Ladbrokes Tip: The Crystal Mile is the perfect lead-up to the Champions Mile held on Stakes Day at Flemington
The Crystal Mile is a Group 2 weight-for-age race held at Moonee Valley Racecourse on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day in late October during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. One of the season’s premier race days, the meeting is highlighted by the Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) and features four Group 2 support acts.
2022 Crystal Mile winner My Oberon. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Along with the Crystal Mile (1600m) the other Group 2s on the card are the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m), Moonee Valley Vase (2040m), and the McEwen Stakes (1200m) moved from September to October in 2024.
Offering $300,000 in total prize money the Crystal Mile is the ideal lead-up to the Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) – formerly the Kennedy Cantala – run at Flemington Racecourse.
Formerly run as the Emirates Stakes seven days later, the Champions Mile was moved forward a week and gives the Crystal Mile graduates a quick back-up to handle if they are to complete the double last achieved by Turn Me Loose (2015) when the Longines Mile, now the Champions Mile, ran as the Emirates Stakes.
The latest edition of the Crystal Mile took place on Saturday October 26, 2024 as part of the bumper Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day program at The Valley and was won by Symon Wilde’s temperamental but talented mare Plenty Of Ammo ($3.90F).
2024 Crystal Mile Results
The official Crystal Mile 2024 Results & Finishing Order will be detailed below once the race is run and won on Saturday October 26, 2024.
2024 Crystal Mile winner Plenty Of Ammo. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
- 1st: #11 Plenty Of Ammo
- 2nd: #7 Royal Champion
- 3rd: #4 Nugget
The Symon Wilde-trained mare Plenty Of Ammo ($3.90F) continued her good form, coming with a surging run at the top of The Valley straight to shoot to the front late and salute for the punters in the 2024 Crystal Mile results ahead of bigger and betting targets.
2024 Crystal Mile Odds
The season’s best Crystal Mile 2024 betting odds and links to our markets on the Group 2 support act on Cox Plate Day will be detailed below once released so stay tuned for the top Crystal Mile prices this spring.
Early market betting odds on the 2025 Crystal Mile will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.
Crystal Mile Race Info
- Date: Saturday October 26, 2024
- Track: Moonee Valley Racecourse
- Distance: 1600m
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $300,000
- First Run: 1982
Crystal Mile Betting
The Crystal Mile betting markets are released on the Wednesday of Cox Plate week following the final acceptances revealing the field. Crystal Mile odds are led by in-form spring milers with proven form over the distance (1600m) and those that have previous experience at the notoriously tight Moonee Valley track.
Sydney raiders have a top recent record in the race and the Epsom Handicap graduates from Randwick earlier in the month also sit high up the Crystal Mile betting odds each year.
Favourites have plenty of recent wins in the race with the last Crystal Mile winner to salute at double-figures in betting being French raider Chief Ironside ($26 in 2019).
Plenty Of Ammo ($3.90 in 2024) was the last Crystal Mile favourite to win.
Crystal Mile Tips
Crystal Mile tips to take to the bookies during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival include looking at runners with a good record over the mile, proven Group 1 and 2 performers and any top three graduates out of lead-ups like the Toorak Handicap and Epsom Handicap.
Taking runners under $10 in betting is also a good Crystal Mile tip as favourites have at top record in the past decade and only a few horses have saluted at double-figures in the past decade.
2024 Crystal Mile Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Crystal Mile 2024 betting tips will be detailed in full below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the Champions Mile-bound milers to back and sack.
- To Win: #6 Suparazi ($12 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Think the current double-figure odds on this consistent Super One six-year-old from Wangaratta can upset this field and continue his good spring form. The Ben Brisbourne-trained galloper was last seen running second to Jimmysstar in the Listed Weekend Hussler from a wide draw at Caulfield on Guineas Day. He is up in distance and trip going to a Group 2 now but presents fit and should relish the mile (5:2-0-1). Hasn’t finished out of the top three in his latest five, and while he hasn’t won at The Valley his is a four-time runner-up from eight starts so handles the tight turns. Jye McNeil rides from barrier eight. Can surprise.
Crystal Mile Field
The Crystal Mile race field attracts a line-up of the season’s best milers, many heading towards a run in either the new-look Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m) or Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) held at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
A key lead-up into the Crystal Mile field is the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) held a fortnight earlier at Caulfield Racecourse.
The 2023 Crystal Mile runner-up Antino would return the following year to win the 2024 Toorak Handicap by an emphatic 6.5 lengths!
Crystal Mile nominations close the Monday before the race takes place that Saturday followed by the release of the final field and barriers on the Wednesday.
2024 Crystal Mile Field
The official Crystal Mile 2024 Final Field & Barriers are announced on the Wednesday of Cox Plate week and will be detailed in full below, so stay tuned to see what milers make the Group 2 field this spring.
