Some Maturity fact and figures
Twenty-three favourites have won the Maturity Classic since it was first staged in 1970. Of those ten have started odds on.
The race record at Olympic Park was 29.80 held by Storm Glade, since the race transferred to the Meadows the fastest winner is Fernando Bale in 29.50.
The longest priced winner is Poetic Magic at $27.40 he won in 2005. The Shortest priced winner is Brett Lee at 1.20 when won in 2001.
Graeme Bate won the race on five occasions with Storm Glade (1985), Hay Dinney (88), Northern Legend (95), Shereen Bale (2011) and Barcia Bale (2012).
The only other trainers to produce more than one winner are Darren McDonald with Brett Lee (2001) and Hallucinate (2004), Jason Thompson 2007 Run’s House and 2009 Aston Trivett and Jeff Britton Mepunga Hayley (2014) and Mepunga Blazer (2017) and Andrea Dailly Fernando Bale (2015) Dyna Patty (2018) and Qwara Bale (2021).
Some of the most famous winners and most noted start with Temlee (74), Satan’s Legend (78), Pharaoh’s Mask (86), New Tears (87), Hay Dinney (88), Best Of Blue (89), Eureka Man (90), Northern Legend (95), Coriole (99), Brett Lee (2001), Hallucinate (2004), El Grand Senor (2010) Shereen Bale (2012) Barcia Bale, (2013) Marcus Joe, 2015 winner Fernando Bale, Simon Told Helen (2020) and Wow She’s Fast (2022).
Winners that have produced winners. Temlee produced Satan’s Legend & Murchison Champ, New Tears produced Northern Legend, Brett Lee produced Hallucinate and Fernando Bale two winners Dyna Patty and Sennachie.
Only eight bitches have won the Maturity Warrenwood Girl (75), Overflow Love (77), Coriole (99), Shereen Bale (2011) Mepunga Hayley (2014), (2018) Dyna Patty, Qwara Bale (2021) and Wow She’s Fast (2022).
In the last 20 years nine of the 14 winners started favourite.
The Maturity Classic was first held at Olympic Park in 1970 when won by talented sprinter Phantom’s Heir first prize at that time was $1250. The prizemoney increased marginally until 1975 when it went to $3,500. In 77 it was $5,600 and jumped to $7000 in 79 before going to $10,000 from 1980 until 1987 the year the mighty New Tears won the race. First prize went to $15,000 for seven years then to $20,000 for two years and reached $30,000 in the year 2000. In 2001 it was worth $40,000 and the Classic was won by AGRA Hall Of Famer Brett Lee. It was elevated the next year to the amount of $50,000 and again in 2011 the race increased to $75,000 to the winner. Then again in 2012 the prizemoney increased to $100,000 to the winner. Prizemoney was reduced back to $75,000 to the winner in 2024 after remaining at $100,000 for 11 years. Listed below is the Maturity Classic Honour roll highlighted by some of the many stars that enjoyed outstanding careers after winning the feature. The full Honour Roll is listed below.
MATURITY CLASSIC HONOUR ROLL
| Year | Dist. | Track | Group | Winner | Margin | Time | Trainer | Runner-Up | Box |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 560y | OLP | N/A | Phantom’s Heir | 2L | 30 5/16 | J. Bushell | Grand Snapper | 1 |
| 1971 | 560y | OLP | N/A | Linden Lad | 2-1/4L | 30 12/16 | T. Jacobs | Rodarin Boy | 7 |
| 1972 | 560y | OLP | N/A | Nulla’s Call | 2L | 30 10/16 | R. Pyers | Tal Fenek | 8 |
| 1973 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Shan’s Tempest | 5-1/2L | 30.33sec | R. Jeffrey | Dougie’s Rose | 1 |
| 1974 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Temlee | 9L | 30.45sec | F. Cray | Sylvan Prince | 1 |
| 1975 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Warranwood Girl | 3L | 30.56sec | J. Hickson | Spot Monaro | 1 |
| 1976 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Aaron King | 3-1/4L | 30.50sec | N. Bryant | Leeander Mist | 1 |
| 1977 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Overflow Love | 1/2L | 31.06sec | P. Haas | Shelley O’Reilly | 2 |
| 1978 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Satan’s Legend | 6-3/4L | 30.26sec | D. Gillard | Precious Charm | 7 |
| 1979 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Marajax | 5L | 30.29sec | A. Brearley | Jeddy Royale | 1 |
| 1980 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Worthy Weston | 4-1/4L | 30.39sec | B. Jacobson | Belmore Pride | 6 |
| 1981 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Murchison Champ | 2-1/2L | 30.46sec | K. Richards | Fun Legend | 5 |
| 1982 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Wynlee Spirit | 1-1/4L | 30.28sec | A. Roberts | Spaetzel | 5 |
| 1982 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Rocky Pyramid | 1-3/4L | 30.44sec | F. Ladd | Superstar | 3 |
| 1983 | SERIES NOT CONDUCTED | ||||||||
