Champions Mile (VRC)

The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the Cantala Stakes, is a Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.^[1][2] Total prize money is A$3,000,000

Champions Mile (VRC)
registered as the Cantala Stakes

Group 1 race
Denis Boy, 1932 winner
Location	Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia
Inaugurated	1881
Race type	Thoroughbred
Sponsor	Kennedy (since 2021)
Race information
Distance	1,600 metres
Surface	Turf
Qualification	Three year olds and older that are not maidens
Weight	Quality handicap
Purse	$3,000,000 (since 2022)

Amounis, 1926 & 1929 winner

Prince Cortauld, 1954 winner

History

The race was moved in 2016 to the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival (Victoria Derby Day) from the last day. This was swapped with the LKS Mackinnon Stakes, which became the feature race on the last day of the carnival.^[1] In 2022, the race was returned to the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and renamed the VRC Champions Mile in order to align with the branding of the entire race day, which is now called Champions Day instead of Stakes Day.^[3]

Name

• 1881–1918 - Coburg Stakes
• 1919–1961 - Cantala Stakes
• 1962–1984 - George Adams Handicap
• 1985–1988 - Ampol Stakes
• 1989–1992 - Honda Stakes
• 1993–1995 - Nissan Stakes
• 1996–1997 - Chrysler Stakes
• 1998–2015 - Emirates Stakes
• 2016 - Cantala Stakes
• 2017–2018 - Kennedy Mile
• 2019–2021 - Kennedy Cantala Stakes
• 2022 - Kennedy Champions Mile

Distance

• 1881–1894 - 11⁄8 miles (~1800 metres)
• 1895–1971 - 1 mile (~1600 metres)
• 1972–1993 – 1600 metres
• 1994 – 1616 metres
• 1995–2005 – 1600 metres
• 2006 – 1610 metres
• 2007 onwards - 1600 metres

Grade

• 1881–1978 - Principal Race
• 1979 onwards - Group 1

1953 and 1954 racebooks

•  
  Front cover 1953 VRC Derby racebook
•  
  1953 VRC Cantala Stakes page showing starters and results
•  
  1953 VRC Cantala Stakes page showing the winner, Rio Janeiro
•  
  Front page 1954 VRC Cantala Stakes racebook
•  
  1954 VRC Cantala Stakes raceday officials
•  
  Starters and results 1954 Cantala Stakes showing the winner, Prince Cortauld
•  
  Starters and results of the 1954 Cantala Stakes
•  
  Back Cover showing enclosure information for visitors

Winners

• 2023 – Pride Of Jenni
• 2022 – Alligator Blood^[4]
• 2021 – Superstorm^[5]
• 2020 – Yulong Prince
• 2019 – Fierce Impact^[6]
• 2018 – Best Of Days^[7]
• 2017 – Shillelagh^[8]
• 2016 – Le Romain^[9]
• 2015 – Turn Me Loose^[10]
• 2014 – Hucklebuck^[11]
• 2013 – Boban^[12]
• 2012 – Happy Trails^[13]
• 2011 – Albert The Fat^[14]
• 2010 – Wall Street^[15]
• 2009 – All American^[16]
• 2008 – All Silent^[17]
• 2007 – Tears I Cry^[18]
• 2006 – Divine Madonna^[19]
• 2005 – Valedictum^[20]
• 2004 – Sky Cuddle^[21]
• 2003 – Titanic Jack^[22]
• 2002 – Scenic Peak^[23]
• 2001 – Desert Eagle^[24]
• 2000 – Testa Rossa^[25]
• 1999 – Bonanova^[26]
• 1998 – Bezeal Bay^[27]
• 1997 – Catalan Opening^[28]
• 1996 – Miss Margaret^[29]
• 1995 – Seascay^[30]
• 1994 – Seascay^[31]
• 1993 – Primacy^[32]
• 1992 – Planet Ruler^[33]
• 1991 – Pontormo^[34]
• 1990 – Shaftesbury Avenue^[35]
• 1989 – Better Loosen Up^[36]
• 1988 – Our Westminster^[37]
• 1987 – Warned^[38]
• 1986 – Chanteclair^[39]
• 1985 – Dazzling Duke^[40]
• 1984 – Riverdale^[41]
• 1983 – Honest Promise^[42]
• 1982 – Magari
• 1981 – Tower Belle
• 1980 – Silver Bounty
• 1979 – Bit Of A Skite
• 1978 – Family Of Man
• 1977 – Galway Bay
• 1976 – Maybe Mahal
• 1975 – Kiwi Can
• 1974 – Skyjack
• 1973 – Taj Rossi
• 1972 – All Shot
• 1971 – Gunsynd
• 1970 – Levian
• 1969 – Vain
• 1968 – Cyron
• 1967 – Heroic Stone
• 1966 – Storm Queen
• 1965 – Heroic Stone
• 1964 – Brandy Lad
• 1963 – Wenona Girl
• 1962 – Woambra
• 1961 – Aquanita
• 1960 – Aquanita
• 1959 – Wheat King
• 1958 – Droll Prince
• 1957 – Landy
• 1956 – Matrice
• 1955 – Kosciusko
• 1954 – Prince Cortauld
• 1953 – Rio Janeiro
• 1952 – Phaethon
• 1951 – Kintail
• 1950 – Ellerslie
• 1949 – Comedy Prince
• 1948 – Beau John
• 1947 – Money Moon
• 1946 – St. Fairy
• 1945 – Royal Gem
• 1944 – Gay Revelry
• 1943 – Burberry
• 1942 – Queen Baccha
• 1941 – Burrabil
• 1940 – Gold Salute
• 1939 – Manrico
• 1938 – St. Constant^[43]
• 1937 – Mohican
• 1936 – Gay Lover
• 1935 – Hostile
• 1934 – L'elite
• 1933 – Care Free
• 1932 – Denis Boy
• 1931 – Dermid
• 1930 – Mystic Peak
• 1929 – Amounis
• 1928 – Highland
• 1927 – Vaals
• 1926 – Amounis
• 1925 – Waranton
• 1924 – The Night Patrol
• 1923 – Claro
• 1922 – Violoncello
• 1921 – Beeline
• 1920 – Ethiopian
• 1919 – Chal
• 1918 – Fitness
• 1917 – De Gama
• 1916 – Colugo
• 1915 – Fidelio
• 1914 – De Gama
• 1913 – Ireland
• 1912 – Walter Tyrril
• 1911 – Ladies' Man
• 1910 – Perilous
• 1909 – Kerlie
• 1908 – Iolaire
• 1907 – Iolaire
• 1906 – Benbow
• 1905 – Debenture
• 1904 – P.K.
• 1903 – Graft
• 1902 – Kinglock
• 1901 – Caledonia
• 1900 – Nitre
• 1899 – Security
• 1898 – Sailor Boy
• 1897 – The Grafter
• 1896 – Ayrshire
• 1895 – Hindoo
• 1894 – Escapade
• 1893 – Rosebrook
• 1892 – Cooya
• 1891 – Cardoness
• 1890 – Crown Jewel
• 1889 – Boz
• 1888 – Plutarch
• 1887 – Quintin Matsys
• 1886 – Day Star
• 1885 – The Bohemian
• 1884 – Josephine
• 1883 – Paul
• 1882 – Wizard
• 1881 – Courtenay

