Queensland Derby Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2025

The Queensland Derby is a set weights race that is run each year at Eagle Farm Racecourse. The 2,400m distance race will be held on Saturday, May 31, 2025 and is one of the highlights of Brisbane’s Winter Racing Carnival. We see some of the best middle-distance runners each year, mainly thanks to the $1 million in prize money on offer.

Would you like some quick facts about the Queensland Derby to get you started? Of course, you would! Check out all the key pieces of information about the Queensland Derby below:

The Queensland Derby acts as one of the top Group One races in the country for 3YOs and it is one of the few Group 1s that takes place in Queensland. Each year, we see a lot of racing at Eagle Farm, but Brisbane’s Winter Racing Carnival is where all the major action is and the Queensland Derby is week one of four weeks of Group 1 racing at the race.

Along with the Queensland Derby, Eagle Farm Racecourse also sees The Kingsford Smith Cup on the same day. With all this epic racing held at Eagle Farm, it’s no wonder it is considered one of the top tracks in the country.

The Queensland Derby has one of the longest histories in terms of Group 1 races and we will go into further detail about the history and all the changes the race has seen over the years in our “History” section further down on this page. The race has been running since 1868 and the inaugural winner of the Queensland Derby was Hermit.

Some of the best-ever horses have competed and won the Queensland Derby, including the likes of Tulloch (1957) and Kingston Town (1980). We will cover more of the top Queensland Derby horses later on this page as well, so you will know all about the history of some of the best horses in the industry!

The Queensland Derby didn’t go ahead in 2020 due to COVID-19 and was actually one of many Group 1 races in Queensland that didn’t go ahead that year. After 2020, Racing Queensland shook up the schedule a bit, rearranging the races in Brisbane’s Winter Racing Carnival. 

There is a new enticement introduced by Racing Queensland for 3YOs in the Queensland Derby. If a runner can finish first or second in this race (or the Queensland Oaks) and then finish top three in The Q22 (not a Group 1 race but there is a cool $1.2 million in prize money on offer), the runner can claim an additional $100,000 in cash or $250,000 in QTISx vouchers.

The team at OnlyRacing.com.au have every aspect of the Queensland Derby covered. We’ve got all the betting, odds and tips information you need to help you pick a winner for the race. Along with this, we have general information related to the field, results, form guide and so much more. We are updating this page constantly, so you always get the latest information.

We will get into all the details you’ve been searching for about the Queensland Derby in a second, but first, let’s take a look at the breakdown of prize money below:

Who doesn’t love horse racing tips? Especially when they are free! The team here at OnlyRacing strives to offer the best free horse racing tips going around. We tip not just every Group 1 on the calendar, but also offer Eagle Farm tips. So, whenever you’re looking to place a bet on horse racing, we should be your go-to!

We take our horse racing tips very seriously, so we are waiting until race week before providing our Queensland Derby tips. When race week rolls in our experts will crunch all the numbers and provide their three tips for the Queensland Derby.

While our 2025 Queensland Derby tips aren’t available, you can check out which runners our experts tipped in 2024. Keep reading below to find out which horses were chosen:

Queensland Derby Best Bet - Autumn Angel

Now, I don’t want to be boring and just tip the favourite, but all the signs are pointing towards the favourite, Autumn Angel for this one. Her performance in the Rough Habit Plate, one of the ideal lead-up races, was excellent and that sets her up well for this one. She is currently paying $2.60, so she isn’t crazy short either.

The Group 1 Australian Oaks winner has been as consistent as you could hope for lately and she keeps improving with every run under her belt. She’s fit, can handle any track condition and the set weight conditions are perfect. I don’t think anyone else in the field can beat her.

Queensland Derby Next Best - Warmonger

I think Warmonger is better than the $9.00 that’s currently on offer for him to win the race, but I’ll take it! At $9.00, is currently on the third line of betting and I think he could have been the clear second favourite if he had drawn a better barrier. In saying that, he is more of a settle-back type of horse, so I don’t think the barrier draw is that big of an influence.

He was unlucky in the South Australian Derby but I think Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) have got him looking good for this one. He is a class stayer and I reckon he should have the number on a lot of his rivals in this one. I’ll be putting a little something on him each-way!

Queensland Derby Best Roughie - Sonofdec 

Okay, so not AMAZING form, but I’m having a little bit of a throw at the stumps with Sonofdec for the Queensland Derby. This will be a massive step up for him as he is coming from a Midway at Scone. But if you have a second, I implore you to check out his run. He didn’t just put his rivals to bed in that race, he tucked them in as well!

It is a bit of a step up in distance from that run, but the way he was running and his late splits, I’m willing to give him a chance. The other thing I love about Sonofdec is the price. Currently, a tasty $23 to take out the win and $5.50 to place. I think he will run well, so I’ll have something on him to place.

