Fred Best Classic

Looking for early info on this year’s Fred Best Classic? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.

Run over 1,400 metres, the Fred Best Classic is a Group 3 race taking place at Eagle Farm Racecourse in late May on Kingsford Smith Cup Day as part of the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival. With a boosted prize purse of $300,000 as of 2023, the set weights race draws a quality field of three-year-olds each season. 

For 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the impact on the Brisbane Winter Racing Carnival, the Fred Best Classic ran at Doomben Racecourse over 1350m offering $125,000 in prize money.

The winner of the Fred Best Classic earns a ballot exemption into the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap field at Eagle Farm, with La Montagna (2006) the last horse to do the Fred Best Classic – Stradbroke Handicap double.

This race formerly served as an excellent lead in to the Queensland Guineas before a change to the carnival’s line-up in 2021. 

Fred Best Classic 2023 – Quick Information

• Race Day: Saturday, May 27th, 2023
• Track Location: Eagle Farm Racecourse 
• Track Surface: Turf
• Track Direction: Right-handed
• Race Distance: 1,400 metres 
• Weight Conditions: Set weights
• Qualification: Three year olds
• Type: Thoroughbred
• Grade: Group 3
• Operator: Brisbane Racing Club
• Prize Purse: $300,000
• Inaugural Race: 1984
• 2023 Fred Best Classic Winner: Hawaii Five Oh

fred best classic 2023 RESULTS

The official 2023 Fred Best Classic results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday May 27th, 2023.  

1. #8 Hawaii Five Oh
2. #2 Yellow Brick
3. #12 End Assembly

The nicely-bred Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas winning I Am Invincible colt Hawaii Five Oh ($4) kept the wins going with a stellar victory in the 2023 Fred Best Classic results ahead of his shot at the $3 million Stradbroke Handicap on June 10.

Fred Best Classic Betting 2023

There are many different ways to bet on the Fred Best Classic, we’ve included some of the most popular options below:

How To Bet On The Fred Best Classic

1. Login at neds.com.au
2. Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
3. Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Fred Best Classic Betting above).
4. Select the horse(s) for the race.

Which Horse Will Win The Fred Best Classic in 2023

The best way to pick which horse will win the Fred Best Classic in 2023 is to take into account their lead-up winter racing form, assess the barriers and look for the proven Group performers. 

Additional factors to consider when picking the Fred Best Classic winner include: 

• Distance – Some entrants in the past have had excellent records at 1400 metres, they stand to be ahead of the rest if in this year’s field.
• Best Lead Up – The Gold Coast Guineas and the Group 2 Queensland Guineas (1600m) are the best lead-up events. Apache Chase (2nd in 2021) was the last Queensland Guineas graduate to back-up and win the Fred Best Classic.
• Trainer – Peter Snowden holds the Fred Best Classic training record with three winners.

Fred Best Classic Favourites 2023

Early favourites in 2023 Fred Best Classic betting include last start Gold Coast Guineas winner Yellow Brick, the Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained I Am Invincible colt Hawaii Five Oh coming off a win in the Group 3 Hawkesbury Guineas, and the John O’Shea-trained Zou Tiger. 

Any in-form Peter Snowden-trained runner from Sydney in the line-up often starts as the Fred Best Classic favourite as he holds the training record having prepared three previous winners.

Following on from Military Zone ($3.30 in 2019) who handed Snowden his third, the trainer’s first in partnership with his son Paul, Dawn Passage ($2.15 in 2020) was the last Fred Best Classic favourite to salute for the punters.

Fred Best Classic Field 2023

The Fred Best Classic 2023 field of final acceptances announced on the Wednesday of race week and will be published in full below. 

Fred Best Classic Tips 2023

Favourite: #2 Yellow Brick ($2.80 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Best Bet: #2 Yellow Brick to salute for the punters (see above) – BET NOW

Best Roughie: #1 Fashion Legend ($21 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Our insider 2023 Fred Best Classic tips will be detailed above the week of the race and a complete betting preview published on the Neds Blog.

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2023 QUEENSLAND DERBY DAY PREVIEW & TIPS

Fred Best Classic Race Day 2023

The Fred Best Classic 2023 takes place at Eagle Farm Racecourse on Saturday the 27th of May, 2023 on 2023 Queensland Derby Day. There are a host of Group status races on the card including the:

• Group 1 $1,000,000 Queensland Derby (2400m),
• Group 1 $1,000,000 Kingsford Smith Cup (1300m),
• Group 2 $1,000,000 BRC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m),
• Group 3 $200,000 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1800m), and the
• Group 3 $200,000 Premier’s Cup (2400m).

Fred Best Classic Barrier Draw 2023

The 2023 Fred Best Classic barrier draw will be released to the public a few days before the race and published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section. 

Fred Best Classic Nominations 2023

2023 Fred Best Classic nominations close at 11 AM on Monday, the 22nd of May, 2023. 

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Fred Best Classic Weights 2023

Set weights apply to this race. Colts and geldings run at 57 kilograms, fillies at 55 kilograms. Final weights are announced at 4 PM on Tuesday, the 23rd of May, 2023 with the official 2023 Fred Best Classic weights on the final acceptances to be published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.

Fred Best Classic Acceptances 2023

2023 Fred Best Classic final acceptances must be declared before 9:00 AM on Wednesday, the 24th of May, 2023 and will be published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.

Fred Best Classic Jockeys 2023

The final riders announcement is at 12 PM on Wednesday, the 24th of May, 2023 with the official 2023 Fred Best Classic jockeys to be published in our above Fred Best Classic Field section.

Fred Best Classic Scratchings 2023

Scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, the 27th of May, 2023. 

2023 Fred Best Classic Scratchings:

• #16 Portray (10)

Fred Best Classic Prize Money 2023

The 2023 Fred Best Classic prize purse is worth $300,000 in total, distributed from places first through to tenth.

Fred Best Classic Race Number 2023

The 2023 Fred Best Classic race number is scheduled as Eagle Farm Race 5 at 2:03pm (AEST) on Saturday the 27th of May, 2023. There are nine races in total that day held at Eagle Farm Racecourse. 

Fred Best Classic Form Guide 2023

The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below the week of the race for a link to the full 2023 Fred Best Classic form guide following final acceptances. 

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2023 FRED BEST CLASSIC FORM GUIDE

Fred Best Classic Live 2023

You can watch or listen to the 2023 Fred Best Classic live, across the following mediums.

Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)

Radio: Radio Sport National

Free to air television: Seven Network

Fred Best Classic Winners

Winners of the Fred Best Classic going back to 2000 are displayed in the table below.