South Australian Derby

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

2026 South Australian Derby Odds

South Australian Derby 2026 Tips

Our exclusive 2026 South Australian Derby tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2026 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN DERBY DAY PREVIEW & TIPS

Run over 2,500 metres, the South Australian Derby is a Group 1 race taking place at Morphettville Racecourse in May each Adelaide Autumn Racing Carnival. Carrying a $1,000,000 prize purse, the event is open to three-year-old stayers and traditionally attracts a quality line-up of both local and interstate talent. 

If you’re looking for a good lead in race to this one, consider the SA Chairman’s Stakes, which takes place a week earlier, a double most recently achieved by Leicester in 2018 and Jungle Magnate in 2022.  

Sydney’s Group 1 Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick is another potential lead-up race in the SA Derby and Explosive Jack (2021) was the last horse to do the double.

Following a SA Derby run a number of horses may head to Brisbane over the winter for the Group 1 Queensland Derby (2400m). In 2024 the SA Derby runner-up Warmonger won the Queensland Derby at his next start.

South Australian Derby 2026 – Quick Information

• Race Day: Saturday, May 2, 2026
• Track Location: Morphettville Racecourse
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Left-handed
• Race Distance: 2,500 metres
• Weight Conditions: Set weights
• Qualification: Three-year-olds
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 1
• Operator: South Australian Jockey Club
• Prize Purse: $1,000,000
• Inaugural Race: 1860
• 2026 South Australian Derby Winner: TBD

South Australian Derby 2026 Results

The official 2026 South Australian Derby results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

South Australian Derby Betting 2026

There are many different ways to bet on the South Australian Derby, and we have included some of the most popular options below:

Bet Type	How To Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s South Australian Derby
Win Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s South Australian Derby.
Place Bet	Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s South Australian Derby. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds.
Each-Way Bet	If your runner finishes 1st in the South Australian Derby, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend.
Quinella Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the South Australian Derby, in order to win the Quinella.
Exacta Bet	You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the South Australian Derby to win the Exacta.
Trifecta Bet	You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the South Australian Derby to win the Trifecta.
First Four	You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the South Australian Derby to win the First 4.
Quadrella Bet (Quaddie)	You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the South Australian Derby, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie.

How To Bet on the South Australian Derby in 2026

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 South Australian Derby Betting above).
5. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win the South Australian Derby

The best way to pick which horse will win the South Australian Derby in 2026 is to take into account their lead-up autumn racing form, assess the barriers, look for the proven Group 1 runners and the genuine stayers in the mix.

Additional factors to consider when picking the South Australian Derby winner include: 

• Male Runners – It’s rare for a filly to win this race against the gelding and colts with only three to do so since 1999. Coco Sun (2024) and Femminile (2025) meanwhile are the last fillies to win. 
• Best Lead Up – The Chairman’s Stakes is a great lead up, with the double being taken out several times in recent history most recently Jungle Magnate (2022). 
• Favourites – The past ten years has seen favourites perform reliably in this race.
• Jockey Stats – Jockey John Allen enjoyed four wins in the SA Derby in the the six years from 2016-21.

South Australian Derby Favourites 2026

Favourites in 2026 SA Derby betting include the Dominic Sutton-trained filly After Summer who ran third in Sydney’s Group 1 Australian Oaks, Ciaron Maher’s consistent colt Accidental Bid who recently won back-to-back races at Pakenham and the progressive Clayton Douglas-trained gelding Kaye Jay who finished a brave fourth in this autumn’s ATC Derby results.

Russian Camelot ($2.90 2020) followed by Explosive Jack ($4 in 2021) are the most recent South Australian Derby favourites to salute for the punters – both horses ridden by jockey John Allen.

South Australian Derby 2026 Field

The 2026 South Australian Derby field of final acceptances is set for release on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in full below once announced.

The 2026 South Australian Derby final field features a capacity line-up of young stayers led in betting by the first emergency, Accidental Bid, with Ciaron Maher’s two-time winning colt sweating on a start for him and jockey John Allen.

Morphettville R8 - Thomas Farms South Australian Derby (G1)

Final Race time: 

	Entrant	Last 6	Sex	Barrier	Weight
	1. Single Choice J: Jamie Mott T: Matt Cumani	3x2151	G	4	56.5kg
	2. Impulsive Reaction J: Daniel Moor T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	2161	G	8	56.5kg
	3. Kaye Jay J: Mark Zahra T: Clayton Douglas	21434	G	9	56.5kg
	4. Autumn Mystery J: Brad Rawiller T: Rory Hunter	8x0709	G	2	56.5kg
	5. Savisanta J: Jye Mcneil T: Chris Waller	x18520	G	12	56.5kg
	6. Geneva J: Rory Hutchings T: Kylie Hoskin	571631	G	3	56.5kg
	7. Amazake J: Ben Melham T: Ciaron Maher	30x243	G	13	56.5kg
	8. Engine Of War J: Daniel Stackhouse T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	70x274	G	6	56.5kg
	9. Flying Brant J: Jason Holder T: Stephen Theodore	21253	G	10	56.5kg
	10. Arabian Prince J: Jamie Melham T: Michael Kent	66x012	C	15	56.5kg
	11. Cannae J: Craig Williams T: Danny O'brien	4123	G	11	56.5kg
	12. Wigmore J: Teo Nugent T: Phillip Stokes	312547	G	5	56.5kg
	13. Strictly Business J: John Allen T: Thomas Carberry	21x580	F	1	54.5kg
	14. After Summer J: Billy Egan T: Dominic Sutton	33x623	F	14	54.5kg
	15. Silvasista J: Luke Currie T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy	x12011	F	7	54.5kg
	16. Kazaru J: Will Price T: Phillip Stokes	621147	F	16	54.5kg
	17. Accidental Bid (2)  Scratched:
	18. Lunar Force (7)  Scratched:
	19. Shotaro (11)  Scratched:
	20. Borchard (15)  Scratched:

View Results

South Australian Derby Race Day 2026

2026 South Australian Derby Day takes place on Saturday, May 2, 2026. The SA Derby is the sole Group 1 event on the card that also features the Listed Port Adelaide Cup and the Listed Adelaide Guineas. 

