Queensland Derby Winners
From the race’s inauguration back in 1868 right through until 2024 we have a complete list of past Queensland Derby winners. View every previous QLD Derby champion throughout history.
View additional details of the recent Queensland Derby winners from 2000 to the present including Queensland Derby winning jockeys, trainers and times before a full list of champions further down the page.
Hermit was the inaugural Queensland Derby winner back in 1868.
The 1969 Queensland Derby winner Zambesi was won by 10-year-old local William Harris who is the Australian racing’s youngest jockey in history to win an event that now holds Group 1 status.

Notable Queensland Derby winners include Lough Neagh (1931), that year’s Caulfield Cup champion Tulloch (1957), triple Cox Plate hero Kingston Town (1980), Strawberry Road (1983), Kiwi great Rough Habit (1990), Shootoff (2011), and Mr Quickie (2019).
The late, great Tommy Smith holds the training record in the event preparing an incredible 12 Queensland Derby winners with Dorset Downs (1991), Our Planet (1982), Kingston Town (1980), Cheyne Walk (1976), Analie (1973), Silver Sharpe (1970), Dark Briar (1966), Bahram Star (1965), Travel Boy (1959), Tulloch (1957), Castillo (1963), and Forest Beau (1951).
De Gaulle Lane holds the current Queensland Derby record over 2400m winning in 2001 in a time of 2 minutes 25:20 seconds.
The 2022 Queensland Derby winner Pinarello ($6.50) won the race fresh off a five-week break, the New Zealand raider holding out the Chris Waller-trained duo of Paternal and Caboche to win for Cambridge training duo Roger James & Robert Wellwood.
The Queensland Derby 2023 winner was the Chris Waller-trained favourite Kovalica ($1.70) who jumped odds-on backing-up off a third the Saturday before against the older horses in the Doomben Cup.
The 2024 Queensland Derby winner was historic 10-length runaway hero Warmonger ($10) who overcame the outside alley (18) to salute in style at double-figures on the back of a lead-up SA Derby second.
queensland derby WINNERS 2000 – the present
Year | Horse – Age/Gender | Jockey | Weight (kgs) | Trainer/s | Barrier |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
WARMONGER (NZ) 3G | BLAKE SHINN | 57.0 | MICK PRICE & MICHAEL KENT JNR. | 18 | |
KOVALICA (NZ) 3G | JAMES MCDONALD | 57.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 4 | |
PINARELLO (NZ) 3G | L G INNES | 57.0 | ROGER JAMES & ROBERT WELLWOOD | 17 | |
KUKERACHA (NZ) 3G | JAMES MCDONALD | 57.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 2 | |
MR QUICKIE (AUS) 3G | J ALLEN | 57.0 | PHILLIP STOKES | 3 | |
DARK DREAM (AUS) 3G | TIM CLARK | 57.0 | KERRY PARKER | 3 | |
RUTHVEN (AUS) 3C | HUGH BOWMAN | 57.0 | CIARON MAHER | 8 | |
EAGLE WAY (AUS) 3G | TOMMY BERRY | 57.0 | BRYAN GUY | 11 | |
MAGICOOL (AUS) 3G | J WINKS | 57.0 | MARK KAVANAGH | 14 | |
SONNTAG (AUS) 3G | CHAD SCHOFIELD | 57.0 | HENRY DWYER | 5 | |
HAWKSPUR (AUS) 3G | J CASSIDY | 57.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 3 | |
BRAMBLES (NZ) 3G | B RAWILLER | 57.0 | PETER G MOODY | 11 | |
SHOOTOFF (NZ) 3G | M RODD | 56.0 | GRAEME ROGERSON | 10 | |
DARIANA (AUS) 3F | M RODD | 54.0 | BART CUMMINGS | 1 | |
COURT RULER (NZ) 3G | L V CASSIDY | 56.0 | J R WHEELER | 8 | |
RIVA SAN (AUS) 3F | J BYRNE | 54.0 | PETER G MOODY | 6 | |
EMPIRES CHOICE (NZ) 3C | DAMIEN OLIVER | 56.5 | BART CUMMINGS | 10 | |
ICE CHARIOT (AUS) 3G | G A LYNCH | 55.5 | R E MAUND | 16 | |
