Champions Mile
Australia | FEATURE RACE GUIDE
History
The Champions Mile (Cantala Stakes) is a Group 1 race now run under WFA conditions for milers at Flemington conducted by the Victoria Racing Club.
The Champions Mile (Cantala Stakes) is run over 1600m. It was first run in 1881 and was won by Courtenay.
In the early years the event was over 1800m but for over 100 years it has been over the mile.
The Cantala Stakes was a Principal Race until 1979 then Group 1.
The race is registered as the Cantala Stakes but has had many name changes over the years.
In a carnival switch, the 2016 version was moved from the final day to Derby day and swapped with the Mackinnon Stakes, designed to get Cox Plate horses to run in the 2000m race. It was changed back again in 2022 to be run on the last day.
Last mare to win the race before Pride Of Jenni and Shillelagh was Divine Madonna in 2006.
Horse's form lines entering this come from varies sources such as the Cox Plate, Crystal Mile, Epsom and Myer Classic.
Those to have won the race on multiple occasions include Seascay (1994/1995), Aquanita (1960/1961), Amounis (1926/1929) and Iolaire (1907/1908).
Lindsay Park won it five times in a row from 1992 to 1996.
Usually it is a very fast run race so wider barriers have not been a major issue. Gates 12/13/14 ran the trifecta in 2021.
Testa Rossa win with 59kg in 2000 is the biggest weight to win since Family of Man in 1978. Race is now WFA.
Plenty of roughies are competitive such as in 2007 when Tears I Cry ($101) beat Bird Dancer ($101) and Shinzig ($81).
Fierce Impact did the Toorak/Cantala double in 2019 which was the first time since Magari in 1982.
Yulong Prince's win in 2020 meant he had won G1s in both South Africa and Australia.
Pride Of Jenni created an incredible feat by winning the Empire Rose and the Champions Mile within a week in the same fashion in 2023 by creating a lead margin and holding on.
The Champions Mile (Cantala Stakes) was worth $3,000,000 in 2023.
Notable winners of the Champions Mile (Cantala Stakes) include Pride Of Jenni (2023), Alligator Blood (2022), Fierce Impact (2019), Le Romain (2016), Boban (2013), Happy Trails (2012), All Silent (2008), Divine Madonna (2006), Testa Rossa (2000), Catalan Opening (1997), Primacy (1993), Planet Ruler (1992), Shaftesbury Avenue (1990), Better Loosen Up (1989), Family Of Man (1978), Maybe Mahal (1976), Taj Rossi (1973), Gunsynd (1971), Vain (1969), Storm Queen (1966), Wenona Girl (1963), Aquanita (1960/1961), Amounis (1926/1929) and Violoncello (1922).
The 2023 Champions Mile (Cantala Stakes) was won by Pride Of Jenni from Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood.
Previous Champions Mile Winners
Date | Horse | Jockey | WT | Trainer | BP |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
PRIDE OF JENNI
(AUS)
6M PRIDE OF DUBAI (AUS) - SANCERRE (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
DECLAN BATES | 57.0 | C MAHER & D EUSTACE | 3 |
|
ALLIGATOR BLOOD
(AUS)
