The Victoria Derby is Australasia’s premier Group 1 classic for three-year-olds, run over 2500 metres at Flemington Racecourse. In 2025, the $3 million feature was won by Observer, trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Mark Zahra carrying 57.0kg.
Recent Victoria Derby Winners
- 2025 – Observer: Ciaron Maher’s classy Ghaiyyath colt dictated terms from the front under Mark Zahra to land his maiden Group 1 title as the $2.50 favourite.
- 2024 – Goldrush Guru: Andrew Gluyas’ South Australian stayer delivered a huge performance under Jamie Kah to score a memorable victory at $8.00 odds.
- 2023 – Riff Rocket: Chris Waller’s star gelding dug deep under James McDonald to prevail in a thrilling finish as the $2.20 favourite.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Barrier | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Observer | Mark Zahra | Ciaron Maher | 4 | 57.0 kg | $2.50 |
| 2024 | Goldrush Guru | Jamie Kah | Andrew Gluyas | 12 | 57.0 kg | $8.00 |
| 2023 | Riff Rocket | James McDonald | Chris Waller | 5 | 57.0 kg | $2.20 |
| 2022 | Manzoice | Michael Dee | Chris Waller | 7 | 57.0 kg | $21.00 |
| 2021 | Hitotsu | John Allen | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 14 | 57.0 kg | $4.00 |
| 2020 | Johnny Get Angry | Lachlan King | Denis Pagan | 5 | 57.0 kg | $21.00 |
| 2019 | Warning | Damien Oliver | Anthony Freedman | 11 | 57.0 kg | $9.50 |
| 2018 | Extra Brut | John Allen | Darren Weir | 12 | 57.0 kg | $10.00 |
| 2017 | Ace High | Tye Angland | David Payne | 3 | 57.0 kg | $7.00 |
| 2016 | Prized Icon | Glyn Schofield | James Cummings | 5 | 57.0 kg | $17.00 |
Full list of Victoria Derby Winners since 1855
Inaugurated in 1855 and won by Rose of May, the Victoria Derby is Australia’s oldest feature race, predating the Melbourne Cup by six years.
| Year | Horse | Trainer | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Observer | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra |
| 2024 | Goldrush Guru | Andrew Gluyas | Jamie Melham |
| 2023 | Riff Rocket | Chris Waller | James McDonald |
| 2022 | Manzoice | Chris Waller | Michael Dee |
| 2021 | Hitotsu | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | John Allen |
| 2020 | Johnny Get Angry | Denis Pagan | Lachlan King |
| 2019 | Warning | Anthony Freedman | Damien Oliver |
| 2018 | Extra Brut | Darren Weir | John Allen |
| 2017 | Ace High | David Payne | Tye Angland |
| 2016 | Prized Icon | James Cummings | Glyn Schofield |
| 2015 | Tarzino | Mick Price | Craig Newitt |
| 2014 | Preferment | Chris Waller | Damien Oliver |
| 2013 | Polanski | Robbie Laing | Hugh Bowman |
| 2012 | Fiveandahalfstar | Anthony Cummings | Damien Oliver |
| 2011 | Sangster | Trent Busuttin | Hugh Bowman |
| 2010 | Lion Tamer | Murray & Bjorn Baker | Hugh Bowman |
| 2009 | Monaco Consul | Michael Moroney | Corey Brown |
| 2008 | Rebel Raider | Leon Macdonald | Clare Lindop |
| 2007 | Kibbutz | David Hayes | Craig Williams |
| 2006 | Efficient | Graeme Rogerson | Michael Rodd |
| 2005 | Benicio | Lee Freedman | Noel Callow |
