Victoria Derby Day 2024 will take place on Saturday, 2nd November. The race day is the opening fixture of the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington racecourse. The fixture gets its name from the feature race, which is the main highlight of the racing. The rest of the card is filled with elite racing to keep the crowds entertained on the opening day of the Carnival.
When is Victoria Derby Day 2024?
Derby Day 2024 is on Saturday, November 5th. It’s the first day of the highly anticipated Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. The Victoria Derby headlines the days racing, but two other Group 1 races are also on the card.
2024 Victoria Derby Favourites
Victoria Derby Day gets its name from the day’s biggest race. The Victoria Derby is a Group 1 race, contested over 2500m. It’s one of the most prestigious races of the entire Melbourne Cup Carnival. The final field for the race won’t be confirmed until days before the race, but bookmakers do have ante-post odds available. You’ll find a list of the current Victoria Derby betting favourites in the table below.
| 2024 Victoria Derby Favourites | Betting sites | Click to sign up and bet |
|---|---|---|
| Broadsiding |  | VISIT SITE |
| Henlein |  | VISIT SITE |
| Pope Cody | | VISIT SITE |
| Plymouth | | VISIT SITE |
| Kingofwallstreet | | VISIT SITE |
How to Bet on the Victoria Derby
You can bet at the track if you’re attending Victoria Derby Day in person, of course. However, for most of us, Victoria Derby betting will centre around online bookmakers. Win, place, and each-way bets are straightforward ways to wager, but exotics like Quinella’s, Exacta’s and Trifecta’s will also be available for more experienced racing fans.
Every online betting site, including the ones listed below, will soon release their odds for the November race. You should open the dedicated Horse Racing page on whichever bookmaker’s site you’re using to find the latest Victoria Derby odds.
Victoria Derby Betting Tips – How to Find the Winner
Here are a few things to consider when making your Victoria Derby 2024 picks:
- A maximum of 16 runners can make up the field for the Victoria Derby.
- The lead-up races to watch include the Drummond Golf Derby, the Ladbrokes Classic and the Spring Champion Stakes.
- Stamina is a massive factor over the 2500m trip. Look for horses with proven staying power.
- Check for stamina on both sides of your chosen horses pedigree.
Victoria Derby Day History
The Victoria Derby was first run way back in 1855, making the race six years older than the Melbourne Cup itself. Fillies landed the first three races, but that trend quickly ended. The last filly to win the race was Frances Tressady in 1923. Predicting the winner became much more challenging as more geldings and older horses were allowed to compete in the race.
The Victoria Derby has moved around a lot and was once even staged on New Year’s Day. Fireworks is the only horse that’s won the race twice in its long history, claiming successive victories in 1867 and 1868.
Clare Lindop was the first female jockey to ride in the Victoria Derby in 2005, and the first female to win the race in 2008. Gai Waterhouse was the first woman to train a winner over a decade before that, guiding Nothin’ Leica Dane to a trailblazing triumph in 1995.
These days, the Victoria Derby is the feature race on Derby Day at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The race is now the main attraction for racing fans on the opening day of the Carnival. The total prize money for the Derby is now a massive $2,000,000.
Victoria Derby Recent Winners
| Year | Oaks Winner | Jockey | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Riff Rocket | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
| 2022 | Manzoice | Michael Dee | Chris Waller |
| 2021 | Hitotsu | John Allen | C Maher & D Eustace |
| 2020 | Johnny Get Angry | Lachlan King | Denis Pagan |
| 2019 | Warning | Damien Oliver | Anthony Freedman |
| 2018 | Extra Brut | John Allen | Darren Weir |
| 2017 | Ace High | Tye Angland | David Payne |
| 2016 | Prized Icon | Glyn Schofield | James Cummings |
| 2015 | Tarzino | Craig Newitt | Mick Price |
| 2014 | Preferment | Damien Oliver | Chris Waller |
Victoria Derby Prize Money
The total prize money on offer to horses in the 2024 Victoria Derby is $2,000,000, with a massive $1,200,000 going to the winner. That level of prize money puts the race firmly in the upper echelon of the Australian racing circuit.
| Victoria Derby Finish | Oaks Prize Money (AUD) |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,200,000 |
| 2nd | $600,000 |
| 3rd | $180,000 |
| 4th | $90,000 |
| 5th | $50,000 |
| 6th | $40,000 |
| 7th | $40,000 |
| 8th | $40,000 |
Other Melbourne Cup Carnival Days
Most people focus solely on the big race, but the wider Melbourne Cup Carnival actually consists of four days of elite horse racing. Check out these pages for more information about the other days in the Melbourne Cup Carnival schedule:
Victoria Derby Day FAQs
Oaks Day is the opening day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival in November at Flemington. Derby Day gets its name from the biggest race on the card, the Victoria Derby.
The in-form jockey James McDonald guided Riff Rocket to victory in the 2023 Victoria Derby at Flemington.
The Victoria Derby usually to goes off at 3:35pm local time, but that remains subject to change each year.
You’ll need to dress according to the Flemington dress code to gain entry. On Derby Day specifically, people traditionally wear black and white. Top hats, lounge suits and pinstripes are among the most popular fashion picks.
