Champions Stakes (VRC)

Last updated

Champions Stakes (VRC)
registered as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes
Group 1 race
PETER PAN lll VRC MELBOURNE CUP 1932 & 1934.JPG
1932 & 1934 winner Peter Pan
Location Flemington Racecourse,
Melbourne, Australia
Inaugurated1869;155 years ago (1869) (as Melbourne Stakes)
Race type Thoroughbred
Sponsor Paramount+ (2021)
Race information
Distance2,000 metres
SurfaceTurf
QualificationThree year olds and older that are not maidens
Weight Weight for Age
Purse $3,000,000 (2022)

The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes, is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race run under Weight for Age conditions over a distance of 2000 metres at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup. [1] [2] Total prize money is A$3,000,000.

Contents

History

The race is named after a former chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie ("L.K.S.") MacKinnon (18611935). [3] It was originally held on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, Victoria Derby Day. In 2016, the VRC moved the race as the feature of the last day of the carnival, and moved the Cantala Stakes (the then feature of the last day of the carnival and at the time known as the Emirates Stakes) to the first day of the carnival. After the swap, the race would be known as simply the Emirates Stakes until 2017. [1]

Prior to 2016, many horses with a ranking high enough to avoid the ballot for the Melbourne Cup used the race as a lead-in to the 3,200 metre Cup, run on the first Tuesday in November (otherwise they race in the longer Hotham Handicap). The VRC believed that placing the race on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival would attract quality horses, that raced in the W. S. Cox Plate, to run at the distance, rather than using the race to prepare for the Melbourne Cup. [1] In 2022, the race was renamed the VRC Champions Stakes in order to align with the branding of the entire race day, which is now called Champions Day instead of Stakes Day. [4]

The attendance record for the race day was set in 2011, with 85,112 in attendance. [5]

Delta,1951 winner Delta 1950 VRC St Leger Flemington Racecourse Jockey Neville Sellwood Trainer Maurice McCarten.jpg
Delta,1951 winner
Tranquil Star, 1942, 1944, 1945 winner Tranquil Star 1946 Olympic Park Melbourne Farewell Jockey Scobie Breasley Trainer Ron Cameron.jpg
Tranquil Star, 1942, 1944, 1945 winner
Flight, 1946 winner Flight 1946 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Flemington Racecourse Jockey Jack O'Sullivan Trainer Frank Nowland.jpg
Flight, 1946 winner
1933 winner - Rogilla; Darby Munro up ROGILLA 1933 LKS MACKINNON STAKES D.MUNRO.JPG
1933 winner Rogilla; Darby Munro up
Rising Fast, 1954 & 1955 winner Rising Fast (NZ).jpg
Rising Fast, 1954 & 1955 winner
Gothic, 1928 winner Gothic 1928 VATC Caulfield Stakes Jockey Jim Pike Trainer Lou Robertson.jpg
Gothic, 1928 winner

Name

In 1937 the VRC moved the Melbourne Stakes to earlier in the spring, running it in September, over a shorter distance of 1 mile (1.6 km). The race was the predecessor to the Turnbull Stakes.

Distance

Grade

Doubles wins

The following thoroughbreds have won the LKS MacKinnon Stakes Melbourne Cup in the same year.

Attendance

Source: [6]

Winners since 2000

Year [7] WinnerAgeJockeyTrainerOwnerTime
2000Oliver Twist6Greg ChildsBrian Mayfield-SmithGainsborough Lodge Syndicat2:04.48
2001La Bella Dama4Scott Seamer Graeme Rogerson Mrs C & Mrs D Howell et al2:01.57
2002 Lonhro 4 Darren Beadman John Hawkes Woodlands Stud2:02.64
2003Casual Pass3 Glen Boss Peter MorganContract Racing Syndicate2:05.86
2004 Grand Armee 6 Damien Oliver Gai Waterhouse A R Bell2:00.91
2005Lad of the Manor6Greg ChildsSimon StoutDavid Thomas & Lorraine Smith2:01.72
2006 Desert War 6 Chris Munce Gai Waterhouse Gooree Pastoral Company2:02.38
2007 Sirmione 4Peter Mertens Bart Cummings Xipell, Covington & Smith2:02.32
2008Theseo5 Nash Rawiller Gai Waterhouse Mike Townsend, P Evans et al2:03.84
2009Scenic Shot7Shane ScrivenDan MortonD L Morton, E A Galante et al2:03.46
2010 So You Think 4Steven Arnold Bart Cummings Dato Tan Chin Nam 2:04.92
2011Glass Harmonium6 Damien Oliver Mike MoroneyR & C Legh Racing, Lorne Bloodstock2:02.72
2012Alcopop8 Craig Williams Jake StephensJ A Stephens, J P & Mrs S K Kelton et al2:01.26
2013Side Glance7 Jamie Spencer Andrew Balding Pearl Bloodstock2:03.59
2014Happy Trails7 Damien Oliver Paul BesharaPeter & Erica Dickmann2:02.28
2015Gailo Chop5Ben MelhamAntoine De WatrigantOTI Management, Werrett Bloodstock et al2:03.56
2016Awesome Rock5Stephen BasterLeon & Troy CorstensStan Saric, Mrs J C Saric et al2:02.49
2017Tosen Stardom7Damian LaneDarren WeirAustralian Bloodstock, Doonaree Racing et al2:01.22
2018 Trap For Fools 5John AllenJarrod McLeanDistinct Racing2:02.31
2019Magic Wand5 Ryan Moore Aidan O'Brien Tabor, Smith & Magnier 2:01.82
2020Arcadia Queen5Luke CurrieGrant & Alana WilliamsPeters Investments Pty Ltd2:03.53
2021 Zaaki 7 James McDonald Annabel NeashamC E Holt et al.2:02.94
2022 Zaaki 8 Jamie Kah Annabel NeashamC E Holt et al.2:02.00
2023Atishu6 James McDonald Chris Waller A J A Bosma, Mrs P J Clark et al.2:02.01

Earlier winners

Ajax, 1938 winner Ajax McCarten up at Rosehill, 18 September 1937.jpg
Ajax, 1938 winner
Beau Vite, 1940 & 1941 winner Beau Vite 1940 MVRC W. S. Cox Plate Jockey Ted McMenamin Trainer Frank McGrath.jpg
Beau Vite, 1940 & 1941 winner
Gloaming, 1924 winner Gloaming 1922 AJC Craven Plate Randwick Racecourse Owner George D Greenwood Trainer Richard J Mason.jpg
Gloaming, 1924 winner
1907 winner - Poseidon Poseidon 1906 VRC Melbourne Cup Owner Sir Hugh Denison Randwick Trainer Isaac Earnshaw.jpg
1907 winner Poseidon

Melbourne Stakes (18691936)

  • 1869 - Glencoe
  • 1870 - Tim Whiffler
  • 1871 - Warrior
  • 1872 - Contessa
  • 1873 - Dagworth
  • 1874 - Dagworth
  • 1875 - Kingsborough
  • 1876 - Rapid Bay
  • 1877 - Robinson Crusoe
  • 1878 - Chester
  • 1879 - First King
  • 1880 - Chester
  • 1881 - Wheatear
  • 1882 - Darebin
  • 1883 - Commotion
  • 1884 - Malua
  • 1885 - Trenton
  • 1886 - Isonomy
  • 1887 - Silver Mine
  • 1888 - The Australian Peer
  • 1889 - Abercorn
  • 1890 - Carbine
  • 1891 - Marvel
  • 1892 - Autonomy
  • 1893 - Loyalty
  • 1894 - Ruenalf
  • 1895 - Hova
  • 1896 - Disfigured
  • 1897 - Battalion
  • 1898 - Battalion
  • 1899 - Mora
  • 1900 - Lancaster
  • 1901 - Wakeful
  • 1902 - Wakeful
  • 1903 - Wakeful
  • 1904 - Gladsome
  • 1905 - Tartan
  • 1906 - Solution
  • 1907 - Poseidon
  • 1908 - Peru
  • 1909 - Alawa
  • 1910 - Son Of The Marsh
  • 1911 - Trafalgar
  • 1912 - Duke Foote
  • 1913 - Anna Carlovna
  • 1914 - St. Carwyne
  • 1915 - Traquette
  • 1916 - Lavendo
  • 1917 - Cetigne
  • 1918 - Magpie
  • 1919 - Cetigne
  • 1920 - Eurythmic
  • 1921 - Eurythmic
  • 1922 - Harvest King
  • 1923 - Rivoli
  • 1924 - Gloaming
  • 1925 - Pilliewinkie
  • 1926 - Manfred
  • 1927 - Silvius
  • 1928 - Gothic
  • 1929 - High Syce
  • 1930 - Phar Lap
  • 1931 - Phar Lap
  • 1932 - Peter Pan
  • 1933 - Rogilla
  • 1934 - Peter Pan
  • 1935 - Sylvandale
  • 1936 - Gay Blonde

* The 1932 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

1946 &1954 racebooks

See also

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References

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