The Queensland Derby sits somewhere below the VRC Derby at Flemington and the ATC Derby at Randwick in the pecking order of Derby races in this country. It’s been a while since the winner of the race has consistently made much of an impression of an older horse, with Mr Quickie the most recent to have won it and gone on to Group 1 glory later in their career.

The 2002 winner, Country Tyrone, became an absolute warhorse and went on to run in six Sydney Cup’s, winning one of them and running second in two others.

The Queensland Guineas at 1600m and Rough Habit Plate over 2000m tend to be the traditional lead-up races.