New Zealand Derby
The New Zealand Derby is a Group 1 race run under Set Weight conditions for three year olds usually at Ellerslie race course conducted by the Auckland Racing Club.
The New Zealand Derby is run over 2400m. It was first run in 1860 and was won by Ada.
The New Zealand Derby became one race in 1973 following the amalgamation of the original New Zealand Derby and the Great Northern Derby. When Riccarton lost the NZ Derby, they received the two Guineas races.
Given the redevelopment of Ellerslie, the 2023 Derby was conducted at Te Rapa.
After being run on Boxing Day for many years, it was moved to March as part of the Auckland Cup carnival in 2006.
Some of the more famous older winners are Nightmarch who won a Cox Plate and a Melbourne Cup, the champion Gloaming who won multiple Derbies and numerous races on both sides of the Tasman and Dalray who won the 1952 Melbourne Cup. Balmerino won before great Australian and Northern Hemisphere deeds.
Then there was the Cox Plate era with Bonecrusher, Surfers Paradise, The Phantom Chance and placings with Silent Achiever and Jimmy Choux.
Mongolian Khan was another to be a dual Derby winner and then came back to also win a Caulfield Cup showing a love of the mile and a half.
Sharp 'N' Smart won in 2023 adding to his G1 wins at home and in Australia as well.
Only five fillies have won in the last 40 years (Tidal Light, Popsy, Silent Achiever, Habibi and Orchestral).
In recent times, two Australian 3yos went to Ellerslie and won the Derby – Redoute's Dancer in 2007 and Coniston Bluebird in 2009.
Crown Prosecutor won the 2019 NZ Derby at around 100-1. Then in 2022 Asterix was 50-1 coming off a Tauranga maiden victory.
The 2021 NZ Derby was delayed by a day after an NZ Government imposed coronavirus week long shutdown meant it was run on the Sunday in front of no crowd.
Of late Roger James has most successes as trainer with six while Vinnie Colgan has ridden the most Derby winners with six.
The New Zealand Derby was worth NZ$1,000,000 in 2024.
Notable winners of the New Zealand Derby include Orchestral (2024), Sharp 'N' Smart (2023), Gingernuts (2017), Mongolian Khan (2015), Silent Achiever (2012), Jimmy Choux (2011), C'Est La Guerre (2008), Xcellent (2004), Hail (2000), Zonda (1997), Roysyn (1995), Popsy (1993), The Phantom Chance (1992), Surfers Paradise (1990), Castletown (1989), Tidal Light (1986), Bonecrusher (1985), Balmerino (1975), Furys Order (1973), Roman Consul (1965), Up And Coming (1958), Nightmarch (1928), Gloaming (1918) and Desert Gold (1915).
The 2024 New Zealand Derby was won by Orchestral from Antrim Coast and Ascend The Throne.