The team at OnlyRacing have a lot of horse racing betting experience under their belts and they’ve picked up a lot of tips and tricks over the years. Now, the time has come to impart that wisdom to our loyal readers! No matter if you are a newbie or a seasoned punter, our recommendations are for everyone.

If you’re a seasoned punter, you can brush up on your skills and confirm what you already know, if you’re a newbie, then strap yourself in because you’re going to learn some new stuff! While we could go on and on about all the things you need to know when it comes to Queensland Derby betting, we’ve got two major recommendations.

1. Bet on a wide range of markets.
2. Open accounts with multiple bookies.

While we do recommend betting on a wide range of markets with betting apps in Australia, it’s important to note that you should stick with the bet types you fully understand. If your knowledge is limited to only a small number of bet types, then it is a good idea to do some research. There are heaps of bet types to choose from and it isn’t too difficult to learn about the majority of them.

We also think it’s a good idea to open accounts with multiple bookies. Yes, we understand that you may have your favourite bookie, but there are heaps of horse racing betting agencies out there and they all offer something a little different.

The different offerings mean that you could be missing out on things like better odds, betting promotions or even betting sites bonuses. If you’re looking for some of the best Australian betting sites going around, you should check out our bookie reviews page. We take a deep dive into all the information you need to know about each bookie.

A good starting point if you’re not sure where you should check out first is to look into BetGalaxy, QuestBet and GoldenRush. These are three of the best betting apps going around, but they are just three options and there is plenty more where they came from. Check out our “Betting Sites” section above for more options.

The Queensland Derby field will be confirmed each year during race week. Until then, we don’t really have confirmation on which runners will be participating in the race, but we can make educated guesses based on which runners are taking part in the traditional lead-up races.

The Queensland Derby field for 2025 is not yet confirmed and we are still waiting for all the information to be provided. Along with the field, we will also showcase the odds for the race in our “Odds” section below, if available. Checking out the odds will show which runners are more favoured in the market and therefore more likely to compete in the race.

While the 2025 Queensland Derby field may not be available, you can still check out which runners lined up for the race in 2024 below:

A jam-packed field lined up for the Queensland Derby in 2024, with 18 runners plus five emergencies confirmed, in case there are any pre-race scratchings. In the end, there weren’t any scratchings, so none of the five emergencies were able to book their spot in the race.

All it takes is one quick look at horse racing fields for any given day and you’ll realise just how common scratchings are. Scratchings can happen for any number of reasons and they even occur in major races like the Queensland Derby, where there is a lot of prize money on the line.

When it comes to the final field, you should also look into the barrier draw. The barrier each runner jumps from can play a fairly significant role in how the race plays out. Some barriers have seen more success than others throughout the years and the connections of each runner know that, therefore they would want to see their runner in a more successful barrier.

The Queensland Derby is one of the oldest races on the Australian calendar, so do you know what that means? Heaps of data to go through! If that doesn’t excite you, don’t worry because it excites us. We happily go through all the data and stats for the race, producing the Queensland Derby form guide just for you.

This means you don’t have to do any of the heavy lifting, but will find out all the key form indicators that will hopefully point you in the direction of a winner. There have been several patterns that have emerged over the years, so check out what we’ve found below!

The timing of the Queensland Derby means that each runner contesting the race will usually have at least one prep for the season. This means that it should be easier to line up the form line for each runner.

Some of the best lead-up races that you should look into include the Grand Prix and the Rough Habit Plate. Since 2000, we have seen six Queensland Derby winners come from the Grand Prix and six winners come from the Rough Habit Plate.

Other lead-up races you should check out are the Doomben Cup and the South Australian Derby. In the same time frame, the Doomben Cup has produced three winners and the South Australian Derby has produced three winners. In 2024, Warmonger finished second in the South Australian Derby before winning the Queensland Derby.

It seems as though long-shots don’t have the best record in the race as we’ve only seen four double-digit odds winners since 2009. Warmonger got the win in the Queensland Derby in 2024, with odds of $10. While the favourite may not necessarily win, the winner is usually well-found in the market.

When looking at the form of the Queensland Derby winners since 2000, 11 winners also won their previous start. So, it certainly pays to check out last-start winners! As well as this, four winners finished second in their previous run and three winners finished third in their lead-up run.

As we’ve said before, the Queensland Derby is one of the oldest races on the calendar. That means there are heaps of top-notch horses that have competed and won the race over the years. We’d love to go through and provide more information on every horse that has ever won the Queensland Derby, but we just don’t have the time!

So, we’ve had to make some really tricky decisions and cut down the Queensland Derby horses to just a handful to feature in this section. These are some of the best horses to ever compete in the industry and have gone on to win a boatload of races. Check out the horses we’ve chosen below:

Lough Neagh - 1931

Lough Neagh had a long and successful career, he has a career record of 127:32-23-21. Yep, that’s right, the gelding competed in a total of 127 races throughout his career. Some of the biggest races he won throughout his career included; the Doomben 10,000, the Chipping Norton Stakes and the Canterbury Stakes.

