The Queensland Derby is a Group 1 race for three-year-old horses, held each year at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane. This 2400 metre event is held on Stradbroke Handicap Day, the biggest single day of racing at Eagle Farm Racecourse each year. There are three Group 1 races held on the day, the Stradbroke Handicap, Queensland Derby, and The JJ Atkins.
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The Queensland Derby has a long history in Australian racing, inaugurated in 1868 in Gayndah before moving to Eagle Farm in 1871. With $500,000 up for grabs in the modern event, the Queensland Derby attracts a solid field of local and interstate competitors aiming to win an easier Derby than either the AJC Derby in Sydney or the Victoria Derby in Melbourne.
Some of the most notable names to have won this event over the years include Kingston Town in 1980, Strawberry Road in 1983, and Rough Habit in 1990. In recent times, winners include Ice Chariot in 2006, Empress Choice in 2007, Riva San in 2008, Court Ruler in 2009, Dariana in 2010, Shootoff in 2011, Brambles in 2012, and Hawkspur in 2013.
Some possible lead-up races for the Queensland Derby include the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes and Group 3 Rough Habit Plate earlier in the carnival at Doomben. Both of these races have provided multiple Derby winners in the last few years, including Hawkspur in 2013 and Brambles in 2012 who managed to take out all three races.
Along with the Stradbroke Handicap and The JJ Atkins, the Queensland Derby is an important part of Stradbroke Handicap Day each June. Together with these three Group 1 events, racegoers can also look forward to the Group 2 Brisbane Cup and Group 3 Dane Ripper Quality along with a range of supporting races and off-field attractions.
Queensland Derby 2014 odds comparison
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Events of last year have inspired jockey Dwayne Dunn’s confidence he can spring a Queensland Derby upset.
Dunn will travel from Melbourne to Brisbane on Saturday with the sole purpose of riding $21 chance Happy As Hell at Eagle Farm.
A year ago, Dunn steered Electric Fusion into second behind the Chris Waller-trained Hawkspur and the jockey drew parallels when he assessed Happy As Hell’s hopes of going one better.
Both Happy As Hell and Electric Fusion were placed in their final lead-up runs at Sandown before heading north.
“I don’t see why he can’t win drawing a line through Electric Fusion,” Dunn said.
“Electric Fusion ran second in the race last year coming off a Sandown run and he drew the outside barrier.”
Happy As Hell finished third behind the promising import St Jean over the Derby distance at Sandown last Saturday, which Dunn said left the Terry and Karina O’Sullivan-trained gelding ready for his Eagle Farm test.
Dunn had no doubts Happy As Hell would see out the 2400 metres of the Queensland Derby and nominated the three-year-old as capable of winning races such as the Adelaide Cup in coming seasons.
“His asset is he stays and he’s been about the older horses but he’s untested at this level,” Dunn said.
“The trip suits him but he is unknown that way of going.”
Brambles was the last Victorian-trained Queensland Derby winner when he took out the race for Peter Moody in 2012.
The Troy Corstens-trained Pinstripe Lane is the highest Victorian entrant in Queensland Derby markets as the $4.80 equal second favourite.
Vilanova is the $4.50 favourite to give premier Sydney trainer Waller his second consecutive Queensland Derby win.
Waller has a strong hand in all three Group One races at Eagle Farm with Red Tracer a prime candidate to win the $1.3 million Stradbroke Handicap while her stablemate Velrosso is a confirmed start and Masthead the first emergency.
The Waller-trained Brazen Beau is the favourite in the J J Atkins for two-year-olds.