First held in 1963, the inaugural National Derby was taken out by Keen Linen, with the connections receiving £1500, for winning what was the richest greyhound race in the country.

Run at Harold Park in 1987 while Wentworth Park was renovated, the race again had a change of venue in 2009 to the Gardens in the Hunter Valley.

The National Derby returned to Wentworth Park in 2015 and was won that year by superstar sprinter Fernando Bale.

The Derby has been won by some of the champions of the sport including Roman Earl (1966), General Jeff (1980), Rapid Supreme (1985), and Worth Doing (1989).

The 2020 National Derby was shrouded in drama before the race was even run. Favourite for the event, Victorian Simon Told Helen, had to be scratched when he was bitten by a spider in the days leading up to the race.

Amazingly, another runner, Here Comes Joe, was also bitten by a spider and forced to be scratched. First reserve, Oh Mickey, went into Box 1 and led from start to finish to win the Group 1 event.

The 2021 National Derby completed an amazing night for young trainer Luke Adams who - having earlier taken out the National Futurity at the age of just 26 - made it two Group 1 wins in less than an hour when Zipping Moose, a brother of Futurity winner Zipping Sapporo, led throughout to claim victory.

The 2022 National Derby was an open race with many runners given a serious winning chance.

Victorians had dominated the heats and as they headed to the boxes, the two equal favourites were Southerners, Slingshot Jonesy and Zara's Ivan.

And it looked like the Derby trophy would be heading South when Slingshot Jonesy flew out and led clearly, and swinging for home was still a handy leader.

But his brother, Slingshot Hooks, and another local, Springview Noah, were finishing the better. Right on the post, the Darren Sultana-trained Slingshot Hooks lunged and knocked off his littermate, with the unlucky Spingfield Noah a close up third.

Both the winner and runner-up were owned by breeder Jay Ferguson.

A potential star was born in 2023 with South Australian Victa Damian smashing his rivals to claim the National Derby by 4.25 lengths.

The time of 29.47 was just 0.01 outside the race record and eclipsed that of She's A Pearl in the Paw Of Thunder decider on the same night (29.50), with trainer Tony Rasmussen declaring he may be the smartest dog he's ever put a collar and lead on.

Tom Rees, who enjoyed tremendous success as an owner with the Robert Britton-trained stayer Blazing Cartier in 2020 and 2021, scored his first Group 1 win as a trainer in 2024 when his exciting prospect History's Coming made a one-act affair of the Ladbrokes National Derby final.

Backed from $8 to $5.50, History's Coming jumped smartly from box four and set up a big lead at the first turn, bolting away to win by six lengths in 29.54.

That time is the second fastest posted in a Derby final at Wentworth Park with Victa Damian establishing the race record of 29.47 in 2023.