John Thompson’s in-form mare First Seal gets the inside run from barrier one in Saturday’s Myer Classic 2016 field at Flemington Racecourse on Victoria Derby Day.
First Seal jumps from barrier one in the 2016 Myer Classic field at Flemington this Saturday in Melbourne. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Winner of 2014 Flight Stakes defeating subsequent World No. 1 Winx as a three-year-old, the now five-year-old daughter of Fastnet Rock is one of the headline acceptors for the $500,000 Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m) this weekend in Melbourne.
Due to run as Flemington Race 6 at 3:05pm (AEDT) as part of the bumper nine race card for the opening Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting, the Myer Classic field has attracted 15 fillies and mares this season.
Among the top fancies for the weight-for-age classic this spring is First Seal, out to be the first Myer Classic winner to jump from barrier one since Lyrical Bid (2006) a decade ago.
Blake Shinn continues his association on the Group 1 winner who comes off a Caulfield win on Cup Day in the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes (1400m) and who is chasing the double last completed by Red Tracer (2013).
Thompson has also accepted for Bernardini six-year-old Zanbagh (barrier five) who comes off a fifth at Randwick from October 8 behind Dixie Blossoms in the Group 3 Angst Stakes (1600m).
Also coming off a top three run in the Tristarc Stakes but with opposite luck in the Myer Classic barrier draw is third placed Pearls out in gate 12 for the rematch.
The John O’Shea-trained Exceed And Excel four-year-old was third to Tycoon Tara at Rosehill in the Group 2 Golden Pendant (1400m) two back before finishing the same placing in the Tristarc.
She lines-up at Flemington for the first time on the weekend looking to close the gap on her last start conqueror from the wide alley.
Recent history shows that a wide Myer Classic barrier is no issue with the past five winners all jumping from barrier 10 or wider.
Typhoon Tracy (2009) was the last Myer Classic winner from gate 12.
Two of the past three Myer Classic champions came off a lead-up win and along with First Seal the others that fit that form-line are Don’t Doubt Mamma, Dixie Blossoms and Euro Angel.
The Tony McEvoy-trained Not A Single Doubt four-year-old Don’t Doubt Mamma has won her past two on the trot and is a gun at Flemington Racecourse.
From six starts at the track she boasts three wins and a second, the latest in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) on September 10.
Last start she won the Group 2 Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley, with Divine Madonna (Cox Plate 7th in 2007) the last Myer Classic winner to back up off a run at the Valley.
Don’t Doubt Mamma is drawn barrier 13, which has produced three of the past five Myer Classic victories.
The Ron Quinton-trained Dixie Blossoms (barrier four) is another four-year-old out to be the first of that age to win Saturday’s Group 1 mile classic since Appearance (2012).
She won the Angst Stakes in Sydney and has finished out of the money only twice in her nine career starts.
Euro Angel represents Team Hawkes with co-trainer and Hall of Famer John Hawkes chasing his third win in the race following success with Prairie (1997) and Zanna (2003).
A lightly-raced and super consistent Rip Van Winkle mare, Euro Angel is yet to run worse than third (6-3-2-1) and won Caulfield’s Group 3 Ladies’ Day Vase (1600m) over the distance on October 12.
See below for the full Myer Classic 2016 field, barriers and jockeys before heading to Ladbrokes.com.au for access to the best VRC Derby Day odds and betting options!
2016 Myer Classic Final Field & Barrier Draw
Flemington Race 6 (3:05pm) – 29/10/2016
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Weight | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 063540×274 | RISING ROMANCE (NZ) | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Damian Lane | 14 | 57kg | 107 |
| 2 | 26x1240x51 | FIRST SEAL | John P Thompson | Blake Shinn | 1 | 57kg | 110 |
| 3 | 49x2515x05 | ZANBAGH | John P Thompson | Mark Zahra | 5 | 57kg | 100 |
| 4 | 2311118×35 | DANISH TWIST | Kris Lees | Joao Moreira | 8 | 57kg | 104 |
| 5 | 31122×4167 | HEAVENS ABOVE | Tim Martin | Tye Angland | 15 | 57kg | 103 |
| 6 | 1220×67216 | FRENCH EMOTION | Chris Waller | Hugh Bowman | 3 | 57kg | 94 |
| 7 | 3x1210x511 | DON’T DOUBT MAMMA | Tony McEvoy | Dwayne Dunn | 13 | 56.5kg | 105 |
| 8 | x70331x574 | SERENE MAJESTY | Peter & Paul Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 9 | 56.5kg | 89 |
| 9 | 64027×1033 | PEARLS | John O’Shea | James McDonald | 12 | 56.5kg | 97 |
| 10 | 11422×2021 | DIXIE BLOSSOMS | Ron Quinton | Tim Clark | 4 | 56.5kg | 98 |
| 11 | 395262×444 | DENMAGIC | David Pfieffer | Tommy Berry | 6 | 56.5kg | 88 |
| 12 | 13x12x21 | EURO ANGEL (NZ) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Zac Purton | 11 | 56.5kg | 95 |
| 13 | 4x150x722 | PURE PRIDE (NZ) | Murray Johnson | Craig Williams | 7 | 56.5kg | 78 |
| 14 | 1x1111x273 | WHISPERING BROOK | Simon A Miller | Chris Parnham | 2 | 49kg | 92 |
| 15 | 611×15423 | I AM A STAR (NZ) | Shane Nichols | Dean Yendall | 10 | 49kg | 94 |
