South Australian Derby 2023

In a hurry? We’ve listed all the quick facts that you need to know about the South Australian Derby:

The South Australian Derby is a Group 1 race which takes place each year in May. The race in 2023 will be held on Saturday 14th of May at Morphettville Racecourse. Looking back to the race in 2022, it was won by Jungle Magnate.

The inaugural running of what we know now as the South Australian Derby was back in 1860 when it was run at Thebarton Racecourse and was known as Thebarton Derby, won by Midnight.

The South Australian Derby was run for a long time in the Spring and only found its current position in the Australian racing calendar in 1984. The classic is run over the 2500m on the Morphettville track and gained Group 1 status in 1979.

The South Australian Derby has traditionally been a good guide to future Melbourne Cup winners. The first was The Assyrian who won the Derby in 1880 the two years later came out and won the Cup.

Gatum Gatum (1961) went on to win the Cup in 1963 while probably the most famous of all winners in South Australian Derby is the outstanding grey gelding Subzero (1992) who won the Derby in April then later that year on a heavy track at Flemington took out the Cup.

No surprise that South Australian racing’s most favourite son in Bart Cummings holds the training record with 10 winners of the South Australian Derby. While the only horse to complete the Victoria Derby – South Australian Derby was Rebel Raider (2009).

The South Australian Derby is an Australian Group 1 held at Morphettville Racecourse, it is one of the major races in the South Australian racing calendar and the $502,250 prizemoney attached to it means the race brings in some of the biggest and most well-known horses from across the country to South Australia.

It also attracts many Australians who enjoy having a casual bet on the races. Our expert racing tipsters here at The Shark will put together a list of South Australian Derby tips so you can get betting as soon as possible.

Due to the fact that the nominations are yet to be accepted for the South Australian Derby in 2023, it is hard to provide updates on our expert tips. However, as the racing carnival in South Australia goes up another level, the horses that are aiming for this race will become clear, and this is when we can update our tips.

If you are after South Australian Derby horse tips, then we will keep you on top of the type of horses that are most likely to be in the final field, which means you can get on the punt with much more confidence.

However, there are no online bookies that are currently offering South Australian Derby odds at this time. We will keep on top of this for you and provide updates as information comes through. When looking for South Australian Derby tips, have a read of our new betting section below as we have listed some key factors to success.

We will list The Sharks’ South Australian Derby best tips for the race this year closer to race day. So, make sure you check back on this page for updates!

South Australian Derby Tips From Experts

Our tips are not out for the South Australian Derby in 2023 as it is too far out from the event. But the good news is that when the final field for the South Australian Derby is announced, we will provide guidance on each and every runner in the 2023 South Australian Derby.

You will find all this information below, when it becomes available. Stay tuned!

There are a lot of important factors to consider before betting on the South Australian Derby. Make sure you have a read on below before you place your bets:

Is Previous South Australian Derby Form a Good Indicator of Future Success?

The South Australian Derby is restricted to three-year-olds and the previous Derby is not a form indicator for the following season.

Should I Bet On The Favourite in the South Australian Derby?

Yes. Since 2003 there have been 10 favourites that have saluted and the last couple Explosive Jack (2021) and Russian Camelot (2020) have been successful.

Formlines from Lead Up Races

There are a few races to keep an eye on when trying to find the winner of the South Australian Derby. Of the local races the Chairman’s Stakes over 2000m has been the traditional lead-up for colts and geldings, while the Australasian Oaks (2000m) has been a stepping stone for fillies to take their shot against the boys.

In 2022, the winner of the South Australian Derby, Jungle Magnate, came through the Chairman’s Stakes, a race he actually won. Of the interstate races, the G1 Australian Derby run at Randwick and the VRC St. Leger could help find a winner.

Age

Race is restricted to three-year-olds.

Weight

The race is run at set weights and usually results in the best three-year-old gaining the advantage. Fillies do get an advantage and they have had success although very rarely will the fillies take this race on.

Gender

Not many fillies take on the Derby but when they do, they have had success. Delicacy (2015) and Qafila (2019) are the most recent fillies to win the Derby.

