Champions Mile 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: The Champions Mile makes a great spring final for Cox Plate graduates! 

The Champions Mile is a $3 million showdown moved to run on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington. 

2022 Champions Mile winner Alligator Blood. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Run under a host of different names due to sponsorship purposes in recent years, the event is now officially known as the Champions Mile and takes place on the Saturday following the Melbourne Cup, which always runs on the first Tuesday of November each year.

The event was previously known under its registered name, the Cantala Stakes, and has recently been referred to as the Kennedy Cantala due to the sponsorship by luxury retail group Kennedy.

It was held on Victoria Derby Day for a number of years but was moved ahead of the 2022 edition to join the Group 1 $3 million VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) – formerly the Mackinnon Stakes – on VRC Champions Stakes Day at HQ.

The Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m) – formerly the VRC Sprint Classic – for The Everest graduates is the other key race on the program.

The Group 3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) is the other Group status feature on the card.

The Champions Mile now also offers a lucrative $3 million in prize money as of 2022 and attracts the season’s top local and international milers.

The latest edition of the VRC Champions Mile ran on Saturday November 9, 2024 as part of the final day of Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival and was won in a driving finish by Team Hayes’ top miler Mr Brightside ($5). 

2024 Champions Mile Results

The official VRC Champions Mile 2024 Results & Finishing Order will be published below when the race takes place on Saturday November 9, 2024 as part of VRC Champions Stakes Day 2024.

2024 Champions Mile winner Mr Brightside was excellent posting his eighth Group 1 success. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

• 1st: #1 Mr Brightside ($5)
• 2nd: #4 Antino
• 3rd: #10 Fangirl

Mr Brightside ($5) was back to his brilliant best with the event’s two-time placegetter finally finishing on top of Flemington’s 2024 Champions Mile results when charging home late with Craig Williams aboard to deny the hard closing Antino victory.

2024 Champions Mile Odds

The season’s updated Champions Mile 2024 odds and betting market links will be available below as soon as open so stay tuned for the best Champions Mile betting prices on your favourite spring milers.

Champions Mile Race Info

• Former Race Name: Kennedy Cantala 
• Date: Saturday November 9, 2024
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $3 million
• First Run: 1881 (as the Emirates Stakes); 2022 as the Champions Mile

Champions Mile Betting

Champions Mile betting odds are dominated by proven milers with a good record over the 1600m and those horses that could be dropping back from a 2000m run in a race like the Cox Plate.

Previous Flemington experience doesn’t usually shorten a galloper’s odds, rather their class and ability over the 1600m as well as previous weight-for-age form are the better indicators of Champions Mile betting market positions.

Favourites in Kennedy Cantala / Champions Mile betting have a good recent record, but upsets are not uncommon including in 2017 when Le Romain saluted at $12 odds in the race then known as the Cantala Stakes.

In 2017 the Kennedy Cantala odds on the winner Shillelagh were also generous, $12, while the favourite in betting that year Tosen Stardom ($4.80) only managed to run eighth. Best Of Days ($12 in 2018) also scored an upset at double-figure Cantala Stakes betting, as did Yulong Prince ($10 in 2020). In 2021 Superstorm won the Kennedy Cantala at $8 odds before the event was renamed the Champions Mile for 2022.

Cascadian posted his third consecutive top three run in the Kennedy Cantala results in 2021. The Godolphin galloper ran 3rd in 2019, 2nd in 2020 and 3rd again in 2021.

Alligator Blood won the first official running of the Champions Mile at $5.50 odds.

Alligator Blood returned to run third in the 2023 Champions Mile results behind impressive upset winner Pride Of Jenni ($13).

In 2024 Mr Brightside won the Champions Mile at $5 after a 3rd in 2022 and 2nd in 2023. 

Champions Mile Tips

Looking at top international contenders, strong milers and horses with form over the 1600m are good Champions Mile race tips. Because of the testing Flemington straight (1200m), this Group 1 is suited to genuine milers and or stayers more than horses coming up from 1400m in distance.

Other key Champions Mile tips include looking for the top performing spring gallopers out of traditional lead-up races like the Crystal Mile and Toorak Handicap.

Fierce Impact (2019) was the last horse to complete the Toorak Handicap – Kennedy Cantala double. In 2021 Superstorm won the Kennedy Cantala (now the Champions Mile) improving on a lead-up third in the Toorak Handicap trifecta.

In 2024 the Toorak Handicap winner Antino ran a brave second in the Champions Mile results behind Mr Brightside. 

Another good lead-up into the Champions Mile race is the Group 3 Coongy Handicap (2000m) held at Caulfield on Cup Day, a double recently completed by Best Of Days (2018).

2024 Champions Mile Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Champions Mile 2024 betting tips and race selections will be detailed below the week of the showdown so stay tuned for the 1600m specialists to back and sack in the VRC Champions Stakes Day support act.

Great edition of the Champions Mile with plenty of winning hopes including Broadsiding back to 1600m who looks a danger but going to stick with Mr B who is deserving of a return to the winner’s stall. His Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes victory at this track and trip in Heavy going earlier this prep was sensational and he’s been far from disgraced without winning when up against the best of the best all campaign. Latest run had him finishing off strongly behind the incredible eight-length champ Via Sistina when fourth the Cox Plate (2040m). This Team Hayes-trained marvel keeps giving, he’ll relish coming back to 1600m, has a lovely record at Flemington, and is drawn to win in gate four. Back on him.

