2025 Champions Stakes Day Preview

Free Flying was scratched from the Maribyrnong Plate on Cup Day to instead run here.

Having shown some ability at the trials prior to her debut performance, the Snitzel filly was only half a length behind Torture in the Listed Debutant Stakes earlier this month.

With natural improvement on Saturday, she looks well placed.

Sabaj is second up into an arguably weaker race at Flemington on Saturday.

The Manhattan Rain gelding has won three of six starts since debuting, finishing the runner up a further two times and returning to action for a credible sixth in the Silver Eagle at Randwick three weeks ago.

With natural improvement and getting out to the mile, I think he looks well placed this week.

I’m happy to give the veteran Front Page another chance second up from a spell.

He took up the running in the Kosciuszko, but his condition ultimately gave out and he finished sixth, but we know how good this horse can be at his best, and he is a Group 1 performer.

Stripping fitter this week and under the urgings of James McDonald, I think he’ll rediscover his love of the Flemington straight, even under topweight.

Alalcance is the class horse in the 2025 Matriarch Stakes field, and I am happy to stick with her.

She failed to make much of an impact during a hit-and-run mission in the Wyong Cup back in early September, but Alalcance was excellent throughout her autumn campaign and struck in several races not dissimilar to this one.

She’s been back to the trials, and I love that she’s relaunching over the 2000m this week.

Birdman missed a run in the 2025 Melbourne Cup field but gets a nice opportunity at a consolation victory in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

The Free Eagle gelding has turned in some fine performances this time in, winning the Group 3 Kingston Town Stakes up in Sydney most notably, while he was last seen finishing a credible sixth in the Caulfield Cup.

The form out of that race has obviously been franked, while this bloke drops in class and gets the services of James McDonald this time.

As it always is, the VRC Champions Sprint field is outstanding and full of Group 1 winners, including Giga Kick.

His career has been injury plagued, but Giga Kick has won many of the world’s best sprint races, and he returned to action for an eye-catching victory in the Schillaci at Caulfield.

With natural improvement for that run and back down the straight, under the guidance of in-form hoop Mark Zahra, I think he’ll be right in the finish again.

This is an outstanding race and could prove to be the standout contest of the entire 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

With a case to be made for many of them, I think that Treasurethe Moment dropping back to the mile looks well placed.

The multiple Group 1 winner returned to action for an impressive victory in the Memsie Stakes, and while she hasn’t won in three subsequent appearances, she’s also yet to miss the placings, and she was last seen filling the minors of the Ladbrokes Cox Plate.

In peak order and under usual hoop Damian Lane, I think she can bounce back.

Ladbrokes Cox Plate champion Via Sistina goes around again in the Champions Stakes and has understandably opened a clear favourite in the market.

Via Sistina has been typically excellent this time in and it all peaked at The Valley a fortnight ago.

Under James McDonald again, I think she’ll win, so I am going to select her as the winner in a Same Race Multi and pump up my odds with Tom Kitten and Attrition each running into the first four.

Same Race Multi selections:

• 10 Via Sistina (Win)
• 1 Tom Kitten (Top 4)
• 4 Attrition (Top 4)

Sweethearted is second up and open to plenty of improvement ahead of the last on Champions Day.

Sweethearted hasn’t won a race since January, but she’s been competitive in some good black type races throughout the year, and she returned to action with a decent enough effort at Caulfield.

She’s yet to miss placing at this point of her preparation and just needs some early luck in the run to find a position from a wide draw.