South Australian Derby Best Bets

Our South Australian Derby best bets for 2023 are not out just yet, make sure you keep an eye out on this page as we will provide more details about our best bets when the final field is announced.

You will find our best bets below once available. Stay tuned!

Well before the South Australian Derby final field is released – tonnes of bookmakers will open up early markets, or even all-in markets, for South Australian Derby betting. We think that this is the ideal time to bet on your horse because you could get higher odds, compared to betting on the day of the race.

Once the bookies release their South Australian Derby odds for 2023, they will tend to fluctuate frequently. There are a few things that are known to cause this, but when we get a better idea of the quality of horses that will be aiming for the South Australian Derby, along with any recent form, you will see why the odds change so dramatically.

If you do end up placing your bets in these early markets, it means you could find the favourite at double digit odds. This means, if your horse does go on to win, you will get more bang for your buck! Although, there is additional risk if you do choose this option and you should be aware of what could go wrong.

Depending on when you place your 2023 South Australian Derby futures bet, your horse may not even get a run, but you also won’t get your money back. This situation occurs when the market is ‘All-In’ or closer to the starting date. However, if you are looking to have a bet when it says ‘Before Noms’, then you know you’ll receive your money back if your horse doesn’t get a run.

The 2023 South Australian Derby odds are yet to be released, please check back on this page closer to the time of the race, as we will have the odds listed below.

It was a large field of 16 runners and 4 emergencies that were announced for the 2022 South Australian Derby. With just one scratching, it was first emergency, Texas Tea, that was successfully promoted into the final field.

There was a fairly clear favourite who lined up in the Group 1, and that was Alegron, who was $2.90. The 3YO had just come through the St Leger, a race in which he won, and before that, he came a close 3rd in the Group 1 Australian Derby. He also came into this race with a respectable season record of 10:2-1-2.

Next up in the betting lines was Detonator Jack, who started at odds of $4.40. Before this race, the gelding had only been entered in three races, in which he won them all. This is certainly going to be his biggest test to date, but he certainly has the skills to get the job done.

Jungle Magnate was next up on the 3rd line of betting, at $7.00. He had just won one of the classic lead up races, the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes, and was looking in great form to win back-to-back races. He also has a season record of 7:2-1-1, which is certainly respectable.

Harleymoven was the last runner that started the South Australian Derby who was under double digit odds, starting at $7.50. He had just finished behind Jungle Magnate in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes in his last start, 0.8L behind to be exact. Before the Chairman’s Stakes, he had one his previous two races.

Winner Jungle Magnate jumped only fair from barrier 9 and ended settling near the back of the field. As is usually the case with longer races, the field was stretched out, but jockey Mark Zahra knew what he was doing and waited for the perfect moment to strike.

However, Zahra had to do it the hard way, as he was pushed very wide around the bend, and therefore had to cover. This didn’t matter as Jungle Magnate had speed to burn and loved having the open space in front of him. The race was pretty much all over just before the 300m mark, as Jungle Magnate was in the clear, and ended up winning comfortably, by 1.7L.

In second place was Yaphet, jumping from the barrier next to Jungle Magnate (barrier 10), he didn’t get off to the best of starts, and after the jump was dead last. He took a fairly similar path to the winner, and around the final bend was very wide. Yaphet just didn’t have the speed to follow Jungle Magnate as the field rounded the bend. He was catching the winner towards the end of the race, but there was just too much distance to make up.

Wrapping up the final placing was Detonator Jack, who again was the next barrier over from Yaphet, in barrier 11. Detonator Jack jumped worst of all, and had a lot of work to do, but settled in as well as he could, one off the rail near the back of the pack. Much like the first and second placegettor, Detonator Jack had to go around the outside to find the space, when the field got to the final bend. He was giving Yaphet a good race, but just didn’t have enough speed in the end, finishing 2.5L off the pace.

You’ve read the words, now watch the video! Have a squiz below at the 2022 South Australian Derby race:

South Australian Derby Winners

The results for the upcoming South Australian Derby are not yet available, but in the meantime, you can have a look below at all the recent past winners: