Filly in the Derby: Quick Finish revives rare VRC tradition

The 2500-metre event will contain a filly for the first time since 1990 after Tony and Calvin McEvoy accepted with Quick Finish on Wednesday morning.

The Victoria Derby hasn’t contained a filly since Lycra ran fourth in the edition won by Fire Oak.

Form Focus reveals that Lycra is one of 24 fillies to take on the boys in the Victoria Derby since the latest of the 14 fillies to win it, Frances Tressady in 1923.

Hall of Famers Furious and Briseis are among the other fillies to win it, along with Rose Of May (1855), Flying Doe (1856) and Tricolor (1857), who won the first editions of the race that pre-dates the Melbourne Cup by six years.

Born To Be Queen was the previous filly to run before Lycra and she ran third as $4 favourite, one of five to place, alongside 1940 runner-up Tranquil Star and third placegetters Versine (1924), Miss Arrow (1930) and But Beautiful (1953).

The McEvoys might consider the Derby more winnable than next Thursday's Crown Oaks, which is the next start for Proxima Dea, who comfortably had the measure of Howden Victoria Derby favourites Stormy Marco and Cormier in last Saturday’s Spring Champion Stakes (2000m), when she ran a Racing And Sports rating of 113.

Quick Finish heads into the Derby off a win in the Group 3 Ethereal Stakes (2000m) on Caulfield Cup Day, when she posted a rating of 102.

Spring Champion Stakes third placegetter Cormier is the highest-rated colt in the Derby at 109, clear of Stormy Marco (107) with Caulfield Classic winner King Snitz and Moonee Valley Vase victor True Rebel – both 106-raters – the best of the locals.

Quick Finish, of course, remains in contention to also contest the Oaks and while it is 103 years since a filly has upstaged the boys in the Derby, it has proven a good Oaks springboard.

Twenty-one of the 24 fillies to run in the Derby since 1924 progressed to the Oaks, 12 of which filled a placing, including six winners – Miss Disraeli (1924), Barbette (1930), Primavera (1941), Arctic Star (1962), Rose Of Kingston (1981) and Spirit Of Kingston (1984).

Quick Finish, who will be ridden by Jye McNeil, was posted a $23 chance after the Derby field was finalised with the filly drawn barrier 11, which will become gate nine if the two emergencies do not gain a start.