Ladbrokes Tip: Backing mares with previous winning form over the mile is a good Empire Rose Stakes tip.

The Empire Rose Stakes, previously known as the Myer Classic, is a feature mile race for fillies and mares run at Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival in late October or early November each spring. VRC Derby Day kicks off the four-meeting Melbourne Cup Carnival and takes place on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November.

Four Group 1 features headline the card including the Empire Rose Stakes run over 1600m, the weight-for-age event worth $1 million in prize money. The race was once known as the Myer Classic for sponsorship purposes, but is officially registered as the Empire Rose Stakes in honour of top mare Empire Rose, winner of the 1988 Melbourne Cup. It has held Group 1 status since 2004 and notable Myer Classic winners include Melody Belle (2019), Red Tracer (2013), Typhoon Tracy (2009) and Divine Madonna (2007).

The latest edition of the Empire Rose Stakes ran on  Saturday November 2, 2019 and saw NZ-trained Melody Belle secure her 10th Group 1 win. 

2019 Empire Rose Stakes Results

The full Empire Rose Stakes 2019 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the Group 1 mile race takes place on Saturday November 2, 2019.

• 1st: #2 Melody Belle
• 2nd: #3 Aristia
• 3rd: #6 Spanish Reef

The 2019 Empire Rose Stakes results saw the New Zealand champion Melody Belle celebrate her 10th Group 1 win and first down under with a big performance from out wide over last year’s VRC Oaks winner Aristia.

Empire Rose Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday November 2, 2019
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Fillies & Mares – Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $1 million
• First Run: 1988

I Am A Star (2016) upset the older mares winning the Empire Rose Stakes as a three-year-old filly on Derby Day at Flemington. Photo Credit: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Empire Rose Stakes Betting & Odds

Empire Rose betting markets are most popular with the punters the week of the race and are usually dominated by fillies and mares coming out of a race like the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield; the last mare to complete the Tristarc Stakes – Empire Rose double being Red Tracer (2013).

The Tristarc also produced Appearance (2012) who improved on a seventh in the Group 2 for an upset at $41 in the Group 1.

Favourites have won a number of times over the past decade including the filly Shoals (2017) and star New Zealand-trained mare Melody Belle (2019) in recent years, but upsets are also common with plenty of double figure winners including Sacred Choice ($21 in 2010), Hurtle Myrtle ($16 in 2011), Appearance ($41 in 2012) and Bonaria ($26 in 2014).

2019 Empire Rose Stakes Odds

The season’s updated Empire Rose Stakes 2019 betting odds and Group 1 Victoria Derby Day markets will be provided for punters below as soon as open so stay tuned to lock in your favourite fillies and mares in the mile showdown.

Empire Rose Stakes Classic Tips

Empire Rose Stakes tips aren’t always in favour of the top fancy in the markets with so many upset Myer Classic results in recent years. Mares drawn out wide aren’t shied away from either with every winner from 2011 – 2014 jumping from either barrier 10 or 13, while in 2017 Shoals continued that trend winning from barrier 10 (of 16). Melody Belle (13 in 2019) also overcame a wide barrier draw for her big win.

The older mares fare well and six-year-olds could be the ones to consider in the Empire Rose Stakes tips with Red Tracer (2013) and Bonaria (2014) going back-to-back for this age group in recent years. That said, two three-year-old fillies won back-to-back in 2016 (I Am A Star) and 2017 (Shoals). The oldest Empire Rose Stakes winner in recent times was Shillelagh (2018) who saluted as a seven-year-old in the Melbourne Cup Carnival feature.

2019 Empire Rose Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Empire Rose Stakes 2019 betting tips and exotic Flemington racing selections will be detailed below a day or two out from the race so bookmark this page for the mares to back and sack.

Empire Rose Stakes Field

The Empire Rose Stakes field has a capacity of 16 starters plus four emergencies and in 2017 was run at capacity with Shoals saluting as a 3YO for the first time since 2014 when Bonaria scored an upset as a 25/1 shot over 15 rivals.

There was a capacity Empire Rose Stakes field again in 2018 when Shillelagh won from barrier nine of 18, improving on her lead-up fourths in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) in Sydney and Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) in Melbourne.

The large fields continued in 2019 with Melody Belle defeating 15 rivals for her 10th Group 1 success.

The race hasn’t attracted under double figure starters since 2010 when Sacred Choice beat home just eight rivals. Final Empire Rose Stakes acceptances close on the Wednesday before the race takes place on the Saturday with nominations only taken on that Monday.

Good lead-up races into the Myer Classic field outside the Tristarc Stakes run on Caulfield Cup Day include the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) the Saturday before over more distance at The Valley and the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m).

2019 Empire Rose Stakes Field

The final Empire Rose 2019 Field & Barriers are set for release on the Wednesday of race week and will be published below so stay tuned to see what female milers make the line-up for the half-a-million-dollar feature this Cup Carnival.

It is a wide open edition of the Empire Rose Stakes in 2019, the field attracting 16 classy hopefuls including the flying Kiwi champion Melody Belle (13), while Tristarc Stakes winner Savatiano (12) looks the pick of the locals.

2019 Empire Rose Stakes Nominations

The official early Empire Rose Stakes 2019 Nominations are taken the Monday leading up to VRC Derby Day and will be announced below.

Twenty-two female milers make-up the 2019 Empire Rose Stakes nominations with Melody Belle from New Zealand clear favourite having won three straight Group 1 races back home in the lead-up.

Empire Rose Stakes Form Guide

The Empire Rose form guide has all the info you need before you enjoy a punt on the race including saddlecloth numbers, barriers, jockeys and trainers. Last start winners have a solid record in the race so looking for runners coming off a victory on the Empire Rose Stakes form guide, especially the Tristarc Stakes winner, is important. Widely-drawn mares have dominated the race in recent years, so a wide gate on the Empire Rose Stakes form is also a good indicator of a mare to get behind for the win.

Empire Rose Stakes Form Facts

• From 2011-19 every Empire Rose winner jumped from barrier 10 or wider
• I Am A Star (2016) was the first filly to win the Empire Rose in over 20 years and Shoals (2017) continued the trend winning as a 3YO the next year
• The Tristarc Stakes has produced three Empire Rose winners since 2009 including two to do the double
• The favourite in Empire Rose betting has saluted just three times since 2009 with Red Tracer ($3 in 2013), Shoals ($4.80 in 2017) and Melody Belle ($3.80 in 2018)
• Seven other winners in that time (2010-19) jumped at a big price including Appearance ($41 in 2012)

2019 Empire Rose Stakes Form Guide

A link to our insider Empire Rose Stakes 2019 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Empire Rose Stakes Results

Empire Rose results and the finishing order of all the fillies and mares in the field are known when the event runs late on the Flemington card on Victoria Derby Day each Melbourne Cup Carnival. As well as the winner you can find out the winning margin and time, full placings and the starting price of every runner plus any scratchings.

Roughie hopes have dominated the Empire Rose results since 2010 with only two single-figure winner from then until 2017 saluting. Notable recent Empire Rose winners including the fillies Shoals (2017) and I Am A Star (2016); Red Tracer (2013), Typhoon Tracy (2009) and Forensics (2008).

Empire Rose Stakes Winners