Derby Day LIVE: Melbourne Cup spot and $22m in prize money up ...

Derby Day - one for the racing and punting purists. It also marks the start of the four-day Flemington Spring Carnival which also includes next Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, Thursday’s Oaks meeting (Ladies Day) before concluding on Saturday November 11 with Stakes Day.

This year’s Derby Day program promises to be a cracker with it’s three Group 1 races as well as a win-and-your-in race for the Melbourne Cup called the Lexus Archer Stakes. The Flemington meeting in Melbourne will be accompanied by a terrific card at Sydney’s Rosehill Racecourse, who will be hosting the $10m Golden Eagle.

Overall, there is $22m prizemoney up for grabs in Melbourne and Sydney this Saturday.

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The headline race of the Flemington card is the time-honoured Victoria Derby, first run in 1855. It is a gruelling 2500m test for three-year-old horses. The 2023 edition isn’t the strongest Derby field assembled, but there looks to be an exciting prospect in the form of the favourite Riff Rocket, to be ridden by James McDonald. His win in the Super Impose Stakes at this track on October 7 was the performance of a very good horse. He was beaten as a very short favourite last time out by Sunsets, but back onto Flemington will suit the Chris Waller-trained gelding.

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THE GOAT DOES THE DOUBLE TO SECURE MELBOURNE CUP SPOT

‘The GOAT’ Damien Oliver made it an early double on his final Derby Day, booting home Queen Of The Ball for trainer Michael Freedman in the G3 Furphy Sprint (1100m).

It was a throwback to yesteryear with Ollie riding for Michael’s brother Lee with great success in the 1990s, and decades later, the hoop was still combining with the famous family in Cup week. Jamie Kah had to settle for 2nd when emerging aboard the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Hypothetical, as the Freedmans quinella’d the race between them.

It comes after the retiring Oliver led all the way aboard Kalapour in the G3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) to book the Kris Lees-trained galloper’s ticket into Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

Kalapour (IRE) ridden by Damien Oliver wins the Lexus Archer Stakes. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Racing Photos via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images

“It is great to get one under the belt early, it is great for the confidence,” Oliver said.

“This horse has been running really consistently all season and it is great that he can win a nice race today.

“I’m not sure what the plan is with him but he’s had a pretty easy run today if they wanted to go there (Melbourne Cup).

“The horse is in great condition, he’s a really healthy animal and he’s just a gentleman of a horse.”

— Punters.com.au

SCHEDULE + RESULTS (Times in AEDT)

Race 1 @ 12:20PM — G3 Network 10 Carbine Club Stakes

WINNER: Kaizad, 2nd: Heman, 3rd: Brave Mead

Race 2 @ 1:00PM — G3 Lexus Archer Stakes

WINNER: Kalapour, 2nd: Athabascan, 3rd: Gan Teorainn

Race 3 @ 1:40PM — G3 Furphy Sprint

WINNER: Queen Of The Ball, 2nd: Hypothetical, 3rd: Dancing Alone

Race 4 @ 2:20PM — G3 Racing and Sports Rising Fast Stakes

Race 5 @ 3:00PM — G2 TAB Wakeful Stakes

Race 6 @ 3:40PM — G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes

Race 7 @ 4:20PM — G1 Penfolds Victoria Derby

Race 8 @ 5:00PM — G1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes

Race 9 @ 5:40PM — G2 The Damien Oliver

Flemington Race 7 - Group 1 Penfolds Victoria Derby - 2500 metres @ 4:20pm (AEDT)

Horse Number - Horse - Trainer - Jockey - Barrier - Weight

1. APULIA – Ben, Will & JD Hayes – Mark Zahra – 3 – 57kg

2. VERDAD – Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock – Jye McNeil – 4 – 57kg

3. AIR ASSAULT – Andrew Gluyas – Ben Allen – 6 – 57kg

4. RIFF ROCKET – Chris Waller – James McDonald – 5 – 57kg

5. SUNSETS – Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young – John Allen – 16 – 57kg

6. MAKE A CALL – Peter & Paul Snowden – Jamie Kah – 15 – 57kg

7. GOLD BULLION – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott – Opie Bosson – 13 – 57kg

8. GATES – Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman – Luke Nolen – 14 – 57kg

9. KOSGEI – Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young – Blake Shinn – 12 – 57kg

10. BULAWAYO – Pat Carey & Harris Walker – Celine Gaudray (a) – 7 – 57kg

11. SACRED EAGLE – Symon Wilde – Jordan Childs – 2 – 57kg

12. ROGUERY – Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans – Billy Egan – 1 – 57kg

13. MERCANTE – Nigel Blackiston – Damien Oliver – 11 – 57kg

14. TO BE FRANK – Ciaron Maher & David Eustace – Jamie Spencer – 10 – 57kg

15. WARIALDA WARRIOR – John Ramsey – Darryl McLellan – 9 – 57kg

16. TOKYO RUN – Dean Mirfin – TBA – 8 – 57kg

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