Best Bets For The Empire Rose Stakes at Flemington

The Empire Rose Stakes is one of the leading races at Flemington on Saturday on Victoria Derby Day. It is a fillies and mares’ contest that is open to three-year-olds and above, and it takes place over the distance of 1,600 metres.

This race gained Group One status in 2004 and since then has been won by the likes of Miss Potential (2004), Divine Madonna (2007), Typhoon Tracy (2009), Shoals (2017), Melody Belle (2019) and Pride Of Jenni (2023).

Here is a look at the best bets for the Empire Rose Stakes and some of the supporting races on the card at Flemington.

BEST BET: Fangirl

Race no tbc (Empire Rose Stakes)

Fangirl has taken on the opposite sex in all three of her starts this season, and she has not fared badly. She won the 7 Stakes at Randwick on her penultimate outing, while last time out, she was three lengths behind Ceolwulf in the King Charles III Stakes.

Chris Waller’s mare is now taking on her own sex in the Empire Rose Stakes, and she deserves her position at the top of the betting. She has an excellent record in fillies and mares’ races, with her last appearance in this division coming in her triumph in the Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick back in April.

The former Winx Stakes winner will be partnered in this race by rider Kerrin McEvoy. He knows the mare well as he has ridden her on four occasions, including when the pair were second in the Group One George Ryder Stakes.

Stablemates Leica Lucy and Lazzura could prove to be the biggest challengers to Fangirl, but those runners may have to battle it out for one of the minor honours behind the exceptional mare.

SECOND BEST BET: REGAL AWARD

Race no tbc (Carbine Club Stakes)

Regal Award is stepping up to stakes level for the Carbine Club Stakes following an emphatic victory in a handicap contest at Caulfield. He appreciated the step up in distance to 1,600 metres in the race to score by just over seven lengths.

With two wins from his last three starts behind him, Regal Award has emerged as an exciting horse for the future. He remains over 1,600 metres here, and if he produces something close to what he did at Caulfield, his rivals are unlikely to lay a glove on him.

BEST VALUE: CABALLUS

Race no tbc (G H Mumm Stakes)

Connections of Caballus will have been delighted with their horse’s reappearance performance in the Group Three Sydney Stakes, where he was a length behind the winner, Rothfire, in a bunch finish to the 1200-metre contest at Randwick. He was entitled to need that run to blow off the cobwebs, but he still proved competitive at the finish.

Bjorn Baker’s sprinter should come on for that outing at Randwick, as he will be much fitter for this assignment. The former Group Three winner has an electric turn of foot, and he is the value selection in this strong G H Mumm Stakes field.