6G ALL TOO HARD (AUS) - LAKE SUPERIOR (AUS) ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) |
TIM CLARK | 59.0 | G WATERHOUSE & A BOTT | 3 |
|
SUPERSTORM
(AUS)
5G SEBRING (AUS) - STORMY NOVA (AUS) METAL STORM (FR) |
DAMIEN OLIVER | 56.0 | DANNY O'BRIEN | 12 |
|
YULONG PRINCE
(SAF)
6H GIMMETHEGREENLIGHT (AUS) - CONGESTION CHARGE (GB) DIKTAT (GB) |
DAMIAN LANE | 55.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 11 |
|
FIERCE IMPACT
(JPN)
5H DEEP IMPACT (JPN) - KEIAI GERBERA (JPN) SMARTY JONES (USA) |
CRAIG WILLIAMS | 56.0 | MATTHEW SMITH | 14 |
|
BEST OF DAYS
(GB)
4H AZAMOUR (IRE) - BAISSE (GB) HIGH CHAPARRAL (IRE) |
CRAIG WILLIAMS | 52.0 | JAMES CUMMINGS | 1 |
|
SHILLELAGH
(NZ)
6M SAVABEEL (AUS) - TROCAIR (AUS) FLYING SPUR (AUS) |
MICHAEL DEE | 52.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 2 |
|
LE ROMAIN
(AUS)
4G HARD SPUN (USA) - MIGNARD (AUS) STRATEGIC (AUS) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 55.5 | KRIS LEES | 8 |
|
TURN ME LOOSE
(NZ)
4H IFFRAAJ (GB) - INDOMITABLE (NZ) DANEHILL (USA) |
K MCEVOY | 56.5 | MURRAY BAKER & ANDREW FORSMAN | 10 |
|
HUCKLEBUCK
(AUS)
4G ELVSTROEM (AUS) - KONDARI (NZ) O'REILLY (NZ) |
D TOURNEUR | 55.5 | PHILLIP STOKES | 5 |
|
BOBAN
(AUS)
4G BERNARDINI (USA) - KENBELLE (AUS) KENMARE (FR) |
G SCHOFIELD | 57.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 3 |
|
HAPPY TRAILS
(AUS)
5G GOOD JOURNEY (USA) - MADAME FLURRY (AUS) PERUGINO (USA) |
DAMIEN OLIVER | 58.0 | PAUL BESHARA | 9 |
|
ALBERT THE FAT
(AUS)
7G MAGIC ALBERT (AUS) - ALEMAR (AUS) BUREAUCRACY (NZ) |
M J ZAHRA | 54.0 | CHRIS WALLER | 9 |
|
WALL STREET
(NZ)
6G MONTJEU (IRE) - VILLA WANDA (GB) GRAND LODGE (USA) |
HUGH BOWMAN | 55.5 | JEFF LYNDS | 9 |
|
ALL AMERICAN
(AUS)
4H RED RANSOM (USA) - MILVA (USA) STRAWBERRY ROAD (AUS) |
C W BROWN | 53.0 | D A HAYES | 6 |
|
ALL SILENT
(AUS)
5G BELONG TO ME (USA) - LISHEENOWEN (AUS) SEMIPALATINSK (USA) |
D DUNN | 53.5 | GRAHAME BEGG | 4 |
|
TEARS I CRY
(AUS)
5G LACRYMA CRISTI (IRE) - CASSAZIONE (AUS) SALIERI (USA) |
MS N BERIMAN | 51.0 | CIARON MAHER | 16 |
|
DIVINE MADONNA
(AUS)
4M HURRICANE SKY (AUS) - MY MADONNA (AUS) PREGO (IRE) |
S BASTER | 51.0 | MARK KAVANAGH | 10 |
|
VALEDICTUM
(AUS)
5G UMATILLA (NZ) - WUNDERSCHOEN (AUS) TWIG MOSS (FR) |
STEVEN KING | 52.5 | DANNY O'BRIEN | 12 |
|
SKY CUDDLE
(AUS)
4M SNIPPETS (AUS) - SUGGESTIVE (AUS) AL HAREB (USA) |
J BENBOW | 49.0 | PETER G MOODY | 3 |
|
TITANIC JACK
(AUS)
4G ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) - GOLD TUNIC (USA) STAGE DOOR JOHNNY (USA) |
B PREBBLE | 53.0 | TOM HUGHES (JNR) | 8 |
|
SCENIC PEAK
(AUS)
5G SCENIC (IRE) - CHESAPEAKE (AUS) MARSCAY (AUS) |
D NIKOLIC | 53.5 | DANNY J BOUGOURE | 1 |
|
GRAND DELIGHT
(AUS)
4G HURRICANE SKY (AUS) - EGYPTIAN IBIS (NZ) STRAIGHT STRIKE (USA) |
K MCEVOY | 51.5 | MATHEW ELLERTON | 1 |
|
TESTA ROSSA
(AUS)
4H PERUGINO (USA) - BO DAPPER (AUS) SIR DAPPER (AUS) |
P PAYNE | 59.0 | DEAN LAWSON | 16 |
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