A Look Back At The Western Australian Derby
11 April, 2016
Thoroughbred
T
THOROUGHBRED
The WA Derby was first run in 1888 and won by Harridan. Western Australia’s premier staying race for three-year-olds was run twice in 1993 with Beaujolais Boy taking out the May edition and Firing Range later in December.
Notable winners include Plastered (2005), Beaux Art (1994), Heroicity (1992), Belele (1989), Stormy Rex (1977), Ngawyni (1975), Dayana (1972), Raconteur (1952), Gay Prince (1938), Eurythmic (1919) and Jolly Beggar (1909).
The Carbine who won in 1894 is not to be mistaken with the famous Carbine who won the Melbourne Cup (1890).
Eurythmic, owned by Sir Ernest Lee Steere Snr and trained by J.J.Kelly, advanced to win the Caulfield Cup (1920), Cox Plate (1920) and Sydney Cup (1921).
Frank ‘Tiger’ Moore, a West Australian Racing Hall Of Fame inductee (2010), holds the record for most WA Derby wins.
The winner of six WA jockey premierships piloted Surrender (1969), Hidalios (1968), Baccare (1965), Nicopolis (1962), Little Empire (1959), Nhargo (1957) and Just Peter (1953).
Moore’s great riding rival, Frank Treen, an inaugural inductee into the West Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2007, rode six winners in the WA Derby.
He won three in in a row with Prediction (1949), Jovial Lad (1950) and Smart Chief (1951) before guiding Chestillion (1960), Red Acre (1966) and Sir Chatary (1967).
The Treffone brothers combined for four wins; Eric took it out three times: Gay Prince (1938), Pantheist (1942) and Raconteur (1952).
Reg partnered Westralian in 1947. His grandson, Jason Brown, maintained family tradition with the Lindsey Smith-trained, Old Money (2002).
William Pike holds the best modern day riding record after combining with Cats Fun (2006), Grand Journey (2008), Dreamaway (2011), Respondent (2014) and Delicacy (2015).
J.J Kelly, inducted into the West Australian Racing Hall Of Fame in 2007, trained six winners: Eurythmic (1919), Maple (1926), Second Wind (1928), Yaringa (1935), Gay Prince (1938) and Westralian (1947).
Bart Cummings dominated the race in the 1970s after Dayana (1972), Asgard (1973), Bottled Sunshine (1974) and Stormy Rex (1977) were successful.
Grant Williams has dominated the race in recent years with four of the past five winners: Delicacy (2015), Respondent (2014), Mystic Prince (2013) and Dreamaway (2011).
Five horses have completed the WA Oaks-WA Derby double: Delicacy (2015), Dreamaway (2011) Grand Journey (2008), Honor Lap (2002), Old Money (2000) and Beaux Art (1994).
Julio Santarelli