Eagle Farm gets unexpected Super Saturday with three Group 1 races after Queensland Derby Day washout

Eagle Farm will host a Super Saturday of three Group 1 races next week after gloomy conditions forced the Queensland Derby meeting to be abandoned.

Cool Archie powers through the heavy conditions to win the BRC Sires' Produce Stakes before the Eagle Farm meeting was called off. Picture: Trackside Photography

Eagle Farm will host a 10-card Super Saturday of racing next weekend, with a bumper three Group 1s to be staged following the abandonment of four races on Queensland Derby Day on Saturday.

Jockeys complained of poor visibility at Eagle Farm after persistent heavy rain during the day, forcing officials to abandon the Derby meeting after five races on Saturday on another wet day in Brisbane.

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The jockeys met after the running of the Group 2 BRC Sires’ Produce (1400m), won by Cool Archie on a Heavy 10 track, before voicing their concerns about visibility in the awful conditions at Eagle Farm.

It means Group 1 races the Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m) and the Queensland Derby (2400m) will be rescheduled to next Saturday at Eagle Farm, with the Queensland Oaks (2200m) for 3YO fillies to be run as per normal on that day.

The Fred Best Classic, which offers the winning three-year-old a golden ticket into the Stradbroke Handicap in two weeks, will now be staged on Wednesday on Doomben.

• Munce colt Cool in crisis to take out Sires’ Produce

However, the Group 3 Fred Best will now be run over the shorter distance of 1350m instead of 1400m.

The winning trainer of the Fred Best will need as much time as possible to prepare their horse for the Group 1 Stradbroke (1400m) on June 14.

.@nashhot takes us through the visibility issues at Eagle Farm, with races 6-9 postponed today.@bernadetecooper | @BrisRacingClub | @RaceQLDpic.twitter.com/NdE1HIdVUA

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) May 31, 2025

Just five of the nine races on Saturday were contested before RQ officials decided to abandon the key winter carnival meeting after the jockeys voiced their concerns about the poor visibility on the track.

“We work with the riding group and obviously the rider and horse welfare is the No.1 priority when it comes to these issues,” Racing Queensland chief steward Josh Adams said.

“We felt the track was safe but it was the visibility and the kickback which ultimately resulted in the remainder of the card being cancelled.

“Hopefully the rain goes away and we can run the rescheduled races under fine conditions next week.”

Martin Harley after riding Cool Archie to victory. Picture: Trackside Photography

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To accommodate the three rescheduled races from Derby Day, a Benchmark 90 Handicap and Class 6 Handicap due to be contested at Eagle Farm next Saturday will be shifted to the Sunshine Coast next Sunday.

All scratchings will be reinstated for the rescheduled races.

Brisbane Racing Club will honour all general admission tickets from Saturday for the Eagle Farm meeting on next weekend.

Weather in Brisbane should fine up from Tuesday and little rain is predicted from then onwards for the rest of the week.

Originally published as Eagle Farm gets unexpected Super Saturday with three Group 1 races after Queensland Derby Day washout