| 2004 | Plastered | Lindsey Smith | Paul Harvey |
| 2003 | Elvstroem | Tony Vasil | Damien Oliver |
| 2002 | Helenus | Leon Corstens | Steven King |
| 2001 | Amalfi | Peter Moody | Damien Oliver |
| 2000 | Hit The Roof | David Hall | Glen Boss |
| 1999 | Blackfriars | Peter Hayes | Greg Childs |
| 1998 | Arena | John Hawkes | Larry Cassidy |
| 1997 | Second Coming | Michael Moroney | Greg Childs |
| 1996 | Portland Player | Lee Freedman | Greg Hall |
| 1995 | Nothin’ Leica Dane | Gai Waterhouse | Shane Dye |
| 1994 | Blevic | David Hayes | Rod Griffiths |
| 1993 | Mahogany | Lee Freedman | Greg Hall |
| 1992 | Redding | Gavin Kelly | Damien Oliver |
| 1991 | Star of the Realm | John Meagher | Steven King |
| 1990 | Fire Oak | Gordon Yorke | Brian Hibberd |
| 1989 | Stylish Century | Frank Mitchell | Kevin Moses |
| 1988 | King’s High | Colin Hayes | Gary Clarke |
| 1987 | Omnicorp | Bart Cummings | Jim Cassidy |
| 1986 | Raveneaux | Jim Moloney | Ron Quinton |
| 1985 | Handy Proverb | Brian Mayfield-Smith | Jim Cassidy |
| 1984 | Red Anchor | T. J. Smith | Mick Dittman |
| 1983 | Bounty Hawk | J. B. Cummings | Harry White |
| 1982 | Grosvenor | G. Murphy | Mick Dittman |
| 1981 | Brewery Boy | T. J. Smith | Wayne Treloar |
| 1980 | Sovereign Red | G. Murphy | Mick Goreham |
| 1979 | Big Print | A. R. White | Paul Jarman |
| 1978 | Dulcify | C. S. Hayes | Brent Thomson |
| 1977 | Stormy Rex | J. B. Cummings | Roy Higgins |
| 1976 | Unaware | C. S. Hayes | John Stocker |
| 1975 | Galena Boy | J. Hawkes | John Letts |
| 1974 | Haymaker | C. S. Hayes | John Miller |
| 1973 | Taj Rossi | J. B. Cummings | Roy Higgins |
| 1972 | Dayana | J. B. Cummings | Roy Higgins |
| 1971 | Classic Mission | S. Brown | George Moore |
| 1970 | Silver Sharpe | T. J. Smith | Pat Hyland |
| 1969 | Daryl’s Joy | S. Brown | Bill Skelton |
| 1968 | Always There | C. Waymouth | Geoff Lane |
| 1967 | Savoy | K. Hilton | Paul Jarman |
| 1966 | Khalif | D. Judd | Roy Higgins |
| 1965 | Tobin Bronze | H. G. Heagney | Noel Mifflin |
| 1964 | Royal Sovereign | J. Page | Ray Selkrig |
| 1963 | Craftsman | A. R. White | Pat Hyland |
| 1962 | Coppelius | B. Courtney | Geoff Lane |
| 1961 | New Statesman | B. Courtney | Geoff Lane |
| 1960 | Sky High | J. Green | Neville Sellwood |
| 1959 | Travel Boy | T. J. Smith | Neville Sellwood |
| 1958 | Sir Blink | J. Godby | Bill Williamson |
| 1957 | Tulloch | T. J. Smith | George Moore |
| 1956 | Monte Carlo | F. Dalton | Jack Thompson |
| 1955 | Sailors Guide | G. Daniel | Neville Sellwood |
| 1954 | Pride of Egypt | E. Hush | Billy Cook |
| 1953 | Prince Morvi | E. Fellows | Neville Sellwood |
| 1952 | Advocate | F. Allotta | Scobie Breasley |
| 1951 | Hydrogen | E. Hush | Darby Munro |
| 1950 | Alister | H. Wolters | Reg Heather |
| 1949 | Delta | M. McCarten | Neville Sellwood |
| 1948 | Comic Court | J. M. Cummings | Ossie Phillips |
| 1947 | Beau Gem | G. Jesser | Darby Munro |
| 1946 | Prince Standard | D. Lewis | Billy Briscoe |
| 1945 | Magnificent | A. Croall | Jack O’Sullivan |
