used by trainers to aim a more lucrative race, the $6 million Melbourne Cup, since the Victoria Derby is held on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup Day.
History shows that the three-year-old male horses dominate the Victoria Derby since the race is under set weights rules. Though the first three Victoria Derby races were won by female race horses, the male card started to dominate until now. Frances Tressady is the last filly to win the Victoria Derby and she did the feat in 1923. Even though geldings were not allowed to compete from 1931 to 1956, the male race horses still dominated this race.
In the 2009 Victoria Derby, the prize purse is at $1.5 million and the race was won by one of the top pre-race favourites Monaco Consul with jockey Cory Brown on board. Finishing second is Extra Zero with jockey Nash Rawiller on board and coming in at third is Viking Legend with jockey Brad Shinn. Other top pre-race favourites, Rockferry and Onemorenomore, finished in fifth and sixth place respectively.
Monaco Consul finished the race in two minutes, 41.6 seconds. This time is about eight seconds behind the fastest winning time of two minutes, 33.60 seconds which was set in 1991 by Star Of The Realm.
Also, Cory Brown is still miles away from matching jockey Bobbie Lewis’ eight Victoria Derby wins that he got in 1900, 1901, 1904, 1908, 1912, 1914, 1921 and 1927.
The 2010 Victoria Derby will be staged on the 30th of October and as early as now, the betting market for the race is already heating up. You may check out the betting odds for the Victoria Derby competitors at your trusted bookmaker websites.
AAMI Victoria Derby Recent History
|
Year |
Winner |
2nd |
3rd |
Time |
|
2009 |
Monaco Consul |
Extra Zero |
Viking Legend |
2:41.6 |
|
2008 |
Rebel Raider |
Whobegotyou |
Pre Eminence |
2:36.9 |
|
2007 |
Kibbutz |
Littorio |
Marching |
2:40.9 |
|
2006 |
Efficient |
Gorky Park |
Teranaba |
2:38.3 |
|
2005 |
Benicio |
Duelled |
Headturner |
2:37.0 |