See also

• Thoroughbred racing in Australia
• Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival
• VRC Stakes day
• List of Australian Group races
• Group races

References

1. "Significant changes to the Melbourne Cup Carnival". Just Horse Racing Australia. 2016. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
2. . Pro Group Racing Australia. 2014. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 3 November 2014.
3. "VRC Champions Stakes". punters.com.au. Retrieved 23 October 2022.
4. "2022 Result – Kennedy Champions Mile (held 5 November 2022)". racingpost.com. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
5. "2021 Result – Kennedy Cantala Stakes (held 30 October 2020)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
6. "2019 Result – Kennedy Cantala (held 2 November 2019)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2019.
7. "2018 Result – Kennedy Mile (held 3 November 2018)". breednet.com. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
8. "2017 Result – Kennedy Mile (held 4 November 2017)". breednet.com. Retrieved 4 November 2017.
9. "2016 Result – Cantala Stakes (held 29 October 2016)". breednet.com. Retrieved 29 October 2016.
10. . breednet.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
11. . breednet.com. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
12. "2013 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 9 November 2013)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
13. "2012 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 10 November 2012)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
14. "2011 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 5 November 2011)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
15. "2010 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 6 November 2010)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
16. "2009 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 7 November 2009)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
17. "2008 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 8 November 2008)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
18. "2007 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 10 November 2007)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
19. "2006 Result – Emirates Stakes (held 11 November 2006)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
20. "2005 Result – Emirates Stks (held 5 November 2005)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
21. "2004 Result – Emirates Stks (held 6 November 2004)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
22. "2003 Result – Emirates Stks (held 8 November 2003)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
23. "2002 Result – Emirates Stks (held 9 November 2002)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
24. "2001 Result – Emirates Stks (held 10 November 2001)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
25. "2000 Result – Emirates Stks (held 11 November 2000)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
26. "1999 Result – Emirates Stks (held 6 November 1999)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
27. "1998 Result – Emirates Stks (held 7 November 1998)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
28. . breednet.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
29. "1996 Result – Chrysler Stks (held 9 November 1996)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
30. "1995 Result – Nissan Stks (held 11 November 1995)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
31. "1994 Result – Nissan Stks (held 5 November 1994)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
32. "1993 Result – Nissan Stks (held 6 November 1993)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
33. . breednet.com. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
34. "1991 Result – Honda Stks (held 9 November 1991)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
35. "1990 Result – Honda Stks (held 10 November 1990)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
36. "1989 Result – Honda Stks (held 11 November 1989)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
37. "1988 Result – Ampol Stks (held 5 November 1988)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
38. "1987 Result – Ampol Stks (held 7 November 1987)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
39. "1986 Result – Ampol Stks (held 8 November 1986)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
40. "1985 Result – Ampol Stks (held 9 November 1985)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
41. "1984 Result – Ampol Stks (held 10 November 1984)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
42. "1983 Result – The George Adams (held 5 November 1983)". breednet.com. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
43. "St. Constant Stirs Crowd In Great Cantala Finish - Race Results section Cantala Stakes (held 29 October 1938)". The Barrier Miner. Trove. 29 October 1938. p. 1 col. 1–4. Retrieved 26 October 2015.