The VRC Sprint Classic is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, raced on Emirates Stakes Day on the weekend following the Melbourne Cup. This event is raced over 1200 metres and worth $1 million in prize money, recently moving to Flemington Racecourse in 2007.
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The VRC Sprint Classic has a long and rich history in Victorian racing, with the inaugural event taking place in 1868. While it has been through a number of name, status, and length changes over this time, this race is an enduring legacy that has become a big part of the Melbourne Spring. This event changed from a handicap race to a weight-for-age race in 2007, which is the same year it moved to Emirates Stakes Day to align with the Global Spring Challenge.
Between 1868 and 1907 the VRC Sprint Classic was known as the Flying Stakes, changing to the Linlithgow Stakes between 1908 and 1996, the Emirates Classic between 1997 and 2003, the Lexus Classic in 2004, the Age Classic between 2005 and 2007, and the Patinack Farm Classic between 2008 and 2012. The VRC Sprint Classic only took on its current name in 2013.
Between 1868 and 1886 this race was run over a distance of 6 furlongs, becoming a 7 furlong race in 1887 and an 8 furlong race in 1908. With the advent of the metric system in 1972 this event was run over 1400 metres, before it was reduced to its current length of 1200 metres in 1992. The VRC Sprint Classic was a Principal Race until 1979, receiving Group 2 status before its recent upgrade to Group 1 status in 2007.
Some of the notable winners of this event include Black Caviar in 2010-11, Miss Andretti in 2007, Takeover Target in 2005, Hareeba in 1994, Special in 1988, River Rough in 1983-84, Maybe Mahal in 1976, Century in 1973, and Vain in 1969. Run down the Flemington straight with no turns at all, the VRC Sprint Classic is a true speed event that continues to test the nation’s best sprinters.