Champions Mile

Champions Mile

Group One Betting Guide
Date: Saturday, November 9, 2024
Location: Flemington Racecourse – Melbourne, Victoria
Prize Money: $3,000,000
Distance: 1600m

Punters love betting on the Group 1 Champions Mile at Flemington because it has been taken out by some of the greats of Australian racing.

The 1600 metre race – which is now known as the Champions Mile as of 2022 – is for horses aged three years and older is worth a total prize purse of $3 million.

It changed its name from the Emirates Stakes to the Cantala Stakes in 2016 and it changed dates from the last day of the carnival to Derby Day. It is run on the same day as the Victoria Derby and Coolmore Stud Stakes and the Empire Rose Stakes.


2024 Champions Mile betting odds

Markets for the 2024 Champions Mile are currently unavailable.


Champions Mile best bookmakers

The Champions Mile and most big Group one races held in Australia will have markets framed for them months out from the race by the big corporate bookmakers. For Australians this means we have a handful of really positive options to bet on the biggest race meetings.

Take a look at our comprehensive reviews below for our trusted online bookmakers.

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Latest Champions Mile News

HorseBetting's Top 10 horse racing moments of 2023
As another year draws to a close, the team at Horsebetting.com.au has compiled their top 10 horse racing moments for ...
Follow Files blackbook tips
In this week’s Follow Files, we have focused on three horses that are worth backing next preparation after impressive Melbourne ...
Pride Of Jenni claims Group 1 VRC Champions Mile
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace and Declan Bates have combined with Pride Of Jenni to claim the Group 1 VRC ...
Champions Stakes Preview 2023
A stacked nine-race card awaits punters at Flemington on Saturday for Champions Stakes Day. Check out HorseBetting's free race-by-race preview ...
Champions Mile rematch looms for Cox Plate combatants
The VRC Champions Mile will be run and won on Saturday, November 11, at Flemington, where seven runners will do ...
Damian Lane
Racing Victoria and the Moonee Valley Racing Club are considering moving the Group 1 Cox Plate to later in the ...

Champions Mile race history

Le Romain wins the cantala stakes
Le Romain, ridden by Hugh Bowman, won the 2016 Cantala Stakes at Flemington. (Brett Holburt/Racing Photos)

The Champions Mile hasn’t always been under that name, as principal sponsor Emirates only came on board in 1998.

Prior to the sponsorship of Emirates, the race was sponsored by company’s such as Ampol, Honda, Nissan, Chrysler, Cantala and its current name of Champions Mile.

With the former international banner of Emirates, and their involvement in world racing, the Champions Mile attracts big attention from Australians and even race goers and punters in Europe and Asia.

The race was first run in 1881 where it was won by Courtenay and it has been run every year since, even throughout the war periods.

Some real champions of the turf have etched their name on the trophy, and also etched their name into Australian racing history.

Vain was a winner in 1969 and champion Gunsynd followed suit two years later to win the 1971 edition of the then called George Adams Handicap.

In recent times, the winning names on the list don’t feature some of the world’s best milers, but the race is continually growing in stature and the increase in prize money in 2014 was a big stepping stone to attracting international horses.


2024 Champions Mile Final Field

HorseBetting will update this page when the 2024 Champions Mile field is released.


Previous Champions Mile Fields

Plenty of Group 1 superstars have won the Champions Mile. Check the previous fields of the Champions Mile here.

