The WATC Derby, also known as the Western Australia Derby is a Perth RacingGroup 2Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, at set weights, over a distance of 2400 metres at Ascot Racecourse in Perth, Western Australia in April.[1] Total prizemoney is $400,000.
History
The inaugural running of the race was on 2 January 1888 as the first race on the second day of WATC Summer Meeting which was highlighted by The Queen's Plate. The race was called the West Australia Derby, with prizemoney of 100 sovereigns with an additional sweep of 2 sovereigns for the second place horse. Colonial bred horses were allowed 5 pounds allowance.[2] The filly, Harridan started as the even money favourite and won by 2 lengths.[2]
The race continued to be part of the WATC Summer Carnival until 1988 when it was moved to April. The club reverted to the summer schedule in 1993 but by 2002 the race was again being held in April.[3]
1953 racebook
Front page 1953 WATC Derby racebook
1953 WATC Derby showing raceday officials
Starters and results showing the winner, Just Peter
1953 WATC Derby Starters and results
Back page showing transport arrangements and admission charges
♯ The race was run twice in 1993 when the WATC restored the running to the original date prior to New Year's Day[32] for the 1993–94 racing season.[33]
¶ Race moved in the 1987–88 racing calendar forward and run in the autumn of 1988.[38]
The race was once again moved from the traditional summer Christmas/New Year's Day Carnival forward to the autumn of 2002.[3]
† Race was run twice in 1899. Ormuz won on New Year's Day in 1899.[43] The next racing season (1899-1900) the race was held on 30 December 1899.[44]
¤ Not to be confused with the great Carbine from the same era. The 1894 winner, Carbine's ((AUS) H, 1890) breeding was Termando — Trishna.[44]
‡ Won the race on walkover.[45] The owner promptly entered The Crash in the prestigious (at the time) Queen's Plate over a distance of 3 miles where The Crash finished in fourth place.[45]
^ ab"WESTERN AUSTRALIAN DERBY (official result Queen's Plate Day)". The West Australian, Perth. Trove Digital (Digitize). 3 January 1891. p. 3 (column 6). Retrieved 15 April 2013. WA DERBY – Out of the five coloured on the card, however, The Crash was the only one not scratched, and the walk over was a very uninteresting performance... QUEENS PLATE – At the finish the order was The Duke, Wandering Willie, Will o' the Wisp, The Crash...