The 2020 New Zealand Derby was a

Group I Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (racing), a historic (until 1981) classification for Touring car racing, applied to standard touring cars. Comparable to modern FIA Group N * Group On ...

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 29 February 2020. It was the 145th 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

Sherwood Forest Sherwood Forest is a royal forest in Nottinghamshire, England, famous because of its historic association with the legend of Robin Hood. The area has been wooded since the end of the Last Glacial Period (as attested by pollen sampling cores ...

. Sherwood Forest was bred by the Goodson & Perron Family Trust and was sold for A$100,000 at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He is owned by the Goodson & Perron Family Trust, Calder Bloodstock Ltd and Deborah Martin. Sherwood Forest is trained by Tony Pike in

Cambridge, New Zealand Cambridge (Māori: ''Kemureti'') is a town in the Waipa District of the Waikato region of the North Island of New Zealand. Situated southeast of Hamilton, on the banks of the Waikato River, Cambridge is known as "The Town of Trees & Champions" ...

. Sherwood Forest had made an impact in the spring, winning two races including the War Decree Stakes at Group Three level in October, and he also finished third in 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 ...

in November. But trainer Tony Pike believed he would come into his own over longer distances later in the season. The 2020 Derby had been billed as a two-horse battle of the sexes. The filly Two Illicit had scored a seven-length win in the Waikato Guineas, while the well-bred gelding Dragon Leap easily won the Avondale Guineas. They disputed favouritism throughout the two weeks leading into the Derby, and no other runner was in single-figure odds. Coming around the home turn, that two-horse showdown appeared to be happening as Dragon Leap and Two Illicit surged to the lead together. But Sherwood Forest stayed with them and began to poke through in between them. Ridden by Melbourne-based jockey Michael Walker, his stamina shone through as he pulled clear in the last 200 metres to win by a length and a quarter. Two Illicit held on for second, with the fast-finishing Scorpz snatching third from a tiring Dragon Leap. The time for the Derby was 2:26.77, which was the fastest since 1998 and the third-fastest since 1972. It was a third Derby victory for Walker, who had previously won on

Military Move Military Move (Chinese:軍事行動) is a New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse. On March 6, 2010, he won the 135th running of the New Zealand Derby. The gelding is trained by Shaune Ritchie, who was the strapper for the hugely successful and popu ...

2010 File:2010 Events Collage New.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2010 Chile earthquake was one of the strongest recorded in history; The Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in Iceland disrupts air travel in Europe; A scene from the opening ceremony of ...

and on

Puccini Giacomo Puccini (Lucca, 22 December 1858Bruxelles, 29 November 1924) was an Italian composer known primarily for his operas. Regarded as the greatest and most successful proponent of Italian opera after Verdi, he was descended from a long lin ...

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. It was Pike's second Derby, having won the race in

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with

Rangipo Te Onetapu, commonly known as the Rangipo Desert, is a barren volcanic desert, desert-like environment in New Zealand, located in the Ruapehu District on the North Island Volcanic Plateau; to the east of the three active peaks of Mount Tongariro, ...

Race details

* ''Sponsor:''

Vodafone New Zealand Vodafone New Zealand Limited is a New Zealand telecommunications company. It was a subsidiary of the London-listed company Vodafone Plc until 31 July 2019, when its sale to a consortium comprising Infratil Limited and Brookfield Asset Manageme ...

* ''Prize money:'' NZ$1,000,000 * ''Track:'' Good * ''Number of runners:'' 16 * ''Winner's time:'' 2:26.77

Full result

Winner's details

Further details of the winner,

: * ''Foaled:'' 1 September 2016 * ''Sire:''

Fastnet Rock Fastnet Lighthouse is a 54m high lighthouse situated on the remote Fastnet Rock in the Atlantic Ocean. It is the most southerly point of Ireland and lies southwest of Cape Clear Island and from County Cork on the Irish mainland. The current l ...

; ''Dam:'' Chasing Mammon (Giant's Causeway) * ''Owner:'' Goodson & Perron Family Trust, Calder Bloodstock Ltd & Deborah Martin * ''Trainer:'' Tony Pike * ''Breeder:'' Goodson & Perron Family Trust * ''Starts:'' 11 * ''Wins:'' 4 * ''Seconds:'' 0 * ''Thirds:'' 2 * ''Earnings:'' $737,875

The road to the Derby

Early-season appearances prior to running in the 2020 Derby. * Sherwood Forest – ''5th

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 ...

, 1st War Decree Stakes, 3rd

, 4th Auckland Guineas, 3rd Avondale Guineas'' * Two Illicit – ''1st Trevor Eagle Memorial, 2nd Eight Carat Classic, 1st Royal Stakes, 1st Waikato Guineas'' * Scorpz – ''1st Wellington Stakes, 1st 3YO Salver, 2nd Avondale Guineas'' * Dragon Leap – ''2nd Trevor Eagle Memorial, 1st Auckland Guineas, 1st Avondale Guineas'' * Den Bosch – ''7th Avondale Guineas'' * Platinum Road – ''4th Waikato Guineas'' * Lochwinnoch – ''4th 3YO Salver, 11th Avondale Guineas'' * Dalmatia – ''9th Avondale Guineas'' * Tibetan – ''3rd Wellington Stakes, 2nd 3YO Salver, 5th Karaka Million 3YO Classic, 4th Avondale Guineas'' * Peloton – ''5th Wellington Stakes, 7th 3YO Salver, 5th Waikato Guineas''

Subsequent Group 1 wins

Subsequent wins at Group 1 level by runners in the 2020 New Zealand Derby. * Two Illicit – winner of the 2021

Captain Cook Stakes The Captain Cook Stakes is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run at weight-for-age over a distance of 1,600 metres (1 mile) at Trentham Racecourse in Wellington, New Zealand. Over the years the race has been won by great New Zealand racehorses suc ...

References

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