While millions of thoroughbred racing fans eagerly await the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at Flemington every Melbourne Cup Carnival, the harness racing equivalent is another excellent race to enjoy a punt on.
The Victoria Derby is Australia’s oldest classic harness race, first run in 1914, and is conducted by Harness Racing Victoria (HRV).
Open to three-year-old pacers, the Victoria Derby is sponsored by the world’s premier standardbred nursery Alabar.
The Alabar Victoria Derby takes place every summer and is one of the most bet on harness racing events in Australia.
Attracting the leading local and interstate pacers, this Group 1 harness racing event begins with a series of heats held in late January to determine the top runners that will continue onto the final.
As a series, the Alabar Victoria Derby is a brilliant betting opportunity for punters as you have the heats and the final to bet on.
A week after the heats are held, the prestigious Victoria Derby final runs. The previous venue for the final was Moonee Valley, but 2010 was the ‘farewell’ meeting for the MV track and a new course will be home to the Victoria Derby from 2011.
Offering a lucrative $200,000 in prizemoney, the Victoria Derby is one of the most famous and richest age group harness race in the Southern Hemisphere, which is why so many punters are keen to get in on the action every year.
The 2010 Victoria Derby was taken out by the brilliant pacer Courage To Rule who started at $11.
Courage To Rule was at great odds because the gelding hadn’t won their heat the previous week, proving there is some excellent money to be made by betting on the longer-priced Victoria Derby runners.
The best place to go for all your Alabar Victoria Derby betting is online to a bookmaker such as SportsBet.
Offering better odds than the TAB and giving punters a huge range of betting options, online bookmakers are the leading betting outlets for harness and thoroughbred racing.
