2015 New Zealand Derby

The 2015 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 28 February 2015. It was the 140th running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Mongolian Khan.^[1]

The race was billed as a match race between the highly rated Mongolian Khan and Volkstok'n'barrell, both of which had made a big impression in stringing together consecutive wins in major races throughout the summer. The eagerly anticipated clash lived up to expectations as the two exciting three-year-olds drew well clear of their rivals and fought a memorable struggle down the home straight. Having been clearly headed by Volkstok'n'barrell, Mongolian Khan fought back and proved too strong in the concluding stages, edging away to win by one length. There was a margin of more than five lengths back to the remainder of the field.

It was the first New Zealand Derby win for trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman and rider Opie Bosson.

Mongolian Khan later went to Australia and won the Australian Derby at Randwick, becoming the first horse to win the New Zealand Derby-Australian Derby double since Bonecrusher in 1986.^[2] Volkstok'n'barrell won the Rosehill Guineas and was third in the Australian Derby.

Race details

Sponsor: TV3
Prize money: NZ$750,000
Track: Good
Number of runners: 17
Winner's time: 2:28.40

Full result

	Margin	Horse	Jockey	Trainer(s)	Odds
1		Mongolian Khan	Opie Bosson	Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman	$4.00
2	1	Volkstok'n'barrell	Matt Cameron	Donna & Dean Logan	$2.30
3	5½	Sound Proposition	Danielle Johnson	Lance O'Sullivan & Andrew Scott	$21.50
4	Neck	Dee I Cee	Rosie Myers	Kevin Myers	$42.50
5	½	Midnitemagicman	Vinnie Colgan	Donna & Dean Logan	$26.70
6	¾	Sealed By A Dance	Reese Jones	Kevin Myers	$127.20
7	¾	Margin Trader	Rhys McLeod	Michael Moroney & Chad Ormsby	$43.80
8	½	Vavasour	Leith Innes	Peter & Dawn Williams	$6.40
9	½	Chenille	Rory Hutchings	Tony Pike	$18.70
10	¾	Prima	Mark Du Plessis	Doug Cave	$21.60
11	Nose	Nymph Monte	Derek Nolan	Grant Nicholson	$198.90
12	1	Giant Turtle	Mark Hills	Bruce Wallace	$36.50
13	½	Gifted Lad	Craig Grylls	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	$37.90
14	4	McQueen	Samantha Collett	Jim Collett	$27.60
15	½	Gaultier	Michael Coleman	Danica Guy	$95.20
16	½	J'Walke	Dylan Turner	Wayne Jones	$236.40
17	34	Twya	Mark Sweeney	Graeme Sanders & Debbie Sweeney	$141.80

Winner's details

Further details of the winner, Mongolian Khan:

Foaled: 19 October 2011 in Australia
Sire: Holy Roman Emperor; Dam: Centafit (Centaine)
Owner: Inner Mongolia Rider Horse Club
Trainer: Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
Breeder: Grenville Stud
Starts: 7
Wins: 6
Seconds: 0
Thirds: 0
Earnings: $625,500

The road to the Derby

Early-season appearances in 2014-15 prior to running in the Derby.

Mongolian Khan – 1st 3yo Salver, 1st Waikato Guineas, 1st Avondale Guineas
Volkstok'n'barrell – 1st Bonecrusher Stakes, 1st Great Northern Guineas, 1st Karaka Mile, 3rd Avondale Guineas
Sound Proposition – 6th Avondale Guineas
Dee I Cee – no stakes races
Midnitemagicman – 2nd Trevor Eagle Memorial, 3rd 3yo Salver, 4th Avondale Guineas
Sealed By A Dance – no stakes races
Margin Trader – 5th Great Northern Guineas, 5th Waikato Guineas, 9th Avondale Guineas
Vavasour – 3rd Soliloquy Stakes, 2nd Royal Stakes, 1st Sir Tristram Fillies' Classic
Chenille – no stakes races
Prima – 3rd Waikato Guineas, 2nd Avondale Guineas
Nymph Monte – 13th Avondale Guineas
Giant Turtle – 2nd Waikato Guineas
Gifted Lad – no stakes races
McQueen – 4th Waikato Guineas, 5th Avondale Guineas
Gaultier – 1st Levin Classic, 11th Waikato Guineas, 8th Avondale Guineas
J'Walke – 12th Avondale Guineas
Twya – 1st Wanganui Guineas, 3rd Bonecrusher Stakes, 6th Sarten Memorial, 11th Avondale Guineas

Subsequent Group 1 wins

Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2015 New Zealand Derby.

Mongolian Khan - Australian Derby, Caulfield Cup
Volkstok'n'barrell - Rosehill Guineas, Otaki-Maori Weight for Age

References

^ Ryan, Dennis (28 February 2015). "Pride Of Mongolia too strong in New Zealand Derby". The Informant. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
^ "The Informant".

[1] Ryan, Dennis (28 February 2015). "Pride Of Mongolia too strong in New Zealand Derby". The Informant. Retrieved 28 February 2015.

[2] "The Informant".

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