Sky Racing WA Derby: What History Says
3 April, 2019
Harness
This Friday night sees the 102nd running of the Group 1 Sky Racing-WA Derby at Gloucester Park, which sees some of the nation’s best three-year-olds engaged in the feature.
The WA Derby was first run in 1917 and has been won by some of the state’s best runners since its inception.
Since 2006, the WA Derby has been run over the 2536m, after it was originally run over 2000m back in 1917.
Trainer Gary Hall Snr, together with reinsman son Gary Hall Jnr, have had a stranglehold on the WA Derby over the past few years winning with Alta Christiano (2013), Beaudiene Boaz (2015), Chicago Bull (2016) and last year with King Of Swing.
The pair team up this week with another New Zealand import in Major Trojan, who has barrier five and is the TABtouch favourite.
Hall Snr also has last start Western Gateway winner Eloquent Mach engaged in this week’s feature.
The winner of the Western Gateway has gone on to win the WA Derby 12 times, with Chicago Bull the most recent of those in 2016.
Fred Kersley Snr put together a formidable record in the WA Derby, driving six winners and trained four of those winners as well.
Chris Lewis has driven five WA Derby winners previously, a mark Hall Jnr will look to equal this week.
Only four drivers booked to drive in this week’s race have won the WA Derby previously; Aiden De Campo, Mark Reed, Colin Brown and Hall Jnr.
Brown, who has Its Rock And Roll and Patrickthepiranha engaged this week, will be looking for his first win in the Derby as a trainer.
Kyle Harper, Vicki Lea and Ryan Bell are the other trainers looking for their first Derby success.
The 2019 WA Derby gets underway at 8.03 on Friday night.
You can view the TABtouch market for the WA Derby here.
Tim Walker
Year |
Horse |
Trainer |
Reinsman |
2018 |
King Of Swing |
Gary Hall Snr |
Gary Hall Jnr |
2017 |
Handsandwheels |
Andrew De Campo |
Aiden De Campo |
2016 |
Chicago Bull |
Gary Hall Snr |
Gary Hall Jnr |
2015 |
Beaudiene Boaz |
Gary Hall Snr |
Gary Hall Jnr |
2014 |
Three Blind Mice |
Barry Howlett |
Matthew White |
2013 |
Alta Christiano |
Gary Hall Snr |
Gary Hall Jnr |
2012 |
Im Victorious |
Michael Brennan |
Justin Prentice |