| 1984 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Broken Cup | 1-1/2L | 30.03sec | L. Ketelaar | Regional Wave | 1 |
| 1985 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Storm Glade | 4-1/4L | 29.80sec | G. Bate | Black Zephyr | 2 |
| 1986 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Pharaoh’s Mask | 3L | 29.92sec | D. Connor | Karen Jent | 3 |
| 1987 | 511m | OLP | N/A | New Tears | 2-1/2L | 29.94sec | S. Davies | Blackman Ray | 5 |
| 1988 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Hay Dinney | 3/4L | 29.80sec | G. Bate | Free Wheeler | 1 |
| 1989 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Best Of Blue | 6L | 29.96sec | A. Evans | Hua | 4 |
| 1990 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Eureka Man | 1-3/4L | 29.82sec | K. Patterson | Immortal Flash | 4 |
| 1991 | 511m | OLP | N/A | Enfield | 2-3/4L | 30.10sec | S. Johannesen | Blue Success | 4 |
| 1992 | 511m | OLP | G2 | Executive Class | Nose | 29.82sec | M. Taylor | Mr. Slick | 1 |
| 1993 | 511m | OLP | G2 | Keystone | 2-1/2L | 29.98sec | T. Brown | Shaymark’s Man | 2 |
| 1994 | 511m | OLP | G2 | Refur | 3-3/4L | 30.03sec | R. Halliday | Terasaki | 3 |
| 1995 | 511m | OLP | G2 | Northen Legend | 2-1/4L | 29.85sec | G. Bate | His True Value | 1 |
| OLYMPIC PARK (M.G.R.A) CLOSED – RACING MOVED TO SANDOWN PARK | |||||||||
| 1996 | 515m | SAN | G2 | Royal Honcho | 5L | 30.10sec | G. Edwards | Cattle Drive | 8 |
| 1997 | 515m | SAN | G2 | Running Gold | 1-1/2L | 30.33sec | S. Sorbello | Chicago Blue | 7 |
| 1998 | 515m | SAN | G2 | Andrenalin Storm | 3/4L | 29.99sec | N. Maurer | Burton | 1 |
| NEW TRACK COMPLETED – M.G.R.A. MOVE TO BROADMEADOWS TRACK | |||||||||
| 1999 | 518m | MEA | G2 | Coriole | 2-1/4L | 29.97sec | D. Holmes | My Mutley | 3 |
| 2000 | 518m | MEA | G2 | Acacia Dee | 1L | 30.28sec | P. Giles | Connemara Lad | 4 |
| 2001 | 518m | MEA | G1 | Brett Lee | 3L | 29.75sec | D. McDonald | Draco Star | 8 |
| 2002 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Rocka Cockatoo | 3/4L | 30.63sec | P. Chaker | Zazzy Princess | 8 |
| 2003 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Hall’s Northern | 5-3/4L | 29.98sec | K. Hunt | Tut | 2 |
| 2004 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Hallucinate | 1L | 30.10sec | D. McDonald | Regal Ricky | 1 |
| 2005 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Poetic Magic | 1-3/4L | 30.15sec | K. Mugavin | Plastered | 5 |
| 2006 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Train A Journey | 4L | 30.11sec | J. Galea | Red Legend | 4 |
| 2007 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Run’s House | 4-1/2L | 29.80sec | J. Thompson | Axe Handle | 1 |
| 2008 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Paddy’s Flame | 1-3/4L | 30.03sec | P. Giles | Lochinui | 6 |
| 2009 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Aston Trivett | 4-1/2L | 29.89sec | J. Thompson | Nova Surf | 2 |
| 2010 | 525m | MEA | G1 | El Grand Senor | 2-3/4L | 29.99sec | C. Jones | Arsonist | 1 |
| 2011 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Shereen Bale | 1.50L | 29.76sec | G. Bate | Stefan Bale | 8 |
| 2012 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Barcia Bale | 0.75L | 30.03sec | G. Bate | Desalle Bale | 3 |
| 2013 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Marcus Joe | 1.26L | 29.66sec | B. Moloney | Dyna Nalin | 3 |
| 2014 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Mepunga Hayley | 3.30L | 29.78sec | J. Britton | Shoulders | 8 |
| 2015 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Fernando Bale | 5.28L | 29.50sec | A. Dailly | Dyna Double One | 2 |
| 2016 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Kilty Express | 0.19L | 30.18sec | R. Drew | Shima Song | 6 |
| 2017 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Mepunga Blazer | 1.53L | 29.81sec | J. Britton | Paradiso Lass | 6 |
| 2018 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Dyna Patty | 2.26L | 29.73sec | A. Dailly | Orson Allen | 1 |
| 2019 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Sennachie | 4.19L | 29.53sec | S. Bruce White | Whiskey Riot | 8 |
| 2020 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Simon Told Helen | 1.53L | 29.60sec | D. Burnett | Hard Style Rico | 3 |
| 2021 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Qwara Bale | 0.56L | 29.93sec | A. Dailly | Fernando Mick | 3 |
| 2022 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Wow She’s Fast | 1.03L | 29.84sec | J. Greenough | Dusty Bourbski | 1 |
| 2023 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Launch Code | 1-3/4L | 29.77sec | B. Ennis | Make No Promise | 6 |
| 2024 | 525m | MEA | G1 | Follow The Band | 2-1/4L | 29.73sec | R. Gibbons | Mepunga Tully | 1 |