Mackinnon Stakes 2021

Ladbrokes Tip: The Mackinnon Stakes is a nice race for Cox Plate graduates in the spring

Previously known as the Emirates Stakes, the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes underwent a major change-up for the 2016 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. The old Emirates Stakes was a mile handicap race run at Flemington Racecourse on the fourth and final meeting of the Melbourne Cup Carnival on the first Saturday in November.

From 2016 onwards, the race still takes place as the namesake event of Mackinnon Stakes Day or ‘Family Day’ at Victoria’s premier race track on this date, but the conditions and prize money differ. In 2016 the 1600m handicap previously known as the Emirates Stakes moved to Victoria Derby Day, the opening Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting the Saturday prior to Emirates Stakes Day, and is now known as the Kennedy Mile.

In a bid to attract graduates of the Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) from late October at Moonee Valley Racecourse, the updated Mackinnon Stakes takes place over 2000m under weight-for-age conditions. Arcadia Queen (5th in 2020) was the last Cox Plate graduate to back-up and win the Mackinnon Stakes.

Previously worth $1 million in prize money, from 2016 onwards the race offers a lucrative $2 million in total stakes and now attracts the top tier of both local and international WFA stars. The Mackinnon Stakes is one of two Group 1 races on the card along with the Darley Sprint Classic (1200m) for sprinters.

This season the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes ran on Saturday November 6, 2021 and was won by the Annabel Neasham-trained favourite Zaaki ($2.25) who was scratched from the Cox Plate the morning of. 

2021 Mackinnon Stakes Results

The official Mackinnon Stakes 2021 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race is run and won on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival on Saturday November 6, 2021.

• 1st: #4 Zaaki ($2.25F)
• 2nd: #2 Cascadian
• 3rd: #7 Mo’unga

Trainer Annabel Neasham added another Group 1 win to her growing record with Zaaki ($2.25F) saluting for the punters in the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes results in a consolation prize after missing the Cox Plate. Jockey James McDonald lead all-the-way on the short-priced favourite to post his record 10th Melbourne Cup Carnival victory. He had equalled the record earlier in the day on Nature Strip in the Darley Classic before surpassing it in the Mackinnon. Brett Prebble had previously held the record and he was on the Mackinnon Stakes runner-up Cascadian, while Zaaki’s stablemate Mo’unga ran a very good third off his Cox Plate fourth.

Mackinnon Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday November 6, 2021
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 2000m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $2 million
• First Run: 1869

Mackinnon Stakes Betting

Mackinnon Stakes odds are dominated by proven weight-for-age performers with previous experience in Melbourne during the spring.

A race like the Cox Plate run under the same conditions makes the ideal lead-up and the best performers in that Moonee Valley race sit highly up the Mackinnon Stakes betting markets. As of 2016 the Cox Plate – Mackinnon Stakes is a popular betting double for punters with the races spaced an ideal two weeks apart.

In 2016 the first new-look edition of the Mackinnon Stakes was won in an upset with the winner Awesome Rock improving on a lead-up Cox Plate fifth to salute at Mackinnon Stakes odds of $19. The single-figure fancies were back in winning form the following year with the victory of Tosen Stardom ($6.50) in 2017. In 2018 there was a notable upset with the winner Trap For Fools winning at Mackinnon Stakes odds of $26!

The 2019 Mackinnon Stakes winner was Irish raider Magic Wand ($4.80) who ran fourth in the Cox Plate and 10th in the Melbourne Cup.

In 2020 Cox Plate fifth placegetter Arcadia Queen ($2.45) backed-up to win for the punters, before Zaaki ($2.25F) atoned for his Cox Plate scratching to win the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes and become the latest favourite to win the event.

2021 Mackinnon Stakes Odds

The season’s best Mackinnon  Stakes 2021 odds and Melbourne Cup Carnival betting market links to the weight-for-age clash will be available the week of the race so stay tuned for the top prices on this year’s Mackinnon Stakes horses.

Mackinnon Stakes Tips

Mackinnon Stakes tips include looking for horses with winning form up to 2000m, experience in Melbourne during the spring carnival and Cox Plate graduates that ran well in the lead-up weight-for-age showdown.

International gallopers are set to make an impact in the Mackinnon Stakes from 2016 onwards, so another good tip is to look at the in-form raiders especially those that contested the Cox Plate.

Magic Wand (2019) was the latest international to dominate the race saluting on a quick back-up out of the Melbourne Cup for Ireland.

