Sydney form reigned in this year’s Victoria Derby with Stormy Marco making light of a seven-day back-up to claim Saturday’s first $3 million running of the 2500-metre Group 1 Flemington.
The Chris Waller -trained colt posted his first win at the highest level when he carried champion rider James Mcdonald to a dominant win in Australia’s oldest Classic.
It came a week after the son of Wootton Bassett ran fourth in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick and McDonald jokingly liked the win to another of his feature success at Australia’s most famous racecourse.
“I’m so happy Chris backed him up, he just knows his horses so well and he was here to produce a wicked turn of foot,” he said.
“It was just like I was on Verry Elleegant again, it was so smooth.
“I don’t think he’s like your typical VRC Derby horse, but he’s got class. He’s a sharp horse. I thought he could have been a Guineas horse, so it shows the ilk we hold him in. He’s done a good job.”
McDonald, of course, partnered Verry Elleegant to a brilliant win in the 2021 Melbourne Cup.
Stormy Marco is not in her league, but he justified the faith of punters, who sent him out the $4.40 favourite, with the second win of his eight-start career.
Ridden conservatively early from barrier 14 in the 16-horse race, he was able to improve at every stage McDonald wanted to before being presented early in the straight.
He surged to the front at the 300m and dashed clear to score a two-length win over $101 shot Cold Shower with the first filly to contest the Derby in 36 years, Quick Finish ($21), 1-1/4 lengths away third.
“It’s a funny thing barrier draws, we drew the car park, but when you’re drawing inside you feel like you have to hold the spot,” McDonald said.
“If this horse probably drew inside, we would have been niggling to the first corner, a little bit disorganized.
“I just want to keep it smooth, I wanted him to relax. I had Zahra (Mark, on Vallice) to my inside and he was saying, ‘sleep baby, sleep’.
“That’s all we did, the two of us, and he had superior form.”
🌩️ Stormy Marco storms home in the G1 Victoria Derby, and it’s another G1 to team @mcacajamez – @cwallerracing!
@FlemingtonVRC https://t.co/NtC4Zjdhzd
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 31, 2026
The win was McDonald’s second Victoria Derby success, following victory three years ago on Riff Rocket, who was also trained by Waller.
Waller now has four Victoria Derby trophies on the mantlepiece, having earlier score with Preferment (2014) and Manzoice (2022).
The Derby result kicked off a dream 40 minutes for Waller and McDonald with horses carrying the Hermitage Thoroughbreds green and red colours with Lady Shenandoah following Stormy Marco’s win with a dominant win in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes.
