[1] Asterix became the second consecutive winner of the New Zealand Derby for his trainers, the Matamata-based partnership of Lance O'Sullivan and Andrew Scott.
[4] Asterix made his debut less than two months before his Derby triumph, finishing sixth in a 1400-metre race at Matamata on January 12.
Pre-race attention was dominated by the high-class filly La Crique, who had scored runaway victories in the Desert Gold Stakes and Avondale Guineas in her two previous starts.
Asterix swooped around the extreme outside at the home turn and challenged for the lead at the top of the straight, bounding clear with less than 200 metres to run.
La Crique was in an awkward position at the turn and took a crucial few seconds to work her way into the clear, by which time Asterix was well out of reach, winning by a length and a half.