South Australian Derby Barrier Draw 2026

The 2026 South Australian Derby barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above South Australian Derby Field section. 

South Australian Derby Nominations 2026

The South Australian Derby 2026 nominations close at 12:00pm on Thursday the 23rd of April 2026 and will be listed in full below once taken.

The 2026 South Australian Derby nominations attracted 40 promising young stayers led in all-in betting by ATC Oaks third placed filly After Summer, the Ciaron Maher-trained colt Accidental Bid and Clayton Douglas’s ATC Derby fourth placed gelding Kaye Jay.

South Australian Derby Weights 2026

Set weights apply to this race. 56.5 kilograms for colts and geldings, 54,5 kilograms for fillies. Final weights are announced at 4:30 PM on the Tuesday of race week with the official 2026 SA Derby weights on the final acceptors to be published in our above South Australian Derby Field section. 

South Australian Derby Acceptances 2026

2026 South Australian Derby final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on the Tuesday of race week and will be published in our above South Australian Derby Field section.

South Australian Derby Jockeys 2026

The final riders’ announcement is at 12:30 PM on the Wednesday of race week with the official 2026 SA Derby jockeys to be published in our above South Australian Derby Field section.

South Australian Derby Scratchings 2026

2026 South Australian Derby scratchings close at 8:00 AM on Saturday, May 2, 2026.

South Australian Derby Prize Money 2026

The 2026 South Australian Derby prize purse is worth $1,000,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.

Place	Prize Money
1st	$547,250
2nd	$177,000
3rd	$88,250
4th	$50,000
5th	$37,500
6th	$20,000
7th	$20,000
8th	$20,000
9th	$20,000
10th	$20,000

South Australian Derby Race Number 2026

The 2026 South Australian Derby race number is scheduled as Morphettville Race 8 at 4:05pm (ACST) / 4:35pm (AEST) on Saturday, May 2, 2026. There are nine races in total that day at Morphettville Racecourse.

South Australian Derby Form Guide 2026

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 South Australian Derby Form Guide following final acceptances. 

CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 SA DERBY FORM GUIDE

South Australian Derby Live 2026

You can watch or listen to the 2026 South Australian Derby live, across the following mediums.

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

Radio: Radio Sport National

Online: Racing.com

South Australian Derby Winners

Winners of the South Australian Derby going back to the year 2000 are displayed in the table below. For a complete list of past South Australian Derby winners from the race’s inauguration in 1860 to the present click here. 

Year	Winner	Trainer/s	Jockey	Weight	Time
2026	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD	TBD
2025	Femminile	Phillip Stokes	Lachlan Neindorf	54.5 kgs	2:38.36
2024	Coco Sun	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	Ms Jamie Kah	54.5 kgs	2:41.13
2023	Dunkel	Patrick Payne	Billy Egan	56.5 kgs	2:40.43
2022	Jungle Magnate	Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	Mark Zahra	56.5 kgs	2:37.31
2021	Explosive Jack	Ciaron Maher & David Eustace	John Allen	56.5 kgs	2:38.99
2020	Russian Camelot	Danny O’Brien	John Allen	56.5 kgs	2:42.04
2019	Qafila	David Hayes, Ben Hayes & Tom Dabernig	Cory Parish	54.5 kgs	2:39.06
2018	Leicester	Darren Weir	Damian Lane	56.5 kgs	2:38.95
2017	Volatile Mix	Darren Weir	John Allen	56.5 kgs	2:37.09
2016	Howard Be Thy Name	Darren Weir	John Allen	56.5 kgs	2:40.08
2015	Delicacy	Grant Williams	Peter Hall	54.5 kgs	2:37.91
2014	Kushadasi	Richard Jolly	Steven Arnold	56.5 kgs	2:41.98
2013	Escado	Matt Laurie	Ben Melham	56.5 kgs	2:39.05
2012	Zabeelionaire	Leon Corstens	Damien Oliver	56.5 kgs	2:42.16
2011	Shadows In The Sun	Anthony Cummings	Ben Melham	56.5 kgs	2:39.88
2010	Kidnapped	Peter Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	56.5 kgs	2:37.21
2009	Rebel Raider	Leon Macdonald	Clare Lindop	56.5 kgs	2:40.39
2008	Zarita	Pat Hyland	Greg Childs	54 kgs	2:39.53
2007	Lazer Sharp	Jamie Edwards	Brad Rawiller	56.5 kgs	2:37.65
2006	Testafiable	Peter Moody	Greg Childs	55.5 kgs	2:43.39
2005	Tails Of Triomphe	Terry O’Sullivan	Paul Gatt	55.5 kgs	2:37.74
2004	Hard To Get	Mark Kavanagh	Joe Bowditch	55.5 kgs	2:37.10
2003	Mummify	Lee Freedman	Danny Nikolic	55.5 kgs	2:38.75
2002	Pantani	Robbie Laing	Danny Nikolic	55.5 kgs	2:37.89
2001	Big Pat	Peter Tulloch	Peter Mertens	55.5 kgs	2:36.25
2000	Blue Murder	Cliff Brown	Matthew Gatt	55.5 kgs	2:38.43