Femminile’s win in the Group 1 South Australian Derby marked an important milestone in OTI’s achievements, capping off a clean sweep of all five Australasian Group 1 Derbies.
Kibbutz won the G1 Victoria Derby in 2007. He was followed by Brambles, who won the G1 Queensland Derby in 2012, and Vin de Dance, who won the G1 New Zealand Derby in 2018. Quick Thinker was next, taking out the G1 Australian Derby in Sydney in 2020 before Warmonger claimed our second Queensland Derby victory in 2024. Femminile was able to round out the five Derby features for us in Adelaide last Saturday.
Kibbutz, Brambles, Vin de Dance, Quick Thinker, Warmonger (left to right)
Only Vin de Dance and Quick Thinker were prepared by the same training team, Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman, with David Hayes, Peter Moody, Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr and Phillip Stokes all contributing to our other Derby successes.
OTI’s achievement in the Derbies is almost matched by success in the various capital city Cups, with Daqiansweet Junior in Adelaide, and Selino in Sydney and Brisbane. Although director, Terry Henderson won the Melbourne Cup with Doriemus in 1995 (pre the formation of OTI), the closest OTI has come to winning the great race was in 2008 when Bauer was beaten a nose.
Each of these great wins has left lasting impressions on the many owners who shared in the successes. As is the nature of racing, they all want to repeat the experience. Let’s hope that, with the promising stock coming through the OTI stable in the next few years, that will be achieved.