Myer Classic

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 is held on Derby Day which is the first day of the four day Melbourne Cup Carnival and just three days before the Melbourne Cup. All races on Derby Day are group races with three more Group 1 events on the card, the Mackinnon Stakes, AAMI Victoria Derby and Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Myer Classic info
Date:	Saturday 3rd November 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1600 metres
Race Type:	Fillies & Mares - Weight for age
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$500,000
2011 Winner:	Hurtle Myrtle

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

Myer Classic recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Hurtle Myrtle	Sacred Choice	Dysphonia	1:37.5
2010	Sacred Choice	Typhoon Tracy	Hot Danish	1:38.9
2009	Typhoon Tracy	Lady Lynette	Zarita	1:35.3
2008	Forensics	Absolutely Fabulous	Mimi Lebrock	1:35.9
2007	Divine Madonna	Translate	Red for Lou	1:36.1
2006	Lyrical Bid	Sea Change	Kosi Bay	1:37.6
2005	Lotteria	Miss Potential	Shania Dane	1:35.4
2004	Miss Potential	Alinghi	Infinite Grace	1:37.5
2003	Zanna	Infinite Grace	Mrs Tendulkar	1:38.4
2002	Miss Zoe	Purple Groove	Ramanos Star	1:35.8
2001	Market Price	Pernod	Calm Smytzer	1:34.2
2000	Super Sequel	Its Platonic	Nova Claus	1:37.8
1999	Noircir	Veil	Our Erin	1:36.4
1998	Bonanova	Lucys Way	Graceful Encounter	1:37.1
1997	Prairie	On A Swing	Spectrum	1:36.8
1996	Rose Of Portland	Gold City	Miss Margaret	1:36.0
1995	Aunty Mary	Our Marquise	Tolanda	1:34.8
1994	Sedately	Centisle	Bon Precieux	1:37.6
1993	Mingling Glances	Excited Angel	Jon Jons Pet	1:39.8
1992	Excited Angel	Something Wicked	Beach Charm	1:38.5
1991	Western Chorus	Marinella	Holiday Lover	1:35.5
1990	Natural Wonder	Ice Cream Sundae	Our Grey Invader	1:36.9
1989	Echo Lass	Modesty On Ice	Dowager Empress	1:37.6
1988	Concordance	Knightly Glimmer	Lady Marita	1:35.8