Champions Mile Field

The VRC Champions Mile field features a class line-up of top milers from both local and international stables.

The decision by the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Racing Victoria back in 2016 to turn the old Emirates Stakes into the then Cantala Stakes and bring the race forward a week was made with the hope overseas connections would bring milers to Australia along with their Melbourne Cup horses during the carnival.

The race was renamed in 2017 as the Kennedy Cantala and in 2019 ran as the Kennedy Cantala, accounting for the event’s registered name as well as the sponsor with Kennedy. The race was subsequently moved back to the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival in 2022 and renamed the Champions Mile. 

Horses come into the race field via earlier spring lead-ups in Victoria including Moonee Valley’s Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) on Cox Plate Day. In 2015 when the event was run as the ‘Emirates Stakes’ a week later on the spring carnival calendar, Turn Me Loose completed the Crystal Mile – Emirates Stakes (now Champions Mile) double.

Another possible lead-up run for horses heading into the Champions Mile field is Caulfield’s Group 3 Moonga Stakes (1400m) run in mid-October, which the 2014 Emirates Stakes runner-up Lucky Hussler won on way to his Group 1 placing behind Hucklebuck.

Cox Plate horses that aren’t heading towards the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (now known as the VRC Champions Stakes) on the same day could also drop back in distance for a shot at the event.

Mr Brightside (4th in 2024) was the last Cox Plate graduate to win the Champions Mile.

Nominations close the Monday before the race runs on a Saturday early November, with the field and barriers released on the Wednesday.

2023 Champions Mile Winner Pride Of Jenni was huge becoming the first mare in history to win the Empire Rose Stakes – Champions Mile double. Photo: Steve Hart.

2024 Champions Mile Field

The official Champions Mile 2024 Final Field & Barrier Draw will be published below once announced on the Wednesday of race week so stay tuned to see what gun spring milers contest the $3 million feature.

The 2024 Champions Mile field features a brilliant line-up of middle-distance starts including Mr Brightside, Cox Plate third placed three-year-old Broadsiding, runaway Toorak Handicap champ Antino, and the defending champion Pride Of Jenni.

2024 Champions Mile Nominations

The early Champions Mile 2024 Nominations close on the Monday leading-up to the race with the full list of entries to be listed below.

The 2024 Champions Mile nominations attracted 20 class gallopers including runaway Toorak Handicap champion Antino, Another Wil on the quick back-up off a second in last Saturday’s The Damien Oliver, smart mare Amelia’s Jewel who was runner-up in Derby Day’s Empire Rose, and weight-for-age hero Mr Brightside who ran second last year.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Champions Mile Form Guide

The Champions Mile form guide lists all the must know facts like saddlecloth numbers, jockeys, barriers and the lead-up runs of the horses in the field.

Checking the form guide for strong performers over the distance coming off lead-up runs in races like the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley or Caulfield’s Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) is important when placing bets on the VRC Champions Mile Day clash.

Alligator Blood franked the Champions Mile 2022 form returning in the autumn of 2023 to take out the Group 1 Futurity Stakes. Mr Brightside meanwhile ran third in the 2022 Champions Mile and second to Alligator Blood in the 2023 Futurity Stakes before completing the All-Star Mile / Doncaster Mile interstate double.

Mr Brightside returned in the 2023 Champions Mile to run second to Pride Of Jenni. He franked the form taking out the CF Orr – Futurity Stakes Group 1 Caulfield double in 2024. 

The 2023 Champions Mile form was franked with Pride Of Jenni winning ahead of a huge autumn the next year that included wins in the All-Star Mile and the Queen Elizabeth Stakes by 6.5 lengths! 

Kennedy Cantala / Champions Mile Form Facts

• Only four mares have won the race since 2000 – Pride Of Jenni (2023), Shillelagh (2017), Divine Madonna (2006) and Sky Cuddle (2004).
• Favourites only have a fair strike rate in the past decade opening up value further down the markets.
• Unplaced Cox Plate graduates have a solid winning strike rate backing-up in the field.

2024 Champions Mile Form Guide

A link to comprehensive Champions Mile 2024 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Kennedy Cantala / Champions Mile Results

The Kennedy Cantala race results up until 2016 are those of the old Emirates Stakes. Notable recent winners include Turn Me Loose (2015), Boban (2013), All Silent (2008), and Tesa Rossa (2000).

From 2022 onwards the event runs as the Champions Mile, results for which are detailed below.

Skyjack (1974) was the last three-year-old Champions Mile winner.

Pride Of Jenni (2023) was the last Champions Mile winning mare.

Scenic Peak holds the current Champions Mile race record winning in 2002 in a time of 1 minute 33:49 seconds.

Past Cantala Stakes / Champions Mile Winners

Recent Champions Mile winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

FAQ

Who won the 2024 Champions Mile?

The 2024 Champions Mile was won by the Ben, Will & JD Hayes-trained Mr Brightside at $5 with Craig Williams in the saddle.

When is the Champions Mile 2024?

What is the prize money for the Champions Mile 2024?

$3,000,000

Where is the Champions Mile 2024?

Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.