LACHLAN RIVER (NZ) 3G | G BOSS | 55.5 | JOHN MORRISEY | 4 | |
TOULOUSE LAUTREC (AUS) 3G | C W BROWN | 55.5 | JOHN HAWKES | 5 | |
HALF HENNESSY (AUS) 3C | S SEAMER | 55.5 | BEDE MURRAY | 4 | |
COUNTY TYRONE (AUS) 3G | C W BROWN | 55.5 | M G LEES | 2 | |
DE GAULLE LANE (NZ) 3G | B PREBBLE | 55.5 | COLIN ALDERSON | 4 | |
FREEMASON (AUS) 3G | L V CASSIDY | 55.5 | JOHN HAWKES | 14 |
COMPLETE LIST OF PAST Queensland Derby WINNERS
Year | Winner |
---|---|
2024 | Warmonger |
2023 | Kovalica |
2022 | Pinarello |
2021 | Kukeracha |
2020 | Race not held due to COVID-19 |
2019 | Mr Quickie |
2018 | Dark Dream |
2017 | Ruthven |
2016 | Eagle Way |
2015 | Magicool |
2014 | Sonntag |
2013 | Hawkspur |
2012 | Brambles |
2011 | Shootoff |
2010 | Dariana |
2009 | Court Ruler |
2008 | Riva San |
2007 | Empires Choice |
2006 | Ice Chariot |
2005 | Lachlan River |
2004 | Toulouse Lautrec |
2003 | Half Hennessy |
2002 | County Tyrone |
2001 | De Gaulle Lane |
2000 | Freemason |
1999 | Camarena |
1998 | Dodge |
1997 | Yippyio |
1996 | Valance |
1995 | Turridu |
1994 | Tenor |
1993 | Air Seattle |
1992 | Royal Magic |
1991 | Dorset Downs |
1990 | Rough Habit |
1989 | Hidden Rhythm |
1988 | Bravery |
1987 | Princess Gracious |
1986 | Handy Proverb |
1985 | Tristina |
1984 | Librici |
1983 | Strawberry Road |
1982 | Our Planet |
1981 | Mr. Cromwell |
1980 | Kingston Town |
1979 | Double Century |
1978 | Lefroy |
1977 | Florissa |
1976 | Cheyne Walk |
1975 | Bottled Sunshine |
1974 | Count Rapier |
1973 | Analie |
1972 | Race not held |
1971 | Amby’s Love |
1970 | Silver Sharpe |
1969 | Intrepid Clipper |
1968 | Tails |
1967 | Minto Crag |
1966 | Dark Briar |
1965 | Bahram Star |
1964 | Royal Sovereign |
1963 | Confidence |
1962 | Honest Man |
1961 | Raajpoot |
1960 | Persian Lyric |
1959 | Travel Boy |
1958 | Earlwood |
1957 | Tulloch |
1956 | Book Link |
1955 | Regal Dignity |
1954 | The Wash |
1953 | Castillo |
1952 | Headstockman |
1951 | Forest Beau |
1950 | Basha Felika |
1949 | Pocket Money |
1948 | Blue Slipper |
1947 | Sefiona |
1946 | Te Tana |
1942–45 | Race not held |
1941 | Lord Spear |
1940 | Fearless Fox |
1939 | Spearace |
1938 | Hendra Lad |
1937 | Spear Chief |
1936 | Six Fifty |
1935 | Auto Buz |
1934 | Glen’s Spear |
1933 | Waikare |
1932 | Braeburn |
1931 | Lough Neagh |
1930 | Monash Valley |
1929 | Bernfield |
1928 | Paddi Eve |
1927 | High Syce |
1926 | Kitty Paddington |
1925 | Wee Glen |
1924 | Serelot |
1923 | Ardglen |
1922 | Kingslot |
1921 | Lawn Mower |
1920 | Seremist |
1919 | Boy Syce |
1918 | Syce Lad |
1917 | Symposium |
1916 | Lord Acre |
1915 | Rascasse |
1914 | Fog Bell |
1913 | Signal Lamp |
1912 | King Cleo |
1911 | Maritoria |
1910 | Persian Jewel |
1909 | Braw Laddie |
1908 | Flaxen |
1907 | Euroa |
1906 | Togo |
1905 | Alexis |
1904 | Joyance |
1903 | Fitz Grafton |
1902 | Balfour |
1901 | Narelle |
1900 | Musket |
1899 | Master Bernie |
1898 | Boreas II |
1897 | The Guard |
1896 | Greyleg |
1895 | Black Diamond |
1894 | Czarina |
1893 | Triton |
1892 | Tridentate |
1891 | Splendide |
1890 | Garuda |
1889 | Fernando |
1888 | Greywing |
1887 | Lord Headington |
1886 | Fano |
1885 | Elbe |
1884 | Petronel |
1883 | Wheatmeat |
1882 | Goldfinder |
1881 | Legerdemain |
1880 | Waterloo |
1879 | Elastic |
1878 | Whisker |
1873–77 | Race not held |
1872 | J.L. |
1871 | Florence |
1870 | Grafton |
1870 | Grafton |
1869 | Zambesi |
1868 | Hermit |