Empire Rose Stakes Winners, Past Results & Latest News

Winners and Past Results for the Empire Rose Stakes.

The Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes race is one of the popular races held annually at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne.

Fillies and mares three years old and upwards travel a distance of 1600 metres in the Empire Rose Stakes under weight for age conditions.

The race is held in late October or early November as part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and is generally run on the first day of the three-day Melbourne Cup carnival. The day's race card includes other Group 1 events such as Victoria Derby, Mackinnon Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes. Some of the top fillies and mares compete for prize money worth $500,000.

The Empire Rose Stakes has been held since 1988 with Concordance recorded as the first winner. It was a Listed Race till 1995 when it was elevated to Group 3 and later to Group 2 in 1997. Since 2004 it has been a Group 1 race. After the event was sponsored by Myer in 2005 the race was named as the Myer Classic event. Over the years the Empire Rose Stakes was held under various names. During 1994 to 2001 the race was known as the Hardy Bros. Classic. Earlier, before 2003, the event was held under set weight and penalties conditions but after its upgrade to Group 2, the condition was changed to weight for age from set weight and penalties and three year old fillies were also allowed to run in the field. The other names which the Empire Rose Stakes event was recognised earlier are The Honda Legend, Hong Kong Bank States and Nestle Peters Classic event.

There are various areas or avenues from where the horses come to take part in the Empire Rose Stakes event like the Group 2 Rose Of Kingston Stakes and the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes which take place earlier in the carnival. The winners from this event generally tend to take part in open handicaps which are run over a distance of mile to middle distance and are mostly seen very capable of winning or present tough competition to its opponents.

Among the top milers to win the Empire Rose Stakes include Hurtle Myrtle in 2011, Sacred Choice in 2010 and Typhoon Tracy in 2009. Hurtle Myrtle, winner of the 2011 Empire Rose Stakes, was runner up in the 1200 M Group 2 Premiere Stakes at Randwick and fifth in the Group 3 Betfair Stakes over 1400 M at Caulfield prior to winning here.

Among the other classy gallopers to win was Typhoon Tracy in 2009, who earlier won the Tristarc Stakes. The Group 2 Matriarch Stakes held on Emirates Day is also another event that many horses may fancy after the Empire Rose Stakes. Runner up in 2009, Lady Lynette improved on her performance to take home the Matriarch Stakes.