Victoria Derby

Ladbrokes Tip: The Moonee Valley Vase is a top guide to the VRC Derby winners

This season the 2025 Victoria Derby runs on Saturday, November 1, 2025 on the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

2025 Victoria Derby Odds

The spring’s latest Victoria Derby 2025 betting odds and Melbourne Cup Carnival Group 1 market links to the staying classic will be provided below so stay tuned for access to the top odds on the VRC Derby horses.

Flemington R7 - Howden Victoria Derby (G1)

Final Race time: 

1st	1. Observer (4) J: Mark Zahra 57kg 5x231T: Ciaron Maher	2.50WIN 1.50PLACE
2nd	8. Arcora (11) J: John Allen 57kg 31005T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	61.00WIN 11.00PLACE
3rd	16. Deal Done Fast (1) J: Daniel Stackhouse 57kg 244T: Matt Cumani	31.00WIN 6.50PLACE
4th	13. One Step Closer (2) J: Jye McNeil 57kg x5104T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton	126.00WIN 18.00PLACE
5th	6. Providence (12) J: Craig Williams 57kg 60382T: Chris Waller	5.00WIN 1.95PLACE
6th	14. Savisanta (3) J: Ben Melham 57kg 2223T: Chris Waller	20.00WIN 4.80PLACE
7th	4. Miewa (8) J: Jordan Childs 57kg 44122T: Nick Ryan	17.00WIN 4.40PLACE
8th	3. Autumn Mystery (15) J: Blake Shinn 57kg 52211T: Rory Hunter	10.00WIN 3.00PLACE
9th	9. O'sheamus (5) J: Kerrin McEvoy 57kg x4613T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton	10.00WIN 3.10PLACE
10th	5. Options (7) J: Harry Coffey 57kg 11315T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy	12.00WIN 3.40PLACE
11th	11. Engine Of War (9) J: Tommy Berry 57kg 3x127T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	31.00WIN 6.50PLACE
12th	2. Highvol (13) J: Jamie Mott 57kg 76402T: Nick Ryan	35.00WIN 7.50PLACE
13th	10. Amazake (6) J: Declan Bates 57kg 7x673T: Ciaron Maher	71.00WIN 12.00PLACE
14th	15. Mcwoody (14) J: Jamie Melham 57kg 15T: Mark Walker	46.00WIN 9.00PLACE
15th	12. Matsuda (16) J: Thomas Stockdale 57kg 24814T: Ciaron Maher	81.00WIN 13.00PLACE
16th	7. Azazel (10) J: Michael Dee 57kg 141T: Mark Walker	31.00WIN 6.50PLACE

For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 01/06/2026 11:10:20 AM (Australia/Brisbane)

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Victoria Derby Tips

Victory Derby tips on which three-year-old to back in the classic are notoriously hard to follow with so many upsets in the race over the years. When sorting through the pre-race predictions one thing that statistically is important to look for horses coming off a lead-up race over at least 2000m.

Graduates out of Melbourne lead-up races make the best VRC Derby betting tips, while laying the favourite has also proved profitable more often than not looking back at the recent Victoria Derby results.

2025 Victoria Derby Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Victoria Derby 2025 betting tips and Group 1 Flemington exotic selections on the classic will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the three-year-old colts & geldings to get behind at the right price this spring.

2025 Victoria Derby Same Race Multi Selections ($27 at time of publish)

The Victoria Derby is the feature race for young staying types each spring and is the opening Group 1 feature of the Melbourne Cup Carnival following the events of the Group 1 Cox Plate Carnival at Moonee Valley in late October.

Held over four days in late October and or early November every year, the carnival kicks off on the Saturday before the first Tuesday of November’s Melbourne Cup with the three-year-olds stealing the show in the VRC Derby.

Run over 2500m the Victoria Derby is a classic set weights race now worth $2 million in prize money and was first run in 1855. It has held Group 1 status since 1979 and Gai Waterhouse was the first woman trainer to prepare a winner of the race in 1995 with Nothin’ Leica Dane.

Notable Victoria Derby winners include Efficient (2006), Elvstroem (2003), and Red Anchor (1984).

Victoria Derby Day features a total of three Group 1 spring races with the three-years-old staying feature accompanied on the Flemington race card by the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) for the short distance sprinters of the same age and the Empire Rose Stakes (formerly the Myer Classic) also run over a mile.  It is known as a day for racing purists as all the events on the program hold Group status.

