The 2011 New Zealand Derby was a

horse race Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic p ...

which took place at

Ellerslie Racecourse Ellerslie Racecourse is the main racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand, for thoroughbred racehorses. It is an undulating, grass circuit in the suburb of Ellerslie, with a circumference of just under 1,900 metres. Racing is conducted in a clockwi ...

on Saturday 5 March 2011. It was the 136th running of the

New Zealand Derby The New Zealand Derby is a set-weights Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds, run over a distance of 2,400 metres (12 furlongs) at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on the first Saturday in March, as the opening day o ...

, and it was won by

Jimmy Choux Jimmy Choux (foaled 10 October 2007) is a New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse. On 5 March 2011, he won the 136th running of the New Zealand Derby. In doing so, he became the first horse since Surfers Paradise in 1990 to win both the New Zealand ...

. The lead-up to the race was dominated by Jimmy Choux, with the Hawke's Bay colt seeking to become the first horse in more than 20 years to win both the

New Zealand 2000 Guineas The 2000 Guineas is a Group One set-weight Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses run over a distance of 1600 metres at Riccarton Park in Christchurch, New Zealand. Christchurch New Zealand cup week The New Zealand 2000 Guineas is hel ...

and the Derby. Unlike some years, there was no doubt over who was the best horse in the 2011 New Zealand Derby field. Jimmy Choux had an extraordinary 2010–11 season, winning the

Hawke's Bay Guineas The Hawke's Bay Guineas is a major Thoroughbred horse race in New Zealand for three-year-old horses. In 2003 the stake was boosted to $100,000 and the race was moved to the first Saturday in October, meaning that it is run on the same day as the S ...

, Great Northern Guineas, Wellington Stakes and Waikato Guineas to secure hot Derby favouritism. His only defeats were when he was beaten by a nose by Fiddler in the Wanganui Guineas on a very heavy track in his first start of the season, and in the

Levin Classic The Group One Levin Classic - formerly the Bayer Classic - is one of the premier races for three-year-old thoroughbreds in New Zealand. History The race, first run under the name Levin Turf Classic, was originally run at Levin Racecourse until t ...

, where he was eased out to finish a long last due to cardiac arrhythmia. But while there were no arguments over his class, many doubted whether Jimmy Choux could sustain that brilliance and clear superiority over 2400m. His pedigree certainly suggested he would be restricted to races over no more than a mile. Those doubts were proven unfounded in the most spectacular manner. Jimmy Choux was well back early in the race, then made a sudden and early move on the point of the home turn. He briefly looked vulnerable early in the run home, having already used up his customary turn of foot. Placegetters Historian and On The Level appeared to be rapidly gaining on the favourite. But Jimmy Choux was able to kick again inside the final 100m, drawing away to a comfortable two-length win.

Race details

* ''Sponsor:'' Telecom * ''Prize money:'' NZ$2.2 million * ''Track:'' Heavy * ''Number of runners:'' 16 * ''Winner's time:'' 2:38.35

Full result

Winner's details

Further details of the winner,

: * ''Foaled:'' 10 October 2007 in

New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...

* ''Sire:'' Thorn Park; ''Dam:'' Cierzo (Centaine) * ''Owner:'' Chouxmaani Investments Ltd * ''Trainer:'' John Bary * ''Breeder:'' Chouxmaani Investments Ltd * ''Starts:'' 16 * ''Wins:'' 9 * ''Seconds:'' 3 * ''Thirds:'' 2 * ''Earnings:'' $2,221,550

The road to the Derby

Early-season appearances in 2010-11 prior to running in the Derby.

* Jimmy Choux – ''2nd Wanganui Guineas, 1st Hawke's Bay Guineas, 1st

, 15th

, 1st Great Northern Guineas, 1st Wellington Stakes, 1st Waikato Guineas'' * Historian – ''3rd Waikato Guineas, 4th Avondale Guineas'' * On The Level – ''4th Waikato Guineas, 2nd Avondale Guineas'' * Yin Yang Master – ''3rd Great Northern Guineas, 2nd Waikato Guineas, 8th Avondale Guineas'' * Sierra Nevada – ''3rd Avondale Guineas'' * O'Reilly's Prize – ''5th Avondale Guineas'' * Yourein – ''3rd

Championship Stakes The Championship Stakes, run at Ellerslie Racecourse, is a Group 2 horse race run for three-year-olds at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. When the New Zealand Derby was moved from December to March in the 2005-06 season, the race w ...

, 6th Karaka Mile, 13th Avondale Guineas'' * He's Remarkable – ''6th Hawke's Bay Guineas, 2nd

, 3rd Wellington Stakes, 10th Avondale Guineas'' * Raffles Knight – ''6th-equal Avondale Guineas'' * Jetset Lad – ''2nd Wellington Stakes, 6th-equal Avondale Guineas'' * Hidden Asset – ''1st

, 6th Waikato Guineas, 14th Avondale Guineas'' * Icepin - ''2nd

, 3rd Canterbury Stakes, 10th

, 2nd Great Northern Guineas, 2nd Karaka Mile, 1st Avondale Guineas'' * Encosta Diablo - ''4th Ray Coupland Stakes, 5th

, 5th Karaka Mile, 9th Avondale Guineas''

Subsequent Group 1 wins

Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2011 New Zealand Derby. * Jimmy Choux -

Rosehill Guineas The Rosehill Guineas is an Australian Turf Club Group One Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds at set weights run over a distance of 2000 metres at Rosehill Gardens Racecourse in Sydney, Australia annually in March. Total prize money for t ...

Windsor Park Plate The Arrowfield Stud Plate is a New Zealand Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay. The race is registered as the Horlicks Plate and has been previously known as: * the Windsor Park Plate. In 2022 the race sponsor and na ...

Spring Classic The Livamol Classic is a Weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of 2040m. The race is run in October. The weather in the Haw ...

* Historian -

Thorndon Mile The Thorndon Mile (formally WRC George Adams Handicap) is a Group One (G1) Thoroughbred horse race contested at Trentham Racecourse by the Wellington Racing Club. The race is run on Wellington Cup day, traditionally the last Saturday of January. ...

Zabeel Classic The Zabeel Classic is a Group One Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 2000 metres at Ellerslie Racecourse in Auckland, New Zealand. It is held on Boxing Day, a raceday steeped in tradition that frequently attracts in e ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

New Zealand Derby replay - YouTube

New Zealand Derby 2011 in New Zealand sport March 2011 sports events in New Zealand