  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Mr Brightside
    Ben, Will & JD Hayes
    Craig Williams
    2
    59kg
    2 Silks
    Alligator Blood
    Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
    Tim Clark
    5
    59kg
    3 Silks
    The Inevitable
    John Keys
    Damien Oliver
    4
    59kg
    4 Silks
    Bankers Choice
    Mike Moroney
    John Allen
    6
    59kg
    5 Silks
    Victoria Road
    Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
    Blake Shinn
    1
    58kg
    6 Silks
    Fangirl
    Chris Waller
    James McDonald
    7
    57kg
    7 Silks
    Pride Of Jenni
    Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
    Declan Bates
    3
    57kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Silks
    Kolding
    Chris Waller
    Damien Oliver
    1
    59kg
    2 Silks
    Private Eye
    Joseph Pride
    Brenton Avdulla
    5
    59kg
    3 Silks
    Cascadian
    James Cummings
    James McDonald
    11
    59kg
    4 Silks
    Alligator Blood
    Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
    Tim Clark
    3
    59kg
    5 Silks
    Mr Brightside
    Ben & JD Hayes
    Craig Williams
    4
    59kg
    6 Silks
    Dalasan
    Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas
    Michael Dee
    2
    59kg
    7 Silks
    Aegon
    Andrew Forsman
    Jamie Kah
    10
    59kg
    8 Silks
    Tuvalu
    Lindsey Smith
    Jarrod Fry
    8
    59kg
    9 Silks
    My Oberon
    Annabel Neasham
    John Allen
    7
    59kg
    10 Silks
    Kiss Sum
    Tracey Bartley
    Nash Rawiller
    9
    59kg
    11 Silks
    Sinawann
    Anthony & Sam Freedman
    Ben Melham
    6
    59kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Zoutori Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra Luke Currie 13 58kg
    2 Cascadian James Cummings James McDonald 15 57.5kg
    3 Superstorm Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 14 56kg
    4 Riodini Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Rachel King 10 55kg
    5 Buffalo River Michael Moroney Linda Meech 4 54kg
    6 Aramayo Chris Waller Glen Boss 3 53.5kg
    7 Icebath Brad Widdup Jye McNeil 16 53.5kg
    8 Lunar Fox Paul Preusker Brett Prebble 7 53kg
    9 Kahma Lass Jamie Richards Michael Dee 1 52kg
    10 Quantum Mechanic Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr Craig Newitt 9 52kg
    11 Chaillot Archie Alexander Declan Bates 12 52kg
    12 Just Folk Josh Julius Dean Holland 2 52kg
    13 Romancer Grahame Begg Will Price 8 52kg
    14 Mr Brightside Ben & JD Hayes Craig Williams 6 52kg
    15 King Magnus Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock Dean Yendall 11 52kg
    16 Flash Aah Matt Kropp Madeleine Wishart 5 52kg
  • No. Silks Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
    1 Fifty Stars Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes John Allen 15 58kg
    2 Mr Quickie Phillip Stokes Jamie Kah 16 58kg
    3 Olmedo Chris Waller James McDonald 20 56kg
    4 Wild Planet Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes William Pike 8 55kg
    5 Yulong Prince Chris Waller Damian Lane 14 55kg
    6 Best Of Days James Cummings Ben Melham 13 54.5kg
    7 Cascadian James Cummings Damien Oliver 18 54.5kg
    8 I Am Superman Peter & Paul Snowden Jye McNeil 1 54kg
    9 Rock Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Michael Poy 2 54kg
    10 Streets Of Avalon Shane Nichols Zac Spain 11 54kg
    11 The Velvet King Peter Moody Luke Nolen 4 53.5kg
    12 Age Of Chivalry Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra Daniel Moor 19 53kg
    13 Buffalo River Michael Moroney Craig Williams 9 53kg
    14 Chief Ironside Kris Lees Kerrin McEvoy 3 53kg
    15 Nonconformist Grahame Begg Jordan Childs 10 53kg
    16 King’s Legacy Peter & Paul Snowden Glen Boss 6 51kg
    17 Reykjavik (1E) Lindsey Smith Dean Yendall 12 53kg
    18 Junipal (2E) Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Jye McNeil 17 53kg
    19 Harbour Views (3E) Matthew Williams Kerrin McEvoy 7 53kg
    20 Reloaded (4E) Chris Waller Michael Dee 5 53kg

2023 Champions Mile result


1stPride Of Jenni (+1200)
2ndMr Brightside (-142.86)
3rdAlligator Blood (NTD)