Tulloch - 1957

One of the best Australian stayers, Tulloch won the Queensland Derby in 1957. His list of major wins is as long as our arm and includes victories in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the Cox Plate, the Caulfield Cup and the Victoria Derby. There is a Group 2 named in his honour as well, the Tulloch Stakes.

Kingston Town - 1980

Kingston Town holds a special place in many Australians’ hearts. The 1980 Queensland Derby winner was also named the Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year in 1980. He won the Cox Plate three years in a row, from 1980 to 1982. Along with the Cox Plate, some of the other major races Kingston Town won included; the Rosehill Guineas, the  Sydney Cup and the George Main Stakes.

Strawberry Road - 1983

Throughout his career, Strawberry Road won a total of 17 races, in 45 attempts. The stallion raced all around the world and some of the key races he won included; the Rosehill Guineas, the Cox Plate, the Australian Derby and the Manikato Stakes. He was also named the 1983 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year.

Rough Habit - 1990

Rough Habit won a total of 11 Group 1 races throughout his career and even has a Group 3 named after him, the Rough Habit Plate. Throughout his career, he amassed almost $4 million in prize money thanks to wins in races like the Stradbroke Handicap, the All Aged Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

When you go to place your bets on the Queensland Derby, you’ll see what all the odds are for the market you’re looking at. The odds are an indication of how likely a bookie thinks that outcome will eventuate. So, if a runner is listed at odds of $20 to win the Queensland Derby, they are considered a long shot and not likely to win.

While a $20 chance isn’t likely to win, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Anything is possible in horse racing and sometimes we even see $100+ chances win the race! There are many horse racing betting apps out there that you can place your bets with for the Queensland Derby.

Each betting app may have different Queensland Derby odds for the same runner, so it pays to shop around to ensure you are getting the most bang for your buck. At this stage, our favourite bookie, PlayUp, has not yet released their odds for the Queensland Derby in 2025, so you’ll have to wait a little longer to get your bets on!

The first market that will be released is the Fixed Win/ Place market. After that, there will be heaps of horse racing markets to choose from, especially during race week. If you’ve got an early hot tip, it can pay to bet earlier, as the odds can sometimes be significantly higher than compared to if you are betting on the day of the race.

We are still waiting for the odds to be released for the race in 2025. While you wait, check out the 2024 Queensland Derby odds for every runner:

*Odds correct as of 30/05/2024.

One of the longest-running Group 1 races, the Queensland Derby has seen several changes throughout its history. The race forms part of Brisbane’s Winter Racing Carnival and is the first of four weekends of racing at Eagle Farm Racecourse. Brisbane’s Winter Racing Carnival is one of the biggest horse racing carnivals of the year.

The first-ever Queensland Derby took place at Gayndah Racecourse and we’ve seen many track changes since then. The race has also been run at Doomben Racecourse when Eagle Farm Racecourse was under reconstruction.

Interestingly, the race was run twice in 1870, but it was the same winner on both occasions, Grafton. Between the years of 1873 and 1877 and the years of 1942 and 1945, the race was not held. The race was also not held in 2020, due to COVID-19. 

The Queensland Derby was previously held on Stradbroke Handicap Day, which is the biggest day of racing in Queensland. However, since 2019, the race has been moved to a different weekend, running two weeks before the Stradbroke Handicap.

Looking back at the last 20 years, when the race has been run at Eagle Farm Racecourse, over the current distance of 2,400m, the race record is held by De Gaulle Lane, who won the race in 2001 with a time of 2:25.20. 

It doesn’t matter what season it is, there is always lots of action to be had on the Australian racing calendar. We have all the key races on the calendar in our Group One races list. So, if you’d like to learn more about any of the other races, you can do so!

Want to know who won the 2025 Queensland Derby? Yeah, so do we, so if anyone can see the future, please hit us up! Until that happens, we will continue to bring you the Queensland Derby results each year after the race has been run and won.

In 2024, the Queensland Derby was won by Warmonger, who jumped with double-digit odds. Warmonger finished second in the Group 1 South Australian Derby before taking out the Queensland Derby. The gelding put his rivals in their place, winning by 10.4L.

Moonlight Magic, a $26 chance, finished in second and Felix The Scat, a $61 chance, finished in third place, 13.17L off the leader. In the end, the race was run in a time of 2:32.04 and there was a mammoth 64.35L between the first and last runner across the finish line.

See where each runner finished in the Queensland Derby below:

Words are one thing, but a video is another! Relive all the action from the most recent Queensland Derby below:

We’ve seen some pretty awesome editions of the Queensland Derby in recent years and if you’d like to know which runner came out on top, we’ve got you covered! Check out all the recent Queensland Derby winners below (noting that the race didn’t take place in 2020 due to COVID-19):

Well, look at you! Almost finished our Queensland Derby page! We have one more section before you are a certified Queensland Derby expert. Our Queensland Derby FAQs section covers all the common questions people have about the race. Check out the FAQs below: