Connections flying filly of Najoom will have to decide if they are to pay a late entry fee for the Stradbroke Handicap after the filly scored a stunning win in the Group 3 $125,000 Sita Australia Fred Best Classic (1350m) at Doomben today.

The Gai Waterhouse trained Najoom scores a stunning win in the Fred Best Classic at Doomben. Photo by Daniel Costello.

Najoom was in a class of her own as she raced away in the straight with Tommy Berry standing high in the irons to record a three and a quarter lengths win after travelling three wide outside the leaders for most of the way.

The Gai Waterhouse trained filly was sent out the $2.90 favourite on the back of her dominant win in the Group 3 $150,000 Blacktown Workers Hawkesbury Guineas (1400m) at Rosehill on May 9.

And while favourite backer might have been worried in the early and middle stages when she was caught wide, there was no such cause for alarm in the straight when Berry let her go.

Miss Cover Girl ($13) ran on late without making any impression on the winner with one of the outsiders of the field Awesome Rock ($61) also running home for third.

The well fancied Traveston Miss ($4.80) set the pace up front with Lucky Tom ($71) but faded in the straight to be a well beaten ninth.

Najoom is now exempt from the ballot for the Stradbroke Handicap after winning the Fred Best Classic but her name isn’t among the one hundred and eleven horses nominated for the $2m sprint and if connections wish to run in the Group 1 in two weeks time, they can pay a late entry fee of $30,000 on Wednesday May 27.

Today’s win was Najoom’s fifth from seven starts and the Fred Best Classic winning cheque of $80,000 took her earnings to over $250,000.