The Crystal Mile 2024 final field features eleven acceptors led in betting by the Ciaron Maher-trained Nugget coming off a 12th in Sydney’s Group 1 Epsom Handicap and Anthony & Sam Freedman’s import Royal Champion racing second-up in Australia.
2024 Crystal Mile Nominations
The early Crystal Mile 2024 Nominations are taken the Monday before the event.
Crystal Mile Form Guide
The Crystal Mile form guide shows all the relevant information and statistics for punters like the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs.
Looking at the form it is important to find runners with a good record at the distance (1600m), and the Epsom Handicap has been the best Crystal Mile form line to follow in the past decade producing a host of winners and placegetters in the Melbourne Group 2 on Cox Plate Day.
The Crystal Mile form has stacked-up in better races many times over the years including when the 2020 winner Homesman went on to win the following autumn’s Group 1 Australian Cup.
The 2022 Crystal Mile form was franked with the winner My Oberon returning in the autumn of 2023 to finish second to Mr Brightside in Sydney’s Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1600m).
2024 Crystal Mile Form Guide
A link to our exclusive Crystal Mile 2024 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Crystal Mile Results
The Crystal Mile race results have been dominated by Group 1 performers and those under $10 in betting over the past decade or so.
Notable recent Crystal Mile winners include Homesman (2020), Turn Me Loose (2015), Hooked (2014), Silent Achiever (2012), and Rangirangdoo (2009).
The last back-to-back Crystal Mile champion was Weasel Will (2000-2001).
Ark Regal holds the current 1600m Crystal Mile race record winning in 1990 in a time of 1 minute 33:2 seconds.
Prowess (2023) and Plenty Of Ammo (2024 are the latest Crystal Mile winning mares.
Past Crystal Mile Winners
Recent Crystal Mile winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
Year |
Winner |
2nd |
3rd |
Time |
2024 |
Plenty Of Ammo |
Royal Champion |
Nugget |
1:34.88 |
2023 |
Prowess |
Antino |
Tuvalu |
1:35.79 |
2022 |
My Oberon |
Bankers Choice |
Buffalo River |
1:38.37 |
2021 |
Just Folk |
Begood Toya Mother |
Elephant |
1:38.31 |
2020 |
Homesman |
Age Of Chivalry |
King’s Will Dream |
1:38.4 |
2019 |
Chief Ironside |
Cliff’s Edge |
Best Of Days |
1:35.4 |
2018 |
Cliff’s Edge |
Prized Icon |
Duca Valentinois |
1:35.9 |
2017 |
Lucky Hussler |
Religify |
It’s Somewhat |
1:34.5 |
2016 |
The United States |
Lidari |
Ulmann |
1:39.7 |
2015 |
Turn Me Loose |
Bow Creek |
Lucky Hussler |
1:35.0 |
2014 |
Hooked |
Bull Point |
Desert Jeuney |
1:34.9 |
2013 |
Toydini |
Speediness |
Sacred Falls |
1:36.0 |
2012 |
Silent Achiever |
Rangirangdoo |
Solzhenitsyn |
1:35.6 |
2011 |
Testa My Patience |
Hawks Bay |
He’s Remarkable |
1:36.7 |
2010 |
Sound Journey |
Trader |
Drumbeats |
1:36.7 |
2009 |
Rangirangdoo |
Sound Of Nature |
All American |
1:34.9 |
2008 |
Sea Battle |
Conquering |
Orange County |
1:36.3 |
2007 |
Sonic Quest |
Orange County |
Tears I Cry |
1.35.9 |
2006 |
Flash Trick |
New Edge |
Rockford Bay |
1:37.2 |
2005 |
Niconero |
Cargo Cult |
Miss Potential |
1:39.4 |
2004 |
Lad Of The Manor |
Lord Mick |
Sir Dex |
1:37.0 |
2003 |
Rosina Lad |
Walk On Air |
Archave |
1:38.3 |
2002 |
Royal Code |
Weasel Will |
Excellerator |
1:36.5 |
2001 |
Weasel Will |
Le Zagaletta |
Typhoon |
1:37.3 |
2000 |
Weasel Will |
Le Zagaletta |
Czar Hero |
1:38.7 |
FAQ
Who won the 2024 Crystal Mile?
The 2024 Crystal Mile winner was the Symon Wilde-trained mare Plenty Of Ammo who saluted as the $3.90 favourite with Jordan Childs in the saddle.
When is the Crystal Mile 2024?
Saturday October 26, 2024
What is the prize money for the Crystal Mile 2024?
$300,000
Where is the Crystal Mile 2024?
Moonee Valley Racecourse, Feehan Ave, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039.