3 minute read
A guide to the $1 million Group One Empire Rose Stakes, formerly known as the Myer Classic, a race for fillies and mares on Victoria Derby day.
EMPIRE ROSE STAKES
* The $1 million Empire Rose Stakes is a Group One weight-for-age race run over 1600m for fillies and mares at Melbourne's Flemington racecourse
* It will run as race five at 2.20pm AEDT on Saturday, November 2
HISTORY
* First run as a Listed race in 1988 and won by the Colin Hayes-trained Concordance
* Formerly known as the Myer Classic, the race is named after champion mare Empire Rose who completed the 1988 Mackinnon Stakes and Melbourne Cup double
* Had a stint as a Group Three (1995-6) before being elevated to a Group Two in 1997 and a Group One in 2004
* Three-year-old fillies became eligible in 2002 when the race went from set weights plus penalties to weight-for-age
* I Am A Star became the first filly to win the race in 2016, with Shoals accomplishing the feat again 12 months later
* The fastest time recorded was 1:34.20 by Market Price in 2001
NOTABLE WINNERS
* Lotteria (2005), Divine Madonna (2007), Forensics (2008), Typhoon Tracy (2009), Red Tracer (2013), Shoals (2017), Shillelagh (2018)
TALKING POINTS
* Prize money doubled from $500,000 to $1 million for 2019
* Shillelagh won in 2018 from Bring Me Roses and Fundamentalist
* Star New Zealand mare Melody Belle is the $3.50 favourite ahead of Godolphin's Pohutukawa at $5.50
* Five Group One winners in the field (Melody Belle, Aristia, Invincibella, Amphitrite and Princess Jenni)
* Invincibella denied Pohutukawa a maiden Group One in June, winning the Tattersall's Tiara at Brisbane by a short half-head
* Craig Williams will ride Aristia as Damian Lane serves a careless riding ban
* All 16 runners are mares for the second straight year
WHAT THE KEY PLAYERS ARE SAYING
"Up to the mile should really see her at her best. But I'm terrified of the form of the New Zealand mare Melody Belle. I wish she was in the Cox Plate" - Pohutukawa's trainer James Cummins on Melody Belle
"She's not a proven miler. But if it's a slowly run race and she's going to put herself right on the speed, she's capable of being in the finish" - Cummings on Savatiano
"She's adaptable and can handle any ground really" - trainer David Brideoake on how rain could impact Princess Jenni
"The big track at Flemington will suit and the mile is close to her best distance. Needs to improve but she's a very capable horse" - Invincibella's trainer Chris Waller
"She's coming into this race just about ready to peak and her form at Flemington is outstanding" - co-trainer Simon Zahra on Aristia
"The previous year she didn't spell well so this time we've taken a different path and kept her fresh for the 1600 metres" - Spanish Reef's trainer Ken Keys
