Rough Habit Plate

Looking for this year’s Rough Habit Plate betting odds, race field and tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.

rough habit plate 2025 RESULTS

The official 2025 Rough Habit Plate results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday May 17, 2025, at Doomben Racecourse. 

1. #5 Imperialist
2. #11 Deep Focus
3. #3 King Of Thunder

The underrated Chris Waller trained Churchill gelding Imperialist ($61) was given a well-rated on-speed ride by jockey Tommy Berry to hit the lead on the home straight and take control of the key Queensland Derby lead-up race when racing away on a Heavy (8) track in the last on Doomben 10,000 Day to win the 2025 Rough Habit Plate at a blowout price of $61.

The Rough Habit Plate is a Group 3 race held at Doomben Racecourse in mid-May on Doomben 10,000 Day during the popular Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. 

The set weights clash is contested over 2000m and currently offers $250,000 in prize money.

The race is named in honour of 11-time Group 1 winning Kiwi galloper Rough Habit who won a host of elite levels in both New Zealand and Australia.

Open only to three-year-old staying types, the Rough Habit Plate is a key lead-up to the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m) run over the mile and a half. 

Seven horses have completed the Rough Habit Plate – Queensland Derby double, most recently Dark Dream in 2018.

From 1996 to 2005, the race was run as a Listed Race. Ever since 2006, it has held and maintained Group 3 status.

Due to the COVID-19 impacted Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival in 2020, there was no Queensland Derby and the Rough Habit Plate took place over 2200m at Eagle Farm before reverting back to its traditional track and distance in 2021.

In 2022 the Rough Habit Plate ran over 2143m at Eagle Farm Racecourse and was won by the Kiwi raider Dark Destroyer.

Rough Habit Plate 2025 – Quick Information

• Race Day: Saturday, May 17th, 2025
• Track Location: Doomben Racecourse 
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Right-handed
• Race Distance: 2,000 metres 
• Weight Conditions: Set weights
• Qualification: Three-year-olds
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 3
• Operator: Brisbane Racing Club
• Prize Purse: $250,000
• Inaugural Race: 1993
• 2025 Rough Habit Plate Winner: Imperialist

Rough Habit Plate Betting 2025

There are many different ways to bet on the Rough Habit Plate, and we have included some of the most popular options below:

How To Bet On The Rough Habit Plate in 2025

1. Join up at neds.com.au
2. Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
3. Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
4. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Rough Habit Plate Betting above).
5. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win The Rough Habit Plate

The best way to pick which horse will win the Rough Habit Plate in 2025 is to take into account their lead-up winter racing form, assess the barriers and look for the proven Group runners in the mix. 

Additional factors to consider when picking the Rough Habit Plate winner include: 

• Stayers – Looking for gallopers with previous winning form up to at least 1800 metres is a key form line to follow. 
• Queensland Guineas – The Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) run in late April serves as a key lead-up into the Rough Habit Plate each season. Imperialist (9th in 2025) was the last Queensland Guineas graduate to continue on and win the Rough Habit. 

Rough Habit Plate Favourites 2025

Favourites in 2025 Rough Habit Plate betting include Chris Waller’s class Zed filly Belle Detelle coming off a Group 1 ATC Oaks fifth, Yes Yes Yes gelding Firm Agreement who ran second in the Group 1 ATC Derby, and the progressive King Of Thunder. 

Ballistic Boy ($2.80 in 2020) was the last Rough Habit Plate favourite to salute for the punters.

There was a huge upset in 2021 with Criminal Defence saluting at Rough Habit Plate odds of $71, and there was another notable upset in 2023 with the Chris Waller-trained Kiwi expat Special Swey winning at $26.

The roughies were also on top in 2025 with another Waller outsider, Imperialist, saluting at $61!

Rough Habit Plate Field 2025

The Rough Habit Plate 2025 field of final acceptances will be announced by Racing Queensland the Wednesday of race week and displayed in full below. 

The 2025 Rough Habit Plate field features a strong line-up of potential QLD Derby bound three-year-olds including recent ATC Derby runner-up Firm Agreement coming off three straight second placings, Queensland Guineas fourth placed filly Shangri La Spring, and Chris Waller’s ATC Oaks fifth placed Belle Detelle.

Rough Habit Plate 2025 Tips

Favourite: #1 Firm Agreement ($4.50 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Best Bet: #1 Firm Agreement to salute for the punters (see above) – BET NOW

Best Roughie: #4 Beau Dazzler ($11 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Our expert Rough Habit Plate betting tips for 2025 will be detailed right here with the three-year-olds to back and sack closer to the race date, and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2025 DOOMBEN 10,000 DAY PREVIEW & TIPS

Rough Habit Plate Race Day 2025

The 2025 Rough Habit Plate takes place Doomben Racecourse on Saturday the 17th of May 2025 as part of 2025 Doomben 10,000 Day. Along with the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate, the other feature events on the Brisbane race card for the meeting include the: 

• Group 1 $1.5 million Doomben 10,000 (1200m),
• Group 2 $300,000 Champagne Classic (1200m), and the
• Group 3 $200,000 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m).

Rough Habit Plate Barrier Draw 2025

The 2025 Rough Habit Plate barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above Rough Habit Plate Field section. 

Rough Habit Plate Nominations 2025

2025 Rough Habit Plate nominations close at 11 AM on the Monday of race week. 

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Rough Habit Plate Weights 2025

Set weights apply to this race. Colts and geldings run at 57 kilograms, fillies at 55 kilograms. Final weights are announced at 4 PM on the Tuesday of race week with the official 2025 Rough Habit Plate weights on the final acceptors to be published in our above Rough Habit Plate Field section. 

Rough Habit Plate Acceptances 2025

2025 Rough Habit Plate final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in our above Rough Habit Plate Field section. 

Rough Habit Plate Jockeys 2025

The final riders’ announcement is at 12 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2025 Rough Habit Plate jockeys to be published in our above Rough Habit Plate Field section. 

Rough Habit Plate Scratchings 2025

2025 Rough Habit Plate scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday the 17th of May 2025.   

Rough Habit Plate Prize Money 2025

The 2025 Rough Habit Plate prize purse is worth $250,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.

Rough Habit Plate Race Number 2025

The 2025 Rough Habit Plate race number is scheduled as Doomben Race 9 at 4:38pm (AEST) on Saturday the 17th of May 2025. There are nine races in total that day at Doomben Racecourse.  

Rough Habit Plate Form Guide 2025

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2025 Rough Habit Plate Form Guide following final acceptances. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 ROUGH HABIT PLATE FORM GUIDE

Rough Habit Plate Live 2025

You can watch or listen to the 2025 Rough Habit Plate live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Free to air television: Seven Network

Streaming: Racing NSW 

Rough Habit Plate Winners 

Winners of the Rough Habit Plate going back to 2000 are displayed in the table below.