Ladbrokes Richmond Derby (G2)
336 Days
To Go
Richmond
RACE RECORD29.32
Avg race time30.62
Avg 1st section5.13
The Richmond club hold two major feature events every year, the Richmond Derby and Richmond Oaks, and both events have long and illustrious honour rolls.

The Derby was first run up the straight over 320 yards in 1957 it then changed to a grass circle over 537 metres in 1974. When the track became loam in 1999, the Derby commenced racing over 535 metres.

Among the winners over the years are: Peter Glider (1982), a dead heat between Bindall’s Hope and Creamy Koko (1984), Rapid Supreme (1985), Stately Bird (2000), Cyrus The Virus (2003), and Hone In (2018).

In 2020, promising young Queenslander Oh Mickey added the Richmond Derby to his success earlier in the year in the Group 1 National Derby at Wentworth Park.

After a blistering 30.07s heat win, the Jason Mackay-trained Avalanche was expected to be the dog to beat in the 2021 Derby final, but the race set up perfectly for the Justin King-trained Incapacitated, who excelled over the tough 535m Richmond sprint distance.

The win came on the back of his Group win in the Christmas Gift at Wentworth Park back in December.

2021 Richmond Derby Winner - Incapacitated

2021 Richmond Derby Winner - Incapacitated Trained by Justin King & Tess Simmons

In 2022, and on the new upgraded track, victory went to a roughie with the Rod O'Brien-trained He's Grand leading throughout to win.

He’s Grand, who had held the track record on the new track at 29.76s before it was lowered on multiple occasions during the Derby and Oaks heats, set up the win with a slick 4.27s first sectional, and once his front his rivals couldn’t run him down.

On the line He’s Grand had 1½ lengths to spare over a gallant Chasing Fernando, with the favourite Zipping Kyrgios storming home to grab third. The winner smashed his own personal best time, clocking 29.49s.

“People were telling me he would get crushed this week,” O’Brien said. “I thought, well he’s got the fastest first section in the race, if he can get out and hold them off for a while, I would be more than happy … but he’s done better than that. He’s killed them.

“We’ve won a lot of big races, but nothing like this, and on our home track too. It feels amazing."

2022 Richmond Derby Winner - He's Grand - Rodney O'Brien

2022 Winner - He's Grand

In 2023, the Jason Magri-trained Zipping Novak claimed the title ahead of Trunkey Bill and Came And Went.

The son of Zulu Zeus was almost an odds-on prospect entering the final, and once he forced his way to the front from Box 3, the race was over bar the shouting.

The final margin was 4.75 lengths and handed Magri a second Derby title in the space of five years after Catch Me Curly won the race in 2019.

2023 Ladbrokes Richmond Derby winner Zipping Novak with Jason Magri

It was a Derby demolition in 2024 as Go Bears burned his way out of the boxes and sprinted straight into the history books.

The 4.75 length romp in a time of 29.47 giving Orange’s Jay Opetaia the biggest race victory of his career and coming just 11 starts after the young gun took over training duties from owners Karen and Ron Ulrick.

“It’s very special. He’s just a good dog and I’m sure Karen will be happy,” Opetaia said with a wry grin.

“They’re just a long way away from Sydney and they just thought the dog would get a better opportunity being housed closer to Sydney and luckily they chose us.”

“I haven’t improved him that much, I don’t know if I’ve improved him at all. They made the dog, he ran third in the [National] Derby and he made the New Sensation for them so I’ve just kept him going.”

“To win it for yourself is good, but to win it for a family like that…it’s surreal. They’ve changed they’re whole life to go up to this new property that they’ve just bought, they worked tirelessly to set it up, just to win it for them is great.”

2024 Richmond Derby winner Go Bears (centre) with trainer Jay Opetaia and owner Karen Ulrick as well as placegetters Both Bowers Ace (L) and Peaky Joe (R)