Myer Classic

The Myer Classic is a 1600 metre weight-for-age race for fillies and mares three-year-old and upwards run by the Victoria Racing Club. It is held at Flemington on Victoria Derby Day in late October or early November three days before the Melbourne Cup.

• Race Type: Group 1, 3YO & Up Fillies and Mares WFA
• Distance: 1,600 metres
• Track: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria
• Date: Saturday, 31 October 2018

The Myer Classic was first held as a listed race called The Honda Legend in 1988 over 1600 metres when it was won by the tough mare Concordance under set weights and penalties for mares. It has had several name changes and has increased in status over the years. It has been known as the Hong Kong Bank Stakes, Hardy Brothers Classic, Nestle Peters Classic, Empire Rose Stakes and became the Myer Classic in 2005.

In 2003 the conditions were amended from set weights and penalties to weight-for-age and three-year-old fillies were allowed to run. The following year, 2004, it was granted Group 1 status and it is the only Group 1 race of the Melbourne Spring Carnival for fillies and mares. It is also gave Derby Day its fourth Group 1 race making it one of the best racing programs in the world.

Lead-up races are the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes over 1400 metres, the Group 2 Waterford Crystal Mile over 1600 metres and the Group 1 Toorak Handicap over 1600 metres. Since the race gained Group 1 status the Group 1 Cox Plate has also been the lead-up race for several runners. Some horses will continue on from the Myer Classic by running in the Group 1 Emirates Stakes over 1600 metres the following week.

2018 Myer Classic Final Field & Odds:

See below for all the latest Myer Classic odds plus final field.

2018 Myer Classic Preview & Tips:

Track: Good   Weather: Fine

There is a full field of 16 plus an emergency for the $500,000 Empire Rose Stakes/Myer Classic. Five of them had their last start in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes, four in the G3 Ladies Day Vase, two in the G1 Thousand Guineas and two in the G3 Tesio Stakes. The betting is fairly open and the early favourite is Amphitrite who won the G1 Thousand Guineas last start making it 4 wins from 4 runs this campaign. Second favourite is Shillelagh who followed 4^th in the Epsom Handicap with 4^th in the Toorak Handicap, and will go well back against her own sex. Third favourite is Oohood who won the Flight Stakes before 3^rd in the Caulfield Guineas.

Aloisia recorded the day’s best closing sectionals when 3^rd in the Tristarc last outing and will appreciate the extra 200m. Shumookh won the Tristarc and has won 2 of her last 3 starts. Invincibella was 2^nd in the Tristarc and won the G2 Blazer Stakes prior to that. I Am A Star won this race in 2016 and has won her last 3 starts – two Group 2’s and the G3 Ladies Day Vase. All other runners are currently 14 to 1 or longer, including Eckstein who ran 2^nd last year.

The following are the top 4 selections from our tipster panel for this years race.

Previous winners of the Myer Classic:

The Myer Classic attracts top quality fillies and mares, and a win in this prestigious race will vastly increase their value as a broodmare. In the few years since it has been a Group 1 race it has been won by horses form Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand. When I Am A Star won in 2016 she was the first three-year-old to win although Alinghi was narrowly beaten by New Zealand trained Miss Potential in the 2004 photo finish. Forensics (2008) was the first Golden Slipper winner to win the Myer Classic.