The 2018 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 3 March 2018. It was the 143rd running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Vin De Dance.[1]
Vin De Dance was offered at the New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale as a two-year-old, but was passed in. A sale was later negotiated for $70,000, with breeder Luigi Muollo retaining a share alongside new owners OTI Racing and the Kilted Taniwha Syndicate.[2]
The son of Roc de Cambes was sent to the Cambridge stable of Hall of Famer Murray Baker and his training partner Andrew Forsman. The team has won multiple New Zealand training premierships, and guided Mongolian Khan to victory in the 2015 New Zealand Derby.
Vin De Dance made a winning debut at Pukekohe in early September, then was placed in two subsequent appearances at Te Rapa. He was sent to Melbourne, where he finished third at Flemington and fifth in the Moonee Valley Vase.
Withdrawn from the Victoria Derby and given several months off to strengthen and develop, Vin De Dance returned with fourth and sixth placings over 1400 and 1600 metres in late January and early February. He moved into Derby contention with a fighting third in the Avondale Guineas.
The fifth favourite for the Derby at $9.90,[3] Vin De Dance was handy throughout the 2400-metre race and loomed as a major threat around the home turn. He hit the lead inside the last 200 metres, but was joined by Mongolianconqueror in a desperate two-horse battle to the finish that Vin De Dance won by a nose.
OTI Racing's Terry Henderson described the New Zealand Derby win as the fulfilment of a long-held dream.[4]
It was the first Derby win for jockey Jason Waddell.
Mongolianconqueror's trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards came up a mere nose short of winning the Derby two years in a row, having won the 2017 running with Gingernuts.
| Margin | Horse | Jockey | Trainer(s) | Odds | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vin De Dance | Jason Waddell | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | $9.90 | ||
| 2 | Nose | Mongolianconqueror | Michael McNab | Stephen Autridge & Jamie Richards (horse trainer) | $16.00 | |
| 3 | 1½ | Danzdanzdance | Matt Cameron | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | $3.50 | |
| 4 | Nose | The Mayor | Rory Hutchings | Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott | $23.50 | |
| 5 | Short neck | Endowment | Alysha Collett | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | $52.70 | |
| 6 | 1½ | Mission Hill | Danielle Johnson | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | $6.40 | |
| 7 | ½ | Civil Disobedience | Ben Allen | Darren Weir | $5.30 | |
| 8 | ½ | On The Rocks | Jake Bayliss | Michael Moroney & Pam Gerard | $6.40 | |
| 9 | ½ | Time Lord | Samantha Collett | Richard Collett | $29.20 | |
| 10 | Long neck | Irish Flame | Jonathan Riddell | John Wheeler | $107.80 | |
| 11 | 1½ | Joe's Legacy | Leith Innes | Jason Price | $41.40 | |
| 12 | ½ | Humble Pie | Rosie Myers | Adrian & Harry Bull | $63.40 | |
| 13 | 1 | Bel Ragazzo | Shaun McKay | Shane Crawford | $76.50 | |
| 14 | 1½ | Jimmy Rocket | Michael Coleman | Roger James | $81.40 | |
| 15 | 3½ | Secret Ambition | Johnathan Parkes | Bruce Wallace & Allan Peard | $128.50 | |
| 16 | Nose | Maktoum | Mark Du Plessis | Stephen McKee | $98.10 | |
| 17 | ½ | Tavlin | Sam Spratt | Donna Logan & Chris Gibbs | $81.60 | |
| 18 | ½ | He's A Freak | Masa Tanaka | Lisa Latta | $27.50 |
Further details of the winner, Vin De Dance:
Early-season appearances in 2017-18 prior to running in the Derby.
Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2018 New Zealand Derby.