The $1million Group I BRC Queensland Derby (2400m) at Eagle Farm on Saturday attracted a full field of up and coming stayers and was won in commanding style the Chris Waller trained Providence in the Newgate / China Horse Club colours.
Providence was fifth in the Group I VRC Victoria Derby last spring and with Group placings at his past two starts in the ATC Frank Packer Plate and BRC Rough Habit Plate, he loomed as a horse ready to fire.
One of four in the race for the Waller stable, Providence was ridden by champion James McDonald, who gave him a great ride with the good-looking colt powering through his gears to win by a length and a half over his stablemate Monopolistic with both colts carrying the Newgate / China Horse Club colours.
PROVIDENCE WINS THE DERBY ❤️💛
J-Mac levels up with Malcolm Johnston, that's a record equalling 16 Group Ones for the season!@mcacajamez @cwallerracing pic.twitter.com/aw1ezZgd1s
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) May 30, 2026
The win was the 201st Group I win for Chris Waller.
“The 201st Group 1 is easier than the first one, that’s for sure. Great ride from James and a good team of owners,” said Chris Waller.
“They constantly support racing and have quinellaed the race with two nice stayers with bright futures. We just see Queensland each and every winter as a springboard for a lot of our better horses and these horses are still on the up, so very exciting for connections.”
A $625,000 Inglis Easter purchase from Bhima Thoroughbreds for China Horse Club / Newgate / Go Bloodstock / Trilogy, Providence has the overall record of two wins and five placings from 15 starts with prizemoney just shy of $1million.
Providence’s immediate future will likely be decided in the next week with Henry Field revealing there had been significant pre and post-race interest from Hong Kong buyers while Waller would like to target the G1 Caulfield Cup in the spring.
“We’ll sit down and talk to Chris over the next few days, he thinks he would make a really nice Caulfield Cup horse but with the Hong Kong interest there as well, we’re running a commercial colts partnership at the end of the day and we’ve got to keep the economics of that working so there’s every chance he could get sold to Hong Kong but it’s too early to say,’’ Field said.
“Whatever happens, it’s a huge thrill to win a Derby and a great race for the partnership to win, it’s our first Derby success and it was great to have that success in the China Horse Club colours.
“Providence was a beautiful yearling at Easter, real quality with lovely size and scope. To be honest we thought he was our Caulfield Guineas horse when we bought him but you can’t complain when you’re winning Derbies, we’re really chuffed.’’