Recent Champions Mile runnings

  • Pride Of Jenni ($13.00) took luck out the equation and led at a breakneck tempo in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes seven days ago, and with Declan Bates on board again, the same tactics were adopted in the Group 1 VRC Champions Mile to record the same result. Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained mare loves to lead and run the race at a quick speed and considering that the Flemington track is playing favourable to leaders, she was always going to be hard to run down, no matter the class of opposition. From the moment the field came out until the horses left the mounting yard, all of the attention was on the Cox Plate runners, as Fangirl ($2.40), Mr Brightside ($3.00) and Alligator Blood ($4.20) dominated the betting. However, the Champions Mile was near on a one act affair as Bates took the eventual winner to the front and led the field by three lengths midway through the race, with Alligator Blood sitting in second and tasked with the job to bring the field up to the tearaway leader. Pride Of Jenni led into the home straight with four lengths on the rest of the field and even though Mr Brightside and Fangirl took a lot of ground of the leader, she held on to claim her second Group 1 victory in the space of a week.
  • The Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained Alligator Blood added the VRC Champions Mile to his resume alongside the Underwood Stakes as he relished the drop back to the mile. Having struggled in the Might And Power (2000m) and Cox Plate (2040m), the drop back to the 1600m was clearly the recipe for success for the front-runner. Having been aided by a soft tempo alongside Mr Brightside, the ‘Gator managed to kick clear in the home straight and held off the fast-finishing Tuvalu.
  • Danny O’Brien trained Superstorm made a late charge down the Flemington straight to win the geldings first group one in a nail biting four-way photo finish. All praises wen’t out to Damien Oliver for the heroic win after earlier also taking out the Empire Rose Stakes with Colette.
  • Despite winning a Group 1 in South Africa earlier in his career, Yulong Prince broke his Group 1 duck in the Cantala Stakes with a strong run from the rear of the field. With a breakneck speed set from Buffalo River, it was always going to suit the backmarkers and following a perfect steer from Damian Lane, it was Yulong Prince who held off the fast finishing Cascadian and Rock. The win handed Chris Waller a second Cantala victory in four years.
  • In one of the closest finishes in Cantala Stakes history it was the Matthew Smith trained Fierce Impact who got the bob in during a driving finish where he held out Fifty Stars in an exciting finish. Read our full report on the 2019 Cantala Stakes here
  • Godolphin galloper Best Of Days finally delivered on his promise, taking out 2018 Cantala Stakes in terrific fashion. Getting caught in a midfield position with a wall of horses in front of him, Best Of Days was steered brilliantly towards the fence by Craig Williams, who willed the stallion to the line when it looked like Le Romain had his measure.
  • Kiwi import Shillelagh was considered an outside hope in the Cantala Stakes in 2017 but history suggests this race was extremely winnable Group 1 event. Fresh off a strong third in the Tristarc Stakes, Shillelagh got a beautiful tail into the race before unleashing down the outside to overrun perennial bridesmaid Tom Melbourne, who registered yet another second in his career.
  • An extremely open Cantala Stakes saw Le Romain jumping as a $14 hope in 2016, but in hindsight that price was extremely generous. Settling midfield and getting a great trail into it, Le Romain was produced at the 400m mark and forged its way to the front before kicking away in the shadows of the post to record his second Group 1 victory of his career.
  • It was another Kiwi import that won the Cantala Stakes, this time it Turn Me Loose under a strong front-running ride. Taking the lead at the beginning of the race, Turn Me Loose was the lamp lighter for the majority, but looked vulnerable coming into the latter stages of the race. No other horse was coming hard enough in the final 100m however, as Turn Me Loose gripped on to record a heart-stopping win for backers.
  • Another double figure saluted in the Cantala after Hucklebuck pounced in the straight to claim his maiden Group 1 crown. Making the most of the hot tempo set by The Cleaner, Hucklebuck strode to the front when the front runner wilted and did enough to hold out a fast-finishing Lucky Hussler.