Derby Day in Melbourne now has some serious competition across the border with the addition of a number of lucrative feature races in Sydney on the same date. From 2019 on, Rosehill Gardens has hosted the now $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) for four-year-olds and the $3 million Russell Balding Stakes (1300m), which was previously known as the Winners Stakes and renamed in honour of the previous year’s The Everest champion each season until 2024, on the same day as the VRC Derby program in Melbourne.

Victoria Derby Race Info

• Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 2500m
• Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $2 million
• First Run: 1855

Victoria Derby 2025 Race Day Schedule

There are nine races on the Victoria Derby Day card, including the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes and Empire Rose Stakes.

Race Name	Number	Time	Distance
Channel 9 Carbine Club Stakes	1	12:20 pm	1600m
The TAB Vanity	2	1:00 pm	1400m
G.H. Mumm Rising Fast Stakes	3	1:40 pm	1200m
HKJC World Pool Wakeful Stakes	4	2:20 pm	2000m
The ABC Bullion Damien Oliver	5	3:00 pm	1400m
Coolmore Stud Stakes	6	3:40 pm	1200m
Howden Victoria Derby	7	4:20 pm	2500m
TAB Empire Rose Stakes	8	5:00 pm	1600m
Kirin Ichiban Sprint	9	5:40 pm	1100m

Victoria Derby 2025 Date & Race Time

The 2025 Victoria Derby is run at 5:00 pm on Saturday, November 1, 2025. It’s the seventh race on the card at Flemington, which is the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Victoria Derby Prize Money breakdown

The Victoria Derby 2025 runs for a total prize pool of $2 million, with $1.2 million going to the winner. The prize money hasn’t been increased like other races during the carnival because it remains a must-win race for potential stallions.

Position	Prize Money
1st	$1,200,000
2nd	$360,000
3rd	$180,000
4th	$90,000
5th	$50,000
6th-8th	$40,000

The Group 1 staying race for 3YOs runs with the same stake money as the Australian Derby run during The Championships.

2025 Victoria Derby Results

The 2025 Victoria Derby Results will be published as soon as the race runs on Saturday, November 1, 2025.

• 1st: TBD
• 2nd: TBD
• 3rd: TBD

Victoria Derby Betting

Victoria Derby betting markets on possible runners are open months in advance with juicy futures prices on offer at many bookmakers under all-in conditions. Once the VRC Derby field is released the week of the race those markets are slashed and the action heats up with punters looking for the value bet.

Favourites have a fair record in the Victoria Derby with Tarzino (2015), Ace High (2017), Hitotsu ($4 in 2021) and Riff Rocket ($2.20 in 2023) the latest top fancies in VRC Odds to win since Efficient (2006).

Since then there’s been plenty of upsets including Rebel Raider who won at 100/1 in 2008 and Fiveandahalfstar who caused a boil over in 2012 at 40/1. There was also a bit of value in VRC Derby betting on the 2018 champion Extra Brut who jumped at $14 odds, while Johnny Get Angry saluted at 20/1 in 2020.

In 2022 Manzoice scored another upset saluting at Victoria Derby odds of $21.

Victoria Derby Field

The Victoria Derby race field is released by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday before the race runs on the Saturday meeting before Melbourne Cup Day the following Tuesday and has a capacity starting line-up of 16 three-year-olds plus four emergencies.

Horses may come into the Victoria Derby field via a lead-up run in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) on Cox Plate Day, which produced back-to-back winners in 2015 and 2016. Efficient (2006) was the last three-year-old to complete the Moonee Valley Vase – VRC Derby double.

In 2023 the Moonee Valley Vase winner Apulia was so brave on the double back-up narrowly denied with a fast-finishing second to the favourite Riff Rocket.

The upset 2020 VRC Derby winner Johnny Get Angry also came out of the Moonee Valley Vase having run third in the lead-up.

Another key lead-up races gallopers might contest ahead of the VRC Derby field is Sydney’s Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), a double most recently completed by Ace High (2017). Manzoice (8th in 2022) was the last Spring Champion Stakes graduate to back-up and win the Victoria Derby in Melbourne.

One of the very early potential lead-up races into the VRC Derby field is the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) run at Rosehill in late August and the ill-fated Lion Tamer (2010) was the last to do the double. A little later at Rosehill on Golden Rose Stakes Day, early VRC Derby types may contest the Group 3 Gloaming Stakes (1800m) and Ace High (2017) was the last to complete the Gloaming – Derby double.

Another traditional lead-up into the VRC Derby field is the Group 3 Caulfield Classic (2000m) run on Caulfield Cup Day and Polanski (2013) was the last to do the double.

In 2023 Riff Rocket improved on a second in the Caulfield Classic to win the Derby while his last start conqueror Sunsets finished third in the Group 1.

2025 Victoria Derby Field

The official VRC Derby 2025 Final Field & Barriers are set for release the week of the race and will be provided in full below so stay tuned to see what gun three-year-old stayers make the line-up.

The Victoria Derby 2025 final field is now out featuring a capacity line-up of three-year-old stayers including the Ciaron Maher trained Observer on a quick turnaround after an impressive Moonee Valley Vase victory. He is now the short favourite drawn win in gate four chasing the double last completed by Efficient (2006).

Flemington R7 - Howden Victoria Derby (G1)

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Observer J: Mark Zahra T: Ciaron Maher	15x231	C	4	57kg
	2. Highvol J: Jamie Mott T: Nick Ryan	x76402	G	13	57kg
	3. Autumn Mystery J: Blake Shinn T: Rory Hunter	x52211	G	15	57kg
	4. Miewa J: Jordan Childs T: Nick Ryan	x44122	G	8	57kg
	5. Options J: Harry Coffey T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy	11315	C	7	57kg
	6. Providence J: Craig Williams T: Chris Waller	x60382	C	12	57kg
	7. Azazel J: Michael Dee T: Mark Walker	141	G	10	57kg
	8. Arcora J: John Allen T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	231005	C	11	57kg
	9. O'sheamus J: Kerrin McEvoy T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton	4x4613	G	5	57kg
	10. Amazake J: Declan Bates T: Ciaron Maher	27x673	G	6	57kg
	11. Engine Of War J: Tommy Berry T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	3x127	G	9	57kg
	12. Matsuda J: Thomas Stockdale T: Ciaron Maher	24814	G	16	57kg
	13. One Step Closer J: Jye McNeil T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton	7x5104	G	2	57kg
	14. Savisanta J: Ben Melham T: Chris Waller	2223	G	3	57kg
	15. Mcwoody J: Jamie Melham T: Mark Walker	15	C	14	57kg
	16. Deal Done Fast J: Daniel Stackhouse T: Matt Cumani	244	C	1	57kg
	17. Arabian Prince (20)  Scratched:
	18. Freddie Bassett (14)  Scratched:
	19. Crack A Deel (13)  Scratched:
	20. Super Paradise (18)  Scratched:

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Victoria Derby Barrier Draw 2025

The 2025 Victoria Derby final field and barriers are announced on Wednesday, October 29. Due to the staying distance of 2,500m, barrier draws aren’t as highly anticipated for the Victoria Derby as other races.

However, they’re still eagerly anticipated, and drawing a good barrier is still important for a Group 1 race.

Victoria Derby Barrier Statistics

The best barrier to draw for the Victoria Derby statistically is 1. The inside barrier has produced five winners since 1983, so getting the cushy run from the outset is advantageous.

It pays to avoid the dreaded barrier 3 curse, which hasn’t yielded a winner in a long time. It’s well known as the barrier connections want to avoid, with many preferring to be drawn in the car park instead. Barriers 11 and 14 have had some recent success with three winners each.

Apart from the inside draw, barriers 5 and 7 have been the most successful, posting eight combined winners in the last 21 years.

Victoria Derby 2025 Nominations

VRC Derby 2025 Nominations are taken the Monday of race week and will be available right here as soon as early entries on the Group 1 race are announced.

The 2025 Victoria Derby nominations are now out featuring 24 three-year-old stayers led in all-in betting by Ciaron Maher’s Moonee Valley Vase champion Observer on the quick back-up.

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	27×673	AMAZAKE	G	3	Ciaron Maher	70
2	3×56	ARABIAN PRINCE	C	3	Michael Kent	65
3	20×231005	ARCORA	C	3	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	69
4	3369×52211	AUTUMN MYSTERY	G	3	Rory Hunter	80
5	141	AZAZEL (NZ)	G	3	Mark Walker	74
6	7x30x617	CRACK A DEEL	C	3	Henry Dwyer	62
7	244	DEAL DONE FAST	C	3	Matt Cumani	66
8	3×127	ENGINE OF WAR (NZ)	G	3	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	69
9	2×5206	FREDDIE BASSETT	C	3	Annabel & Rob Archibald	62
10	11×76402	HIGHVOL	G	3	Nick Ryan	74
11	24814	MATSUDA	G	3	Ciaron Maher	65
12	15	MCWOODY	C	3	Mark Walker	65
13	66×44122	MIEWA	G	3	Nick Ryan	76
14	215×231	OBSERVER	C	3	Ciaron Maher	94
15	47×5104	ONE STEP CLOSER	G	3	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	66
16	11315	OPTIONS	C	3	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	78
17	4×4613	O’SHEAMUS	G	3	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	72
18	754×531321	PINOT NERO	G	3	John Ramsey	60
19	564798	POOR OL’ JOHNY RAY (NZ)	G	3	Denis Pagan	60
20	344×60382	PROVIDENCE	C	3	Chris Waller	76
21	2223	SAVISANTA (NZ)	G	3	Chris Waller	66
22	4237	SIMPLY GOLD (NZ)	G	3	Annabel & Rob Archibald	61
23	5×31009	SUPER PARADISE	G	3	Andrew Forsman	61
24	35×7418	ZORB	C	3	Archie Alexander	61

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Victoria Derby Form Guide

A good Victoria Derby form guide doesn’t only list the horses, trainers, jockeys and barriers but also their lead-up form and any past runs at the track / distance. That information can be helpful when narrowing down who to back and who to sack.

The Victoria Derby barriers are important to consider with wide barriers producing few winners since 2008 and the inside alley producing two winners during that time with both Monaco Consul (2009) and Polanski (2013) jumping from gate one.

The 2021 Victoria Derby form was franked with the winner Hitotsu returning the following autumn to complete the interstate Group 1 Australian Guineas – Australian Derby double in 2022. The 2021 VRC Derby runner-up Alegron also ran third in the Australian Derby results the following year and placed fourth in the 2022 SA Derby that season.

The 2022 VRC Derby runner-up Sharp ‘N’ Smart franked the form when heading across the Tasman the next year to win two Group 1 races including the NZ Derby before returning for a fourth in the Australian Derby in 2023.

The 2023 Victoria Derby form was franked with the winner Riff Rocket returning for a huge 2024 autumn campaign that included winning the Group 1 Rosehill Guineas – ATC Derby double!

Victoria Derby Form Facts

• The Moonee Valley Vase is the key VRC Derby form race to follow with Efficient (2006) the last to do the double.
• Favourites in Victoria Derby betting have a fair recent record with Tarzino (2015) the first to salute since Efficient (2006) followed by Ace High (2017), Hitotsu (2021) and most recently Riff Rocket (2023).
• Wide Victoria Derby barriers have produced only a few winners since 2008.
• Upset Victoria Derby results are common so look for value further down the odds on well-bred horses likely to run out the 2500m.
• Jockey Damien Oliver has ridden six VRC Derby winners (since 1983) most recently on Warning (2019).

2025 Victoria Derby Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive VRC Derby 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Victoria Derby Results & History

The Victoria Derby race results including the winner, the trifecta with the first three over the line, winning margins and the complete finishing order of all the starters are out after the classic jumps at Flemington, the same course the iconic Melbourne Cup run three days later, on the first Saturday of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Arguably Australia’s greatest ever champion Phar Lap, won the the Victoria Derby in 1929 before winning the Melbourne Cup the following year. Winners of the VRC Derby dating back to the year 2000 can also be seen below.

Star Of The Real holds the current Victoria Derby race record winning in 1991 in a time of 2 minutes 33.60 seconds.

Frances Tressady (1923) is the latest Victoria Derby winning filly.

Past Victoria Derby Winners

Recent Victoria Derby winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table. For more information, see our guide on past Victoria Derby winners.

Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2025	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
2024	Goldrush Guru	Scary	China Sea	2:37.78
2023	Riff Rocket	Apulia	Sunsets	2:37.38
2022	Manzoice	Sharp ‘N’ Smart	Aberfeldie Boy	2:40.8
2021	Hitotsu	Alegron	Teewaters	2:37.3
2020	Johnny Get Angry	Hit The Shot	Young Werther	2:41.9
2019	Warning	Southern Moon	Soul Patch	2:40.8
2018	Extra Brut	Stars Of Carrum	Chapada	2:34.3
2017	Ace High	Sully	Astoria	2:37.5
2016	Prized Icon	Sacred Elixir	Inference	2:36.1
2015	Tarzino	Etymology	Kia Ora Koutou	2:38.3
2014	Preferment	Bondeiger	Nozomi	2:37.8
2013	Polanski	Complacent	Thunder Fantasy	2:38.6
2012	Fiveandahalfstar	Super Cool	Rawnaq	2:35.9
2011	Sangster	Induna	Sabrage	2:40.3
2010	Lion Tamer	Praecido	Retrieve	2:46.4
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
2004	Plastered	Savabeel	Count Ricardo	2:35.4
2003	Elvstroem	Kempinsky	Our Bahare	2:38.9
2002	Helenus	Hydrometer	Aint There	2:40.5
2001	Amalfi	Zarek	Pentastic	2:34.6
2000	Hit The Roof	Universal Prince	Falls The Shadow	2:39.0

What are the biggest odds a Victorian Derby winner has paid?

Rebel Raider paid $101 when winning the 2008 Victoria Derby. It was a mammoth effort from the despised outsider, who was ridden by Clare Lindop.

He won by 2.5 lengths over Whobegotyou and Pre Eminence in what was a tough field, but the $101 shot was too strong in the run to the line.

FAQs about the Victoria Derby

When is the Victoria Derby 2025?

The Victoria Derby is run on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at 5:00 pm. It’s the seventh race on the card, which is the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Where is the Victoria Derby 2025?

Flemington hosts the Victoria Derby 2025. It’s the most famous racecourse in Melbourne, hosting races such as the Melbourne Cup.

What is the prize money for the Victoria Derby 2025?

The Victoria Derby prize money is $2 million, with the winner getting $1,200,000. It’s on par with the Australian Derby run in Sydney during the autumn.

What distance is the Victoria Derby run over?

The Victoria Derby is run over 2500m. It’s the longest race for specifically only 3YOs, and it’s a true test of stamina and strength.

How many horses run in the Victoria Derby?

The Victoria Derby is limited to 16 runners. Three is also four emergencies listed in case of scratchings.

Who won the 2024 Victoria Derby?

Goldrush Guru won the 2024 Victoria Derby. The $8.00 chance held off some outsiders in Scary, China Sea, and Kingofwallstreet. However, it’s one of the worst form guides in the recent history of the race.

Who won the 2023 Victoria Derby?

Riff Rocket won the 2023 Victoria Derby. It was a popular win for punters, who climbed into the $2.20 odds. The Chris Waller-trained gelding jumped from barrier five, which is one of the best barriers for the Derby.

Who won the 2022 Victoria Derby?

Manzoice won the 2022 Victoria Derby. It was the first of two consecutive Derby wins for trainer Chris Waller, who scored with Riff Rocket in 2023.

What horse holds the Victoria Derby record time?

Star of the Realm ran 2:33.60 when winning in 1991. He defeated superstar Naturalism, who would later go on to win many Group 1 races.

Which jockey has the most Victoria Derby wins?

Bobbie Lewis has eight Victoria Derby wins. The champion hoop won his first in 1990 with Maltster before winning his last with Trivalve in 1927. In the modern era, Damien Oliver made the race his own with six wins.

Which trainer has the most Victoria Derby wins?

James Scobie trained eight Victoria Derby winners in the early 20th century. Bart Cummings trained seven wins, including Dulcify and Mahogany.

How can I bet on the Victoria Derby?

Bet on the Victoria Derby with Ladbrokes. It has everything you need to place your Victoria Derby bets, including win, place, exotics, futures, and more.

What is Victoria Derby futures betting?

Victoria Derby futures betting is when punters bet on the race before the final field is released. Derby odds are available for most of the year, which allows punters to get on early and snap up the early value.

How do I watch the Victoria Derby live?

You can watch the Victoria Derby live on Ladbrokes. Other options are available, including Racing.com.

How do I buy Victoria Derby tickets?

Tickets for the Victoria are available at VRC.com.au and with ticket merchant Ticketmaster. Packages are available with tour groups, and it’s best to buy your tickets early.

What is the Victoria Derby dress code?

The Victoria Derby has a traditional black and white theme, and many areas of the grandstand require smart attire with a suit and tie.

How do I bet on the 2025 Victoria Derby?

Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.

Which horse will win the 2025 Victoria Derby?

The best way to pick which horse will win the Victoria Derby is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.