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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 then Cantala Stakes, 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.

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 Myer Classic (1600m) for fillies and mares. The Kennedy Mile offers a lucrative $1 million in prize money and attracts the season’s top local and international milers.

The latest edition of the Kennedy Mile ran on Saturday 4th October, 2017 .

2017 Kennedy Mile Results

• 1st: #9 Shillelagh
• 2nd: #5 Tom Melbourne
• 3rd: #14 Wyndspelle

Kennedy Mile Race Info

• Date: Saturday 4th October, 2017
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Quality Handicap
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $1 million
• First Run: 1881 (as the Emirates Stakes)

2017 Kennedy Mile Results

The official Kennedy Mile 2017 Results & Finishing Order will be published below when the race takes place on Saturday 4th October, 2017 as part of Victoria Derby Day 2017.

The 2017 Kennedy Mile Results saw an all-Chris Waller quinella with progressive mare Shillelagh defeating stablemate Tom Melbourne, a perennial runner-up.

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 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.

2017 Kennedy Mile Betting

The season’s updated Kennedy Mile 2017 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.

2017 Kennedy Mile Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Kennedy Mile 2017 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.

• 1st: #6 EGG TART ($7.50) – Happy to go with the Sebring mare Egg Tart to win for the first time as a four-year-old. She was on fire in the autumn – winter winning plenty including the Schweppes Oaks – QLD Oaks double. She’s two-from-three over a mile, the Toorak Handicap seventh when only three lengths beaten at Caulfield last time out the only flaw on the distance record. Gets the chance to atone here and on just 52kg fitter for the run she can.
• 2nd: #10 SOVEREIGN  NATION ($9) – Such an open race, but think the lightweights might have the advantage. Gun barrier three draw for this consistent five-year-old from the in-form Lindsay Park stable. Was only two lengths back fourth in the Sir Rupert Clarke (1400m) before the Toorak Handicap second from the nasty barrier (17 of 18). Big odds offered then and still generous price considering. Proven at Flemington in another plus.
• 3rd: #5 TOM MELBOURNE ($6) – Another Waller runner with genuine claims, the perennial runner-up is out to finish in the money again after the sixth in the Toorak, the form of which we are tipping to stack up on Derby Day. This seven-year-old has Glen Boss on again and is down from 55kg to 53.5kg. Also drawn better midfield in six and has good Flemington form (5:1-1-1), can come close again.

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.

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 $2 million 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.

2017 Kennedy Mile Field

The official Kennedy Mile 2017 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 million Victoria Derby Day feature.

The 2017 Kennedy Mile Field is now out featuring 14 hopefuls including the Darren Weir-trained Tosen Stardom and Lucky Hussler who both come off lead-up wins in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) and last Saturday’s Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) respectively.

2017 Kennedy Mile Nominations

The early Kennedy Mile 2017 Nominations closed on October 23 and attracted 43 milers including a bumper six entries for Darren Weir led by the Toorak Handicap winner Tosen Stardom and early 58.5kg top weight Humidor who is likely to bypass the race for a shot at the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) a few days later over the two miles.

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

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).

Recent Kennedy Mile Winners