Doncaster Mile Tips & Preview 2023
Australian Derby Tips & Preview 2023
Looking for Australian Derby tips and best bets? We dissect times and form to find the winner of the 2023 Australian Derby at Randwick.
AUSTRALIAN DERBY BETTING SNAPSHOT
It is Sharp’N’Smart and Pericles that are vying for favouritism with NEDS at the $3.90 quote and then we jump to Mark Twain at $8.50. Last year’s Victoria Derby (2500m) winner, Manzoice, is at $14.
Japanese Emperor is a $15 shot ahead of Stroke Of Luck at $16, while the 2022 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) runner-up, Elliptical, is at $17, alongside Full Of Sincerity. Andalus heads the rest at $19.
AUSTRALIAN DERBY FORM ANALYSIS
Sharp ’N’ Smart is one of three contenders in the field that last stepped out in the New Zealand Derby. The Team Rogerson gelding settled handy and held on gamely in the Group 1 to defeat Andalus.
He has experience at Randwick and claimed the Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) in the spring before going down late behind Manzoice in the Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington. Andalus was back early before running on in the NZ Derby. Mark Twain was also doing his best work late for 4th.
Full Of Sincerity was 3rd in the NZ Derby, just peaking on his run late. He has since come out and produced the fastest last 600m when 4th in the Tulloch Stakes (2000m) behind Tapildoodledo.
That horse went 5.8 lengths faster than standard to claim the Group 2 at Rosehill last weekend and is on the short back up, alongside Major Beel, who was runner-up.
Five runners come up after having their most recent starts in Melbourne. Virtuous Circle was held up in the Australian Cup (2000m) and finished 12th, beaten more than six lengths. He is a rough chance for this but does boast the best last start benchmark figures of any runner.
The other four had their most recent runs in the Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) at Moonee Valley. They are Suizuro (2nd), Japanese Emperor (3rd), Cheval Savant (6th) and High Approach (7th). Suizuro led before fading late. He will be ridden by Joao Moreira, who is in Australia for the next few weeks.
Four contenders come out of the Rosehill Guineas and they are Pericles (2nd), Williamsburg (3rd), Elliptical (4th) and Manzoice (6th). They went very slow in that Group 1 with Pericles going just 2.9 lengths faster than standard. His peak of 10.6 lengths faster is the second best of any runner and I expect this group to be in contention. Elliptical produced the fastest last 200m in that race to finish 5th.
AUSTRALIAN DERBY TIPS AND BEST BETS
The New Zealand form lines up very well and no reason to go against the race favourite, Sharp N Smart. His form in Australia has been excellent, overcoming a wide trip to tough it out in the Spring Champion Stakes last spring before just going down late in the Victoria Derby to Manzoice. The winner out of that does not seem to be going as well this time around. The son of Redwood should be at the top of his game after three runs and Hugh Bowman just needs to find a spot early on from the wide barrier. Best Value in the race might be Elliptical, who should appreciate a better tempo this time around.
