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

The Kennedy Mile, currently known as the Kennedy Cantala, is the race formerly run as the ‘Emirates Stakes’, swapped with the ‘Mackinnon Stakes’ during Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.

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. The race name changed again to the Kennedy Cantala for the 2019 running. 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 Cantala offers a lucrative $1.5 million in prize money and attracts the season’s top local and international milers.

The latest edition of the Kennedy Cantala ran on Saturday October 31, 2020 and was won by Yulong Prince from the Chris Waller stables in Sydney. 

2020 Kennedy Cantala Results

The official Kennedy Cantala 2020 Results & Finishing Order will be published below when the race takes place on Saturday October 31, 2020 as part of Victoria Derby Day 2020.

• 1st: #5 Yulong Prince
• 2nd: #7 Cascadian
• 3rd: #9 Rock

Chris Waller’s South African galloper Yulong Prince ($10) improved on a lead-up fourth in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap in Sydney to score an upset win in Flemington’s 2020 Kennedy Cantala Stakes results. He defeated fellow double-figure hopeful Cascadian ($15), who ran third in the same race last Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

Kennedy Mile Race Info

• Date: Saturday October 31, 2020
• Known As: Kennedy Cantala
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $1.5 million
• First Run: 1881 (as the Emirates Stakes)

Kennedy Cantala Odds & Betting

Kennedy Cantala 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 Cantala 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).

2020 Kennedy Cantala Betting

The season’s updated Kennedy Cantala 2020 odds and betting market links will be available below as soon as open so stay tuned for the best Kennedy Cantala betting prices on your favourite spring milers.

Kennedy Cantala 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 Cantala 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.

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).

2020 Kennedy Cantala Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Kennedy Cantala 2020 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 Cantala Field

The Kennedy Cantala 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 Cantala and in 2019 runs as the Kennedy Cantala, accounting for the event’s registered name as well as the sponsor with Kennedy.

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 Cantala) double.

Another possible lead-up run for horses heading into the Kennedy Cantala 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 could also drop back in distance for a shot at the event.

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.

2020 Kennedy Cantala Field

The official Kennedy Cantala 2020 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 $1.5 million Victoria Derby Day feature.

The 2020 Kennedy Cantala Stakes field features a capacity line-up of milers led in betting by the Toorak champ Mr Quickie. 

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

2020 Kennedy Cantala Nominations

The early Kennedy Cantala 2020 Nominations close on the Monday leading-up to Cox Plate Day about two weeks out from the race, with the full list of entries to be listed below.

Fifty-two milers make-up the 2020 Kennedy Cantala Stakes nominations this spring including the defending champion Fierce Impact and surprise last start Toorak Handicap champion Mr Quickie. 

   

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

Kennedy Cantala Form Guide

The Kennedy Cantala 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 Cantala Form Facts

• Only three mares have won the race since 2000  – Shillelagh (2017), Divine Madonna (2006) and Sky Cuddle (2004)
• Horses down the Kennedy Cantala 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 Cantala 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 Cantala field

2020 Kennedy Cantala Form Guide

A link to comprehensive Kennedy Cantala 2020 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Kennedy Cantala Results

The Kennedy Cantala 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).

Recent Kennedy Cantala Winners