2021 Mackinnon Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Mackinnon Stakes 2021 tips and Group 1 Flemington exotic betting selections will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned for the end-of-spring stars to back and sack in the $2 million showdown.

• To Win: #4 Zaaki ($2.45 at time of publish) 

He was one of the two most talked about horses heading into the spring along with Incentivise – second as the beaten short-priced favourite in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup – and Zaaki finally gets his chance for a consolation prize in the Mackinnon on Saturday. Annabel Neasham’s import was so good two back winning the Underwood by two lengths before things went amiss when the winning streak came to an end with a third in the Caulfield Stakes. He was set to atone in the Cox Plate having dominated all-in betting the whole way, but was sensationally scratched race morning due to injury. If he’s come through that okay, even with the interrupted prep, he can win at his best.

Mackinnon Stakes Field

The new-look Mackinnon Stakes field attracts the highest-rated weight-for-age runners from around the globe looking for a final Group 1 win during the annual Melbourne Cup Carnival in Victoria. Many horses in the Mackinnon Stakes field are graduates of Australasia’s weight-for-age championship, the Cox Plate, held over a very similar distance a couple of weeks earlier at Moonee Valley.

Mares in the Mackinnon Stakes field may also be on the short turnaround off a run in the previous Saturday’s Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) on Derby Day. In 2019 the Empire Rose Stakes winner Melody Belle jumped favourite in the Mackinnon Stakes field and finished a brave second to the Irish-trained winner Magic Wand.

Melody Belle also returned for the 2020 Mackinnon Stakes and ran a brave third to fellow mare Arcadia Queen.

Mackinnon Stakes nominations are taken on the Monday prior to the race running on the first Saturday of November, with the final field and barrier draw released on the Wednesday.

2021 Mackinnon Stakes Field

The official Mackinnon Stakes 2021 field and barriers are available on the Wednesday before race day, one day after the coveted Melbourne Cup is run and won, and will be provided in full once released.

Scratched Cox Plate favourite Zaaki headlines the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes final field that also features two Group 1 Derby Day winners with Colette (Empire Rose Stakes) and Superstorm (Kennedy Cantala) both on the quick back-up.

2021 Mackinnon Stakes Nominations

The early Mackinnon Stakes nominations close the Monday of race week – a day before Melbourne Cup Day – and will be published below once confirmed.

Scratched Cox Plate favourite Zaaki headlines the 2021 Mackinnon Stakes nominations for the final Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Mackinnon Stakes Form Guide

The Mackinnon Stakes form guide features all the key information for punters including the saddlecloth numbers, barriers, jockeys, trainers and lead-up runs of all the horses in the field. The race, when run as the Mackinnon Stakes, was considered a key lead-up to the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on the first Tuesday of November and provided recent winners of the ‘race that stops a nation’ including Rogan Josh (1999) who completed the double.

In 2019 Magic Wand improved on her 10th in the Melbourne Cup just four days earlier to win the Mackinnon on the last day of the carnival.

So You Think (2010) is one of the most famous winners of the Mackinnon Stakes.

Now run after the Melbourne Cup, the Mackinnon Stakes is likely to be the last run of the horses’ spring campaigns and good lead-up races to look at the form of include the Turnbull Stakes, Caulfield Stakes and of course the Cox Plate.

In 2020 Arcadia Queen completed the Caulfield Stakes – Mackinnon Stakes double.

Mackinnon Stakes Form Facts

• The Cox Plate has been the key lead-up race into the Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes producing nine of the 12 winners between 2008 – 2021
• Only one Emirates Stakes (Mackinnon Stakes) winner in over 30 years came off a Sydney lead-up: Desert War (Epsom Handicap 2nd, 2006)
• So You Think (2010), Arcadia Queen (2020) and Zaaki (2021) are the only Mackinnon Stakes favourites to salute for the punters since 2005

2021 Mackinnon Stakes Form Guide

A link to our comprehensive Mackinnon Stakes 2021 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Mackinnon Stakes Results

Mackinnon Stakes results up until 2016 are those of the race formerly known as the Mackinnon Stakes which are listed below.

Notable recent Mackinnon Stakes winners include Zaaki (2021), Arcadia Queen (2020), Magic Wand (2019), Galio Chop (2015), So You Think (2010), Desert War (2006), Grand Armee (2004) and Lonhro (2002).

Emirates / Mackinnon Stakes Winners