History
The inaugural running of the Derby was in May 1875, when racing was held at Ellerslie Racecourse for the first time. Just three horses took part, of which one was withdrawn before the start and another failed to complete the course, leaving Toi to finish the race and become the first Derby winner. In 1887 it was renamed the ARC Great Northern Derby Principal race over 12F
The race kept the name, the Great Northern Derby, regularly until 1973 when it was combined with the New Zealand Derby from Riccarton (Christchurch) to form one race, called the New Zealand Derby, which was from then onwards run at Ellerslie. Riccarton was instead given two 1600m races for three-year-olds in place of its Derby, the New Zealand 1000 Guineas and the New Zealand 2000 Guineas.
Only a small number of fillies, including the great Desert Gold, have ever won the Derby against the male horses. Many of New Zealand's most famous racehorses feature on the Derby winners' list, including Kindergarten, Desert Gold, Mainbrace and Gloaming.
Bonecrusher was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who was widely admired in both Australia and New Zealand.
The Auckland Cup is an annual race held by the Auckland Racing Club (ARC). It is an Open Handicap for thoroughbred racehorses competed on the flat turf over 3200 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand.
The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. The purse of the race in 2020 was $1 million.
Desert Gold was a famous and successful New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who raced at the time of World War I. She raced in Australia and New Zealand, winning 36 races, including 19 in succession.
Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which included the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual in that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New Zealand. Gloaming still holds the Australasian record of 45 seconds for four furlongs.
The New Zealand St. Leger is a major thoroughbred horse race run at Trentham Racecourse in New Zealand on New Zealand Oaks day in March each year.
The Easter Handicap or Easter Stakes is a major horse race held at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is raced over a distance of 1,600 metres by three-year-old and upwards thoroughbreds.
Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing is conducted in a clockwise (right-handed) direction.
The Championship Stakes, run at Ellerslie Racecourse, is a Group 2 horse race run for three-year-olds at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand.
Mainbrace was a champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who won 23 of his 25 race starts and was placed second in the other two. Notably the two losses were to the same horse, The Unicorn, who he beat on other occasions.
The 1000 Guineas is a Group One set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand.
The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Trentham Racecourse is the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Wellington city area in New Zealand. It is located in the suburb of Trentham in Upper Hutt, next to Trentham Military Camp.
The Awapuni Gold Cup is held annually in Palmerston North, New Zealand. It is a set weight and penalties race over 2,000 metres for a total stake of $100,000.
The New Zealand Derby was a set-weights thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 2400m at Riccarton Racecourse in Christchurch, New Zealand. The inaugural running of the Derby was in 1860, when racing was held at Riccarton Racecourse.
Riccarton Park Racecourse is the main thoroughbred horse racecourse for the Christchurch city area in New Zealand.
Katie Lee is a New Zealand Thoroughbred racemare who in November 2009 became the first horse in history to win both the New Zealand 2000 Guineas and the New Zealand 1000 Guineas.
The 2010 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 6 March 2010. It was the 135th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Military Move.
The 2013 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 2 March 2013. It was the 138th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Habibi. With Silent Achiever having won the race 12 months earlier, it was the first time in the history of the race that fillies have won the Derby two years in a row. The runner-up, Fix, is also a filly, and it was just the second time fillies have finished first and second in the race in more than half a century.
Colin Jillings was a leading trainer in thoroughbred horse racing in New Zealand from the early 1950s through until his retirement in September 2005.
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