POINTS OF INTEREST
HISTORY BOOKS
The Maturity Classic was first run in 1970 at Olympic Park, with the inaugural winner, Phantom’s Heir, collecting $1250. Notable winners of the race include Temlee (1974), New Tears (1987), Brett Lee (2001), El Grand Senor (2010), Barcia Bale (2012), Fernando Bale (2015) and Simon Told Helen (2020).
GIRL POWER
Hot favourite Wow She’s Fast and Kelsey Bale are the only two female finalists and are striving to become the third winner from the fairer sex in the last five years, following Dyna Patty (2018) and Qwara Bale (2021), both of which were trained by Andrea Dailly. While their recent record in the race is strong, only seven females have won the Maturity Classic.
FAVOURITE WAY
If Wow She’s Fast is successful, she will become the 25th favourite to win the Maturity Classic since its inception and 12th favourite since the immortal Brett Lee was victorious in 2001. Brett Lee, which started $1.20, is the shortest priced winner of the race.
ON THE CLOCK
Since the race was first held at The Meadows in 1999, Fernando Bale holds the race record at 29.50sec, with Wow She’s Fast less than one length outside his benchmark time in her runaway heat victory. Fernando Bale has also sired two Maturity Classic winners in Dyna Patty and Sennachie, but he doesn’t have a finalist this year.
MULTIPLE WINNERS
‘Team Dailly’ is taking aim at their fourth Maturity Classic title in the past eight years with Dusty Bourbski, having won the race with the great Fernando Bale in 2015, as well as Dyna Patty and Qwara Bale. Champion trainer Jason Thompson is searching for a third Maturity Classic victory with Plaintiff, having been successful with Run’s House (2007) and Aston Trivett (2009).
FIRST TIMERS
Half the field will be contesting their first Group event – Kelsey Bale, Lektra Rhino, Who Told Shorty and He’s No Slouch, the latter being a litter brother to favourite Wow She’s Fast.
