Fred Best Classic 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: The Fred Best Classic now serves as a potential Stradbroke lead-up each year.

The Group 3 Fred Best Classic is a feature race for middle-distance three-year-olds taking place Eagle Farm Racecourse in late May or early June each Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival on the new-look Kingsford Smith Cup Day. 

Held on the same day as the Group 1 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m), which was formerly known as the BTC Cup, the 1400m contest is run at set weights and now serves as a potential lead-up to the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) back at the track and distance a fortnight later.

La Montagna (2006) was the last horse to do the Fred Best Classic – Stradbroke Handicap race double.

As of 2023 the Fred Best Classic offers a generous $300,000 in total prize money and is also now a likely aim for three-year-old graduates out of the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) held earlier during the carnival.

The 2021 Fred Best Classic winner Apache Chase improved on a lead-up second in the Queensland Guineas to win the event.

The next edition of the Fred Best Classic takes place on Saturday June 1, 2024 at Eagle Farm in Brisbane as a potential Stradbroke Handicap race lead-up.

2024 Fred Best Classic Odds

The season’s official Fred Best Classic 2024 betting odds will be available on the hopeful three-year-olds right here the week of the race so stay tuned for access to the best Brisbane racing odds on the potential Stradbroke Handicap-bound youngsters.

Fred Best Classic Race Info

• Date: Saturday June 1, 2024
• Track: Eagle Farm Racecourse
• Distance: 1400m
• Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights
• Status: Group 3
• Prize Money: $300,000
• First Run: 1984

2024 Fred Best Classic Results

• 1st: TBD
• 2nd: TBD
• 3rd: TBD

The official Fred Best Classic results & finishing order for the 2024 edition of the race will be published here as soon as the race takes place on Saturday June 1, 2024.

Fred Best Classic Betting

Fred Best Classic betting markets favour three-year-olds with proven ability in Group races in either Brisbane or Sydney.

Previous Group winners, those with form over at least 1200m and the best out of a lead-up race like the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) earlier in the season all head the markets. Apache Chase (2nd in 2021) was the last horse to back-up out of the Queensland Guineas and win the Fred Best Classic.

The Group 3 Gold Coast Guineas (1200m) is another good lead-up into the Fred Best Classic.

Dawn Passage ($2.15 in 2020) was the last favourite in Fred Best Classic betting to win, while in 2021 the odds-on favourite Ayrton ($1.50) ran second in an upset to 10/1 shot Apache Chase.

Ayrton atoned winning the Group 3 Gunsynd Classic (1600m) next start.

In 2022 the Fred Best Classic winner Vilana for Godolphin came via a lead-up fifth in Sydney’s Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).

Hawaii Five Oh (2023) was the last horse to complete the Hawkesbury Guineas – Fred Best Classic double.

Fred Best Classic Field

The Fred Best Classic race field features a line-up of the best performing three-year-olds of the season from local and interstate stables.

Runners come via a number of different lead-up races including the Group 2 Queensland Guineas, which was previously held after the race before a reschedule to the line-up in 2021.

An earlier lead-up into the Fred Best Classic field taking place in late April in New South Wales is the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m).

Military Zone (2019), Dawn Passage (2020) and Hawaii Five Oh (2023) are the last horses to complete the Hawkesbury Guineas – Fred Best Classic double, while in 2022 Vilana improved on a fifth in the Hawkesbury Guineas to win the Fred Best.

Fred Best Classic nominations close on the Monday of race week with final acceptances announced on the Wednesday.

2024 Fred Best Classic Field

The official Fred Best Classic 2024 final field & barriers will be provided below as soon as acceptances are taken by Queensland Racing on the Wednesday leading-up to Kingsford Smith Cup Day so bookmark this page to see what youngsters make the cut for the set weights clash.

2024 Fred Best Classic Nominations

The early Fred Best Classic 2024 nominations are taken on the Wednesday of race week.

Fred Best Classic Form Guide

The Fred Best Classic form guide features all the crucial race information like the saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the runners in the field. Looking for Queensland Guineas graduates on the form is important, as is seeking out the well-performing Sydney raiders heading to Brisbane.

The Fred Best Classic form, since the race was moved from Doomben Cup Day to Kingsford Smith Cup Day, is expected to stack-up in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m).

It is key to look for the in-form interstate runners – especially any from the three-time winning stables of Peter Snowden – on the Fred Best Classic form guide.

The 2022 Fred Best Classic winner Vilana franked the form going on to win two million-dollar races in New South Wales that spring when completing the Silver Eagle – The Hunter race double.

The Fred Best Classic race form was franked in 2023 with the winner, Hawaii Five Oh, finishing a next-up third in the Stradbroke Handicap results. He also contested that year’s $20 million The Everest in the spring in Sydney running a credible sixth.

2024 Fred Best Classic Form Guide

Stay tuned for a link to our comprehensive Fred Best Classic 2024 race form guide, available following final declarations the week leading up to Kingsford Smith Cup Day.

Fred Best Classic Tips

Fred Best Classic tips include looking for youngsters coming off a win in a similar class race like the Gold Coast Guineas or Queensland Guineas in Brisbane or a Sydney equivalent and to back runners with winning form at least up to 1200m.

2024 Fred Best Classic Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Fred Best Classic 2024 betting tips with the three-year-old gallopers to back and sack this winter will be detailed below a day or so out from the race so stay tuned.

• To Win: TBD

Fred Best Classic Results

Fred Best Classic race results in recent years show a dominance by successful interstate raiders from Sydney.

Some of the more notable Fred Best Classic winners since the race was inaugurated in 1984 include Chief De Beers (1995), Gold Edition (2007), Mental (2012), and Military Zone (2019).

Najoom (2015) was the last Fred Best Classic winning filly.

Past Fred Best Classic Winners

Recent Fred Best Classic winners and place-getters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.