Past Champions Mile winners list

Champions Mile Past Winners
Year Horse Jockey Trainer
2023 Pride Of Jenni Declan Bates Ciaron Maher & David Eustace
2022 Alligator Blood Tim Clark Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
2021 Superstorm Damien Oliver Danny O’Brien
2020 Yulong Prince Damian Lane Chris Waller
2019 Fierce Impact Craig Williams Matthew Smith
2018 Best Of Days Craig Williams James Cummings
2017 Shillelagh Michael Dee Chris Waller
2016 Le Romain Hugh Bowman Kris Lees
2015 Turn Me Loose Kerrin McEvoy Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman
2014 Hucklebuck Dom Tourneur Phillip Stokes
2013 Boban Glyn Schofield Chris Waller
2012 Happy Trails Damien Oliver Paul Beshara
2011 Albert The Fat Mark Zahra Chris Waller
2010 Wall Street Hugh Bowman Jeff Lynds
2009 All American Corey Brown David Hayes
2008 All Silent Dwayne Dunn Grahame Begg
2007 Tears I Cry Nikita Beriman Ciaron Maher
2006 Divine Madonna Stephen Baster Mark Kavanagh
2005 Valedictum Steven King Danny O’Brien
2004 Sky Cuddle Jason Benbow Peter Moody
2003 Titanic Jack Brett Prebble Tom Hughes
2002 Scenic Peak Danny Nikolic Danny Bougoure
2001 Grand Delight Kerrin McEvoy Mathew Ellerton
2000 Testa Rossa Patrick Payne Dean Lawson

Champions Mile Past Winners Pre 2000
Year Horse
1999 Bonanova
1998 Bezeal Bay
1997 Catalan Opening
1996 Miss Margaret
1995 Seascay
1994 Seascay
1993 Primacy
1992 Planet Ruler
1991 Pontormo
1990 Shaftesbury Avenue
1989 Better Loosen Up
1988 Our Westminster
1987 Warned
1986 Chanteclair
1985 Dazzling Duke
1984 Riverdale
1983 Honest Promise
1982 Magari
1981 Tower Belle
1980 Silver Bounty
1979 Bit Of A Skite
1978 Family Of Man
1977 Galway Bay
1976 Maybe Mahal
1975 Kiwi Can
1974 Skyjack
1973 Taj Rossi
1972 All Shot
1971 Gunsynd
1970 Levian
1969 Vain
1968 Cyron
1967 Heroic Stone
1966 Storm Queen
1965 Heroic Stone
1964 Brandy Lad
1963 Wenona Girl
1962 Woambra
1961 Aquanita
1960 Aquanita
1959 Wheat King
1958 Droll Prince
1957 Landy
1956 Matrice
1955 Kosciusko
1954 Prince Cortauld
1953 Rio Janeiro
1952 Phaethon
1951 Kintail
1950 Ellerslie
1949 Comedy Prince
1948 Beau John
1947 Money Moon
1946 St. Fairy
1945 Royal Gem
1944 Gay Revelry
1943 Burberry
1942 Queen Baccha
1941 Burrabil
1940 Gold Salute
1939 Manrico
1938 St. Constant
1937 Mohican
1936 Gay Lover
1935 Hostile
1934 L’elite
1933 Care Free
1932 Denis Boy
1931 Dermid
1930 Mystic Peak
1929 Amounis
1928 Highland
1927 Vaals
1926 Amounis
1925 Waranton
1924 The Night Patrol
1923 Claro
1922 Violoncello
1921 Beeline
1920 Ethiopian
1919 Chal
1918 Fitness
1917 De Gama
1916 Colugo
1915 Fidelio
1914 De Gama
1913 Ireland
1912 Walter Tyrril
1911 Ladies’ Man
1910 Perilous
1909 Kerlie
1908 Iolaire
1907 Iolaire
1906 Benbow
1905 Debenture
1904 P.K.
1903 Graft
1902 Kinglock
1901 Caledonia
1900 Nitre
1899 Security
1898 Sailor Boy
1897 The Grafter
1896 Ayrshire
1895 Hindoo
1894 Escapade
1893 Rosebrook
1892 Cooya
1891 Cardoness
1890 Crown Jewel
1889 Boz
1888 Plutarch
1887 Quintin Matsys
1886 Day Star
1885 The Bohemian
1884 Josephine
1883 Paul
1882 Wizard
1881 Courtenay

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