2017 New Zealand Derby
The 2017 New Zealand Derby was a horse race which took place at Ellerslie Racecourse on Saturday 4 March 2017. It was the 142nd running of the New Zealand Derby, and it was won by Gingernuts. Sold for $5,000 as a weanling and $42,500 as a two-year-old, Gingernuts made a low-key start to his career with two wins in his first five starts – mostly in minor midweek company. The son of Iffraaj was not even nominated for the Derby until 21 February. But everything changed in the Avondale Guineas, a Group  Two race two weeks before the Derby. Gingernuts was a 26-to-one longshot in the $100,000 race and dropped back to a distant last after breaking slowly from the starting gate, but he produced a remarkable finishing burst to win by a length and a quarter. The Guineas win earned Gingernuts second-favouritism in the Derby, in which he again produced a formidable finish down the home straight to beat the Australian-trained Rising Red by a length. The win sparked huge celebrations among an ownership syndicate of more than 30 people, most wearing matching orange 'G-Nuts ' caps. It was the first New Zealand Derby win for leading New Zealand syndicators Te Akau Racing, as well as for trainers Stephen Autridge and Jamie Richards. Autridge was the favourite to win the race as a jockey in 1981 aboard the undefeated Altitude, who suffered a catastrophic and fatal haemorrhage. It was the second Derby win for champion jockey Opie Bosson, who won the race in 2015 aboard Mongolian Khan. Winner's details. Further details of the winner, Gingernuts: The road to the Derby. Early-season appearances in 2016-17 prior to running in the Derby. Subsequent Group 1  wins. Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2017 New Zealand Derby.