I Am A Star has become the first three-year-old filly to win the Group 1 Myer Classic (1600m), after producing a gutsy start-to-finish performance at Flemington Racecourse this afternoon.

I Am A Star has been a strong and consistent performer amongst her own age group this season, but the Myer Classic was the first occasion that trainer Shane Nichols had tested the filly amongst open company.

Jumping from the gates well, in-form hoop Dean Yendall allowed the filly to stride forward and take a positive position alongside fellow three-year-old Whispering Brook on pace over the back straight and approaching the bend.

Hugging the rails leading onto the final straight, Yendall allowed the filly plenty of time to balance berfore asking for an extra effort, and the filly still had plenty in the tank when she hit top gear; maintaining to the line to beat French Emotion and Denmagic.

Yendall only posted his first Group 1 triumph aboard Yankee Rose in the Spring Champion Stakes three weeks ago and was thrilled to add to the tally aboard I Am A Star in the Myer Classic.

“She just had the right run,” Yendall said.

“I was able to dictate across there and get her just a nice, comfortable run.

“There was a bit of pressure from Zac (Purton, Euro Angel) on his horse getting to the 600m but I was just able to be in the right spot into the straight and she gave me a nice kick at the 400m.

“I thought that with the weight on my back, hopefully I’m going to be good enough to hang them off, which she was.

“Huge thanks to Shane Nichols for the magnificent opportunity.”

Nichols also secured his first Group 1 win in this afternoon’s Myer Classic and was thrilled that the filly was able to make the most of her light weight in the race.

“I’m trying to take it all in,” Nichols said.

“I felt that she came off the bridle at the top of the straight but he just had to give her a bit of a stir-up I think, to get back into the flow.

“With 49kgs they were always going to struggle to catch us late.

“Very, very excited and extremely pleased about being able to win my first Group 1 here during the carnival, on Derby Day. It’s just a great moment.”

Punters who backed I Am A Star to win the Myer Classic with Ladbrokes.com.au have been paid out on $9.50 odds!

Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Starting Price
1	15	I AM A STAR (NZ)	Shane Nichols	Dean Yendall	–	10	49kg	$8.50
2	6	FRENCH EMOTION	Chris Waller	Hugh Bowman	0.4L	3	57kg	$31
3	11	DENMAGIC	David Pfieffer	Tommy Berry	0.5L	6	56.5kg	$61
4	10	DIXIE BLOSSOMS	Ron Quinton	Tim Clark	0.8L	4	56.5kg	$10
5	13	PURE PRIDE (NZ)	Murray Johnson	Craig Williams	0.9L	7	56.5kg	$51
6	3	ZANBAGH	John P Thompson	Mark Zahra	1.1L	5	57kg	$101
7	9	PEARLS	John O’Shea	James McDonald	1.2L	12	56.5kg	$31
8	2	FIRST SEAL	John P Thompson	Blake Shinn	1.3L	1	57kg	$6.50
9	4	DANISH TWIST	Kris Lees	Joao Moreira	1.5L	8	57kg	$11
10	5	HEAVENS ABOVE	Tim Martin	Tye Angland	2.25L	15	57kg	$18
11	8	SERENE MAJESTY	Peter & Paul Snowden	Kerrin McEvoy	2.35L	9	56.5kg	$51
12	7	DON’T DOUBT MAMMA	Tony McEvoy	Dwayne Dunn	4.6L	13	56.5kg	$5.50F
13	14	WHISPERING BROOK	Simon A Miller	Chris Parnham	6.1L	2	49kg	$6
14	12	EURO ANGEL (NZ)	Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes	Zac Purton	9.35L	11	56.5kg	$7
15	1	RISING ROMANCE (NZ)	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Damian Lane	15.35L	14	57kg	$31