| 1944 | San Martin | L. Robertson | Scobie Breasley |
| 1943 | Precept | Jim Pengilly | Ted Preston |
| 1942 | Great Britain | H. Freedman | Billy Cook |
| 1941 | Skipton | J. Fryer | Norm Creighton |
| 1940 | Lucrative | H. Freedman | Maurice McCarten |
| 1939 | Reading | J. Cush | Darby Munro |
| 1938 | Nuffield | J. Holt | Darby Munro |
| 1937 | Hua | J. Scobie | Ray Wilson |
| 1936 | Talking | A. Papworth | Adrian Knox |
| 1935 | Feldspar | L. Robertson | Keith Voitre |
| 1934 | Theo | F. Williams | Maurice McCarten |
| 1933 | Hall Mark | J. Holt | Darby Munro |
| 1932 | Liberal | F. Foulsham | Jim Munro |
| 1931 | Johnnie Jason | C. Unwin | Jim Pike |
| 1930 | Balloon King | R. O’Donnell | Jim Pike |
| 1929 | Phar Lap | H. Telford | Jim Pike |
| 1928 | Strephon | L. Robertson | Jim Pike |
| 1927 | Trivalve | J. Scobie | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1926 | Rampion | F. Williams | Sid Cracknell |
| 1925 | Manfred | H. McCalman | Frank Dempsey |
| 1924 | Spearfelt | V. O’Neill | George Young |
| 1923 | Frances Tressady | W. Foulsham | Frank Dempsey |
| 1922 | Whittier | H. McCalman | Bunty Brown |
| 1921 | Furious | F. Marsden | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1920 | Salitros | F. Williams | Myles Connell |
| 1919 | Richmond Main | F. Marsden | Albert Wood |
| 1918 | Eusebius | C. Wheeler | Les Franklin |
| 1917 | Biplane | R. J. Mason | Ben Deeley |
| 1916 | Wolaroi | B. Quinn | Albert Wood |
| 1915 | Patrobas | C. Wheeler | Bill Smart |
| 1914 | Carlita | J. Moore | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1913 | Beragoon | J. O’Brien | Jim Pike |
| 1912 | Wolawa | J. Scobie | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1911 | Wilari | W. Risby | George Lambert |
| 1910 | Beverage | W. Kelso Snr | Jim Pike |
| 1909 | Prince Foote | F. McGrath | Dan McCarthy |
| 1908 | Alawa | J. Scobie | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1907 | Mountain King | J. Burton | Bill Hickey |
| 1906 | Poseidon | I. Earnshaw | Tom Clayton |
| 1905 | Lady Wallace | J. Burton | Bill Hickey |
| 1904 | Sylvanite | J. Scobie | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1903 | F.J.A. | J. Scobie | Arthur Richardson |
| 1902 | Abundance | F. McGrath | James Barden |
| 1901 | Hautvillers | J. Scobie | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1900 | Maltster | J. Scobie | Bobbie Lewis |
| 1899 | Merriwee | J. Wilson Jnr | Vivian Turner |
| 1898 | Cocos | T. Payten | William Delaney |
| 1897 | Amberite | W. Duggan | Mat Harris |
| 1896 | Newhaven | W. Hickenbotham | Hen Gardiner |
| 1895 | Wallace | H. Munro | James Gough |
| 1894 | The Harvester | S. Cook | Chris Moore |
| 1893 | Carnage | H. Munro | James Gough |
| 1892 | Carmoola | T. Payten | Ernie Huxley |
| 1891 | Strathmore | H. Munro | Henry Cusdin |
| 1890 | The Admiral | S. Cook | Tom Hales |
| 1889 | Dreadnought | T. Payten | Tom Hales |
| 1888 | Ensign | T. Payten | Tom Hales |
| 1887 | The Australian Peer | H. Rayner | Edward Gorry |
| 1886 | Trident | M. Fennelly | Tom Hales |
