The Myer Classic is a Group 1 weight-for-age race for fillies & mares held annually at Flemington during the Melbourne spring racing carnival in late October or early November. The race is run over a distance of 1600 metres and worth $500,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Myer Classic was won by Hurtle Myrtle from Sacred Choice with Dysphonia third.
The Myer Classic has had a number of name changes over the years and has been known as the 'The Honda Legend' and 'Hardy Brothers Classic' amongst a few others. In 2003 the race became Group 2 level and the race conditions were changed from 'set weights & penalties' to 'weight for age' and three-year-old fillies were allowed to run. The Myer Classic obtained Group 1 status in 2004 which gave Derby day four group one races for the day.
The best fillies & mares in Australia and New Zealand generally contest this event and it's a classic mile race for females that is the premier mares event of the spring in Melbourne.
Races like the Gr2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes and Gr2 Tristarc Stakes have previously been a good guide to this event and the better quality fillies or mares have a distinct advantage due to the level weight conditions of the race.
Mares from this race tend to race in similar mares events or quality open handicaps over a mile to middle distance and are capable of winning or being very competitive.
Hurtle Myrtle (2011) ran fifth in the Gr3 Moonga Stakes over 1400m at Caulfield prior to scoring in this event and recent Myer Classic winners have been Sacred Choice (2010) and Typhoon Tracy (2009).
Spring Carnival Guide
The Myer Classic attracts the best 1600 metre fillies & mares from around the country and the race has been won by some more than handy females, although no winner in the past twenty years has gone on to win either the Caulfield Cup, WS Cox Plate or Melbourne Cup.
Typhoon Tracy (2009) won the Tristarc Stakes prior to winning this race and Lady Lynette (2nd in 2009) went on to run third in the Gr2 Matriarch Stakes on Emirates Day.
Divine Madonna (2007) won this race after winning the Gr1 Emirates stakes the previous spring as did Bonanova (1998) who took out the 1997 Emirates Stakes.
2011 Myer Classic result
1. $16.00 Hurtle Myrtle 57.0 Damien Oliver
2. $26.00 Sacred Choice 57.0 Corey Brown
3. $26.00 Dysphonia 57.0 Kerrin McEvoy
then followed
4. $26.00 Skyerush 57.0 Steven Arnold
5. $31.00 Lady Lynette 57.0 Michael Rodd
6. $4.40 Mosheen 49.5 Craig Williams
7. $2.60 More Joyous 57.0 Nash Rawiller
8. $31.00 Banchee 56.5 James McDonald (a)
9. $21.00 Goon Serpent 57.0 Nicholas Hall
10. $26.00 Sistine Angel 56.5 Danny Nikolic
11. $31.00 Majestic Music 57.0 Craig Newitt
12. $11.00 Response 57.0 Dwayne Dunn
13. $31.00 Varenna Miss 57.0 Steven King
14. $41.00 Born To Rock 56.5 Glyn Schofield
15. $51.00 Guiseppina 57.0 Mr Joao Moreira
Margins: 1 1/4 len, long head Time: 1:37.50
Bet now on the Myer Classic
Best price of the three Aussie Tabs with 'City Best Plus + SP'