Queensland Derby betting preview & best bets | Saturday, June 1

What	Queensland Derby 2024
Where	Eagle Farm Racecourse – 230 Lancaster Rd, Ascot QLD 4007
When	Saturday, June 1, 2024
Prizemoney	$1,000,000
Distance	2400m
Conditions	Set Weights
2023 winner	Kovalica (5) \| T: Chris Waller \| J: James McDonald (57kg)
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The Group 1 Queensland Derby will headline a massive day of racing at Eagle Farm this Saturday, with a full field of 18 three-year-olds expected to line up in the $1 million feature. As it is the first meeting at Eagle Farm for the Queensland Racing Carnival, the rail will be in its true position, and the surface is expected to be in perfect order for the nine-race card.

Chris Waller has won two of the last three editions of the Queensland Derby, and he will send four runners to this year’s race. The Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman team has accepted with Autumn Angel, who will be seeking to become the first filly to win the Derby since 2010.

Queensland Derby 2024 odds

Autumn Angel heads the Queensland Derby market at +130 with online bookmakers. The other two runners in single figures are last-start Rough Habit Plate winner Tanhauser (+320) and South Australian Derby runner-up Warmonger (+750). After claiming victory on his Australian debut, the Andrew Forsman-trained First Innings (+1700) sits on the fourth line of betting ahead of Saban (+2500) and Navy King (+2000), who will make their way from Victoria to run in the Derby.

Queensland Derby 2024 speed map

There don’t appear to be any specialist leaders in the Queensland Derby field, so it is expected that Navy King and First Innings will push forward from their middle barriers and take up the running. Gold Bullion, Kirikan and Shy Guy can settle in behind the leaders, with the likes of Agita, Tanhauser and Autumn Angel expected to hold forward spots from inside barriers. Warmonger, Encoder and Saban will settle at the back of the field and look to swoop down the outside in the home straight.

Continue reading for HorseBetting’s top selections and $100 betting strategy for the 2024 Queensland Derby.

Queensland Derby 2024 preview & form

Autumn Angel will seek history as she attempts to become the first filly to win the Queensland Derby since Dariana in 2010. After winning the Group 1 Australian Oaks at Randwick, the daughter of The Autumn Sun was given a five-week freshen before running second in the Group 3 Rough Habit Plate on May 18. If Mark Zahra can get off the fence before the home turn, Autumn Angel should prove to be the superior stayer in this field.

Unfortunately for connections of Warmonger, their gelding has once again drawn an outside barrier and will have to settle in the last few in the running. The Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained galloper showed in the South Australian Derby that he can run out a strong 2400m; however, he settles too far off the pace in his races. If Blake Shinn can somehow get the son of War Decree into midfield with cover, there is no doubt that Warmonger can figure in the finish.

First Innings is coming off a good preparation in New Zealand and a very impressive win at Ipswich over 2180m. When racing over 2400m in the Group 1 New Zealand Derby, the Andrew Forsman-trained galloper was well beaten and dropped out in the concluding stages. With more experience under his belt, it is expected that he will perform better in his second attempt at Group 1 level and at the distance.

Tanhauser was very good in the Rough Habit Plate, where he rounded up his rivals at the 300m before clearing out and winning by a length over Autumn Angel. However, the Chris Waller-trained gelding has yet to race over a distance further than 2000m, and that has to be a concern for his followers.