| 1885 | Nordenfeldt | M. Fennelly | Bob Ellis |
| 1884 | Rufus | J. Redfearn | Mick O’Brien |
| 1883 | Martini-Henry | M. Fennelly | Henry Williamson |
| 1882 | Navigator | E. De Mestre | Tom Hales |
| 1881 | Darebin | F. Dakin | Ted Power |
| 1880 | Grand Flaneur | T. Brown | Tom Hales |
| 1879 | Suwarrow | R. Howie | Richard Walker |
| 1878 | Wellington | M. Griffin | Morris Griffin |
| 1877 | Chester | E. De Mestre | Pat Piggott |
| 1876 | Briseis | J. Wilson Snr | Tom Hales |
| 1875 | Robin Hood | E. De Mestre | George Donnelly |
| 1874 | Melbourne | J. Tait | Jim Ashworth |
| 1873 | Lapidist | W. Filgate | Harry Grubb |
| 1872 | Loup Garou | W. Winch | Tom Brown |
| 1871 | Miss Jessie | J. Wilson Snr | James Wilson Jnr |
| 1870 | Florence | J. Tait | Charles Stanley |
| 1869 | Charon | J. Wilson Snr | Joe Morrison |
| 1869* | My Dream | W. Filgate | T. Duffy |
| 1868* | Fireworks | J. Tait | Charles Stanley |
| 1867 | Fireworks | J. Tait | Charles Stanley |
| 1866 | Sea Gull | W. Filgate | Joe Morrison |
| 1865 | Angler | W. Filgate | Ted Redman |
| 1864 | Lantern | W. Filgate | William Simpson |
| 1863 | Oriflamme | W. Lang | William Lang |
| 1862 | Barwon | S. Waldock | Sam Waldock |
| 1861 | Camden | P. Dowling | Joe Morrison |
| 1860 | Flying Colours | W. Treacey | Billy Treacey |
| 1859 | Buzzard | J. Orr | Jas Henderson |
| 1858 | Brownlock | A. Green | Thomas Hutton |
| 1857 | Tricolor | A. Green | Dick Snell |
| 1856 | Flying Doe | A. Green | Joe Carter |
| 1855 | Rose of May | Hector Simson | Sam Holmes |
Victoria Derby Records
Horses to win the Victoria Derby more than once
Because the Victoria Derby is strictly restricted to three-year-olds only, no horse can compete in or win the race more than once.
Most Successful Victoria Derby Trainers
- James Scobie (8 wins): Maltster (1900), Hautvilliers (1901), F.J.A. (1903), Sylvanite (1904), Alawa (1908), Wolawa (1912), Trivalve (1927), Hua (1937).
- Tommy Smith (7 wins): Tulloch (1957), Sky High (1960), Newhaven (1961), Sandrake (1962), Sir Dane (1963), Craftsman (1964), Galena Boy (1975).
- Colin Hayes (6 wins): Tobin Bronze (1967), Dulcify (1978), Big Print (1979), Sovereign Red (1980), Omnicorp (1986), King’s High (1988).
- Chris Waller (3 wins): Preferment (2014), Manzoice (2022), Riff Rocket (2023).
Most Successful Victoria Derby Jockeys
- Bobby Lewis (8 wins): Maltster (1900), Hautvilliers (1901), Sylvanite (1904), Alawa (1908), Wolawa (1912), Carlita (1914), Furious (1921), Trivalve (1927).
- Hugh Bowman (4 wins): Lion Tamer (2010), Sangster (2011), Polanski (2013), Preferment (2014).
- Neville Sellwood (4 wins): Sailor’s Guide (1955), Sky High (1960), New Statesman (1961), Coppelius (1962).
Victoria Derby Race Winner & Odds
- Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Track: Flemington, Melbourne, VIC
- Distance: 2500m
- Conditions: Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $3 million
- First Run: 1855
- Current Champion: Observer
Victoria Derby odds are available, so bet now on the big race.