Ladbrokes Tip: Look for top international milers in Kennedy Mile betting markets

The Kennedy Mile, as it has been known from 2017 onwards, is the race formerly run as the ‘Emirates Stakes’, swapped with the now defunct ‘Mackinnon Stakes’ during Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival. The old Mackinnon Stakes was transferred to Emirates Stakes Day and replaced the old Emirates Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on the first Saturday of November, the Carnival’s closing race day.

The old Emirates Stakes was transferred to the Cup Carnival’s opening meeting, Victoria Derby Day, and was originally renamed as the Longines Mile before taking place as the Kennedy Mile in 2017 for sponsorship purposes. It takes place over 1600m under quality handicap conditions and is one of four Group 1 events held on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup runs on the first Tuesday of November.

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

Headlining the card are the Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) for three-year-olds, the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) for three-year-old sprinters and Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) – formerly the Myer Classic – for fillies and mares. The Kennedy Mile offers a lucrative $2 million in prize money and attracts the season’s top local and international milers.

The latest edition of the Kennedy Mile runs on Saturday November 2, 2019 as the Kennedy Cantala Stakes. 

Kennedy Mile Race Info

• Date: Saturday November 2, 2019
• Known As: Kennedy Cantala
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $2 million
• First Run: 1881 (as the Emirates Stakes)

Kennedy Mile Odds & Betting

Kennedy Mile betting markets 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 Cantala Stakes betting market positions.

Favourites in Kennedy 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 Mile 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.

2019 Kennedy Mile Betting

The season’s updated Kennedy Mile 2019 odds and betting market links will be available below as soon as open so stay tuned for the best Kennedy Mile betting prices on your favourite spring milers.

Kennedy Mile Tips

Looking at top international contenders, strong milers and horses with form over the 1600m are good 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 Kennedy Mile tips include looking for the top performing spring gallopers out of traditional lead-up races like the Crystal Mile and Toorak Handicap. Another good lead-up into the Kenendy Cantala Stakes race is the Group 3 Coongy Handicap (2000m) held at Caulfield on Cup Day, a double recently completed by Best Of Days (2018).

2019 Kennedy Mile Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Kennedy Mile 2019 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 Derby Day support act.

Kennedy Mile Field

The Kennedy 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 in 2016 to turn the old Emirates Stakes into the 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 hopes during the carnival. The race was renamed in 2017 as the Kennedy Mile and in 2019 runs as the Kennedy Cantala, accounting for the event’s registered name as well as the sponsor with Kennedy.

Le Romain (2016) was the first winner of the now Kennedy Mile after the change of race dates and conditions for the old Emirates Stakes race. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

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 the week before. 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 Kennedy Mile) double.

Another possible lead-up run for horses heading into the Kennedy 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 new-look Group 1 Emirates Stakes (2000m), the old ‘Mackinnon Stakes’, could also drop back in distance for a shot at the Group 1 race. Nominations close the Monday before the race runs on a Saturday in late October or early November, with the field and barriers released on the Wednesday.

2019 Kennedy Mile Field

The official Kennedy Mile 2019 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 $2 million Victoria Derby Day feature.

2019 Kennedy Mile Nominations

The early Kennedy Mile 2019 Nominations close on the Monday leading-up to VRC Derby Day with the full list of entries to be listed below.

Kennedy Mile Form Guide

The Kennedy 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 Victoria Derby Day clash.

Kennedy Mile Form Facts

• Only three mares have won the race since 2000  – Shillelagh (2017), Divine Madonna (2006) and Sky Cuddle (2004)
• Horses down the Kennedy Mile weights have the best record with Happy Trails (58kg in 2012) the first at that time to carry more than 55.5kg since 2000
• Kennedy Mile 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 Kennedy Mile field

2019 Kennedy Cantala Form Guide

A link to comprehensive Kennedy Mile 2019 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Kennedy Mile Results

The Kennedy Mile 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).

2019 Kennedy Mile Results

The official Kennedy Mile 2019 Results & Finishing Order will be published below when the race takes place on Saturday November 2, 2019 as part of Victoria Derby Day 2019.

Recent Kennedy Mile Winners