Flemington Five: Best Empire Rose Stakes

31 October 2025 • Written by VRC

The TAB Empire Rose Stakes, a Group 1 race for fillies and mares, is named after the mighty New Zealand mare Empire Rose.

The daughter of Sir Tristram, Empire Rose had an illustrious career with a Melbourne Cup record few can rival. She contested four Melbourne Cups, placing fifth in 1986, second in 1987, triumphing in 1988, and finishing fifteenth in 1989 as the favourite. Her notable achievements also include victories in the 1987 New Zealand Cup and the 1988 Mackinnon Stakes.

Trained by Laurie Laxon in Cambridge, New Zealand, Empire Rose was often ridden in trackwork by Laxon’s then-wife, Sheila. Sheila made history in her own right when, in 2001, she trained the mare Ethereal to win the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double, becoming the first woman to officially win the Melbourne Cup as a trainer.

The Empire Rose Stakes has become a highlight of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. We relive the best wins here, beginning with last year’s popular winner.

MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL 2025