The New Zealand Derby was a set-weights thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse race

Thoroughbred horse racing is a worldwide sport and industry involving the racing of Thoroughbred horses. It is governed by different national bodies. There are two forms of the sport: Flat racing and National Hunt racing...

 for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 2400 m at Riccarton Racecourse in Christchurch

Christchurch

Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...

, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

. The inaugural running of the Derby was in 1860, when racing was held at Riccarton Racecourse. The race is notable, as it was one of the two main races for three year olds in New Zealand, the other being the Great Northern Derby

Great Northern Derby (race)

The Great Northern Derby was a set-weights thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 2400 m at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. Since it was run for the first time as the ARC Auckland Derby Principal race over 12F in 1875, the race had become New...

. The two races were effectively combined into one. The race is currently run as the New Zealand Derby

New Zealand Derby

The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horserace for three-year-old, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. From 2009, it was run for a purse of $2.2...

 and is worth $2.2 million.

In 1973, the race has now been moved to from Christchurch to Auckland

Auckland

The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...

 at Ellerslie Racecourse

Ellerslie Racecourse

Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Ellerslie, Auckland, New Zealand for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit of approximately 1,900 m.-History:The first race meeting was held at Ellerslie on 25 May 1874...

 and its is still currently run as the New Zealand Derby

New Zealand Derby

The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horserace for three-year-old, run over a distance of 2,400 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day of Auckland Cup Week. From 2009, it was run for a purse of $2.2...

. The Great Northern Derby

Great Northern Derby (race)

The Great Northern Derby was a set-weights thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 2400 m at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. Since it was run for the first time as the ARC Auckland Derby Principal race over 12F in 1875, the race had become New...

 had been run in Auckland but this was discontinued. Two new 1600 m races for three-year-olds were started in Christchurch, in place of its Derby, the One Thousand

New Zealand 1000 Guineas

The 1000 Guineas is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old fillies run over a distance of 1600 m at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. As of 2009, it is held on the final Saturday of Christchurch's famous New Zealand Cup Week in November, which centres around the New...

 and Two Thousand Guineas

New Zealand 2000 Guineas

The 2000 Guineas is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 m at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand...

.

The race was won by three of the New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame

The New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the New Zealand Horse racing industry...

 horses Gloaming

Gloaming (horse)

Gloaming was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse, owned, trained, and based in New Zealand. He set many records which includes the Australasian record of 19 successive wins, many in Principal Races. Gloaming was unusual that he was a champion who won many major races in both Australia and New...

, Nightmarch

Nightmarch

Nightmarch, foaled in 1925 was an outstanding New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse known as The Kiwi. He won the New Zealand Derby and Dunedin Cup as a three-year-old before going to Australia where he became the first horse to win both the Melbourne Cup and Cox Plate in the same year, as well...

 and Desert Gold

Desert Gold

Desert Gold was a famous and successful New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who raced at the time of World War I. She raced in Australia and New Zealand, winning 36 races, including a still-standing record of 19 in succession ....

.