VICTORIA DERBY
$1.5 million for three-year-olds (2500m)
HISTORY
* First run in 1855 when won by Rose Of May, the Victoria Derby pre-dates the Melbourne Cup by six years and is one of the oldest races in the world
NOTABLE WINNERS
* Manfred (1925), Phar Lap (1929), Skipton (1941), Comic Court (1948), Delta (1949), Tulloch (1957), Sky High (1960), Tobin Bronze (1965), Dulcify (1978), Mahogany (1993), Elvstroem (2003), Efficient (2006), Lion Tamer (2010), Preferment (2014)
TALKING POINTS
* James Scobie holds training record with eight winners
* The late Bart Cummings and the late TJ Smith share modern-day training honours with five winners each
* Gai Waterhouse, daughter of TJ Smith, became the first woman to train a Victoria Derby winner when Nothin’ Leica Dane, part-owned by her father, won in 1995
* Legendary jockey Bobby Lewis holds record for most number of Victoria Derby wins with eight
* Tulloch the shortest-priced favourite at 1-10 when he won in 1957
* Martini-Henri won the 1883 Victoria Derby at his first start and Melbourne Cup at his second
* James Cummings became a fourth generation trainer to win a Victoria Derby with Prized Icon’s 2016 victory. Cummings has Astoria in this year’s race
THE DISTANCE:
The 2500m is a query for every runner as the Victoria Derby offers the first chance for three-year-olds to be tested at the distance.
MAIDENS:
* Fire Oak (1990) became first maiden since Martini-Henri to win. Two years later Redding repeated the feat
* In 2014 Preferment also broke his maiden in the Derby
* Johnny Vinko, Nothing Too Hard, Wolfe Tone, and first emergency Beachwood are maidens in this year’s race
WHAT THE MAIN PLAYERS ARE SAYING:
“I feel he’s had a good preparation for a Derby. He’s a nice strong horse, well-bred. He’s got a good attitude and we’ve got a good in-form jockey. So there’s a lot to like about Tangled heading into the Derby” – Tangled’s trainer Chris Waller
“He’s always looked a nice relaxed staying horse and from what I’ve seen of all the Derby candidates he looks like he’s going to run the distance out as strongly as any of them” – Weather With You’s co-trainer Andrew Forsman
“What we are confident about is that Astoria has had a terrific grounding to be running well at the 2500-metres, not only off a 2200-metre run last start, but he’s had plenty of racing this preparation – Astoria’s trainer James Cummings
“He puts in every time and he’s got a bit of class about him” – Ace High’s jockey Tye Angland
