Champions Mile Tips, Betting, Odds, Horses & More 2024

The Champions Mile, sponsored by the Victorian Racing Club (VRC) is one of Melbourne’s oldest and most prestigious Group 1 thoroughbred horse races as it has been run since 1881! Since that inaugural Champions Mile (then the Coburg Stakes), the notoriety of this feature race has grown exponentially, alongside the prize money which totals $3 million.

The VRC Champions Mile, or as it is now known, the Champions Mile, is a Group 1 weight-for-age race owned and hosted by the Victoria Racing Club. The 1,600m race is always tackled by some of the best horses in not only Australia but also the entire world. 

It is important to note that the Champions Mile recently returned to the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival after previously taking place on the first day instead. Now, for the Champions Mile, the feature race will be run on Champions Day, which used to be called Stakes Day.

There is so much racing at Flemington Racecourse for racing fans to sink their teeth into on the same day and it’s no wonder why many consider Flemington one of the top tracks in the country. The other races on the same day at Flemington include; the Champions Stakes and the Champions Sprint.

Not to be outdone, there’s quality racing in NSW on the same day as well, with Rosehill Racecourse shining with the Golden Gift and The Five Diamonds. So, make sure you’ve set up your Saturday because it’s going to be a cracker, that’s for sure. 

In this page dedicated to the Champions Mile, we will break down all the critical information you will need to know in advance. We take a deep dive into the history of the Champions Mile dating back over 140 years and provide our all-important horse racing betting tips, among other things.

As we go into the Spring Carnival in Victoria, an exciting buzz seems to overcome all racing fans. One of those races that really gets us and racing enthusiasts alike keen on this season is the Champions Mile. With a race that has so much prestige, you would think it would have a lot of prize money attached to it. You would be correct!

There’s a whopping $3 million on the line for this race and the breakdown of the prize money can be found below:

Who doesn’t love some great free racing tips to really get their heart pumping? Well, the team at OnlyRacing has you covered from every angle when it comes to our horse racing tips. We’ve got tips for every Group 1 and key race on the calendar along with Flemington tips to keep you going through the week.

Each year, our Champions Mile tips will be available during race week. Our experts prefer to wait until race week because that’s when the final field is announced, so they know what they are working with. You’ll get three tips from our experts for the Champions Mile, so there’s something for everyone.

While our 2024 Champions Mile tips aren’t available just yet, you can check out our tips for the race in 2023 and judge how our experts performed accordingly. All the details are below:

Champions Mile Best Bet - Fangirl

It’s a small field for the Champions Mile and I always go back and forth on whether I think this makes it easier to pick a winner. With three of the seven runners listed under odds of $5.00, I’m going to go with more difficult! But in saying that, I’ve landed on Fangirl. 

This girl is a fan of Fangirl, especially after what she was able to do to Mr Brightside the last time they faced each other at a mile. She didn’t have luck on her side in the Cox Plate, so she is due for some now. With Pride Of Jenni in this race as well, she maps well to get some cover and doesn’t have a massive field to hold her up. Let’s go Fangirl!

Champions Mile Next Best - Mr Brightside

For my next best, I’m going with Mr Brightside. I did find it difficult to split Alligator Blood and Mr Brightside for my next best, but The Gator has finished in front of Mr Bridghtside on six of the 10 occasions they have met. However, if you look over some of the more recent occasions the pair have met, it’s been Mr Brightside who has got the better result.

He gets a good gate and will relish the wide-open track of Flemington. Should have won the Cox Plate and if he did, would probably be going out as the favourite. Loves the mile, he is 10 out of 16 from this distance, so I’m expecting a big showing from Mr Brightside and he may even win this one.

Champions Mile Best Roughie - The Inevitable

I think the top three in the odds will finish top three in the race, but I’m also willing to have a value play on The Inevitable because you never know in horse racing. There’s a lot to like about The Inevitable and while he doesn’t have the star factor that some of the others do, he is a quality runner.

Almost won the All-Star Mile in Autumn and then in this prep, kicked off strong in the Theo Marks Stakes where he was near the rear of the field and stormed home to finish second. I’m putting a line through his run in the Epsom Handicap and the Toorak Handicap because of the tricky draw. He doesn’t have a big field in this one and will jump from barrier four.

Our 2024 Champions Mile tips will be available during race week, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled during that time. 

Betting on the Champions Mile is simply a must if you are an enthusiastic horse racing fan or bettor. To help you decide where to place your Champions Mile bets, we have provided some key recommendations that you should follow. 

First things first, which of the many horse racing betting sites do you bet with? The market has become quite saturated in Australia and you’ve now got a lot of choices. Do you go with a more established bookie, or try one of the new betting sites that have just popped up? 

The choice is 100% up to you, but we can help you make your decision. If you head on over to our bookie reviews page, you’ll see in-depth bookie reviews on all the best bookies in Australia. You’ll have all the information required to make the best decision for you.

One of the major areas we look into is each betting site’s app. There are plenty of new betting apps in Australia and we want to make sure they are up to scratch along with reviewing all the apps provided by some of the more established bookies.

If you’ve found a couple of bookies that you like, you don’t have to choose just one. In fact, we think it’s a good idea to open accounts with multiple bookies because it then becomes easier to take advantage of different racing promotions and odds.

There are plenty of markets to choose from as well when it comes to Champions Mile betting. We always recommend sticking with the markets you fully understand. You can always expand your knowledge so you have more options to bet on, but if you don’t understand the bet type, it’s best to avoid it until you do.

As a starting point, some of the bookies that are worth looking into include the likes of PlayUp, Bet365 and Dabble. All three betting sites are known to offer unique promotions and great odds for racing. They might even offer Champions Mile-specific promotions, so keep an eye out for that.

Each year, the Champions Mile field is announced during race week, until then it is only speculation on which runners will make an appearance. If you look back at some of the past editions of the Champions Mile, you will see just how high-quality the field has been and we are expecting more of the same again in the upcoming race.

If you want to get an indication of the runners that might be targeting the Champions Mile, then you should see if the odds are available. The odds will show all the runners that are more favoured in the market and we will have the odds, if they are available, in our “Odds” section below.

We’ve left the 2023 Champions Mile field up, so you can see which runners took part in the race. When the time is right, we will update the table with all runners who will take part in the race in 2024.

Yes, you read that right. A field of just seven runners was announced to take part in the 2023 Champions Mile. There weren’t any emergencies listed either but that didn’t matter in the end as there weren’t any pre-race scratchings.

Scratchings are an unfortunate way of life in horse racing and you’ll notice it happens quite regularly. There are a few reasons as to why a runner might be scratched, for example, upon vet’s advice or if the runner is a dual acceptor in two races on the same day. If you’re interested in the Champions Mile, you need to keep an eye on scratchings. 

When it comes to the Champions Mile field, you also should look into the barrier draw. It is a key factor to look into because the barrier each runner jumps from can have a major influence on the outcome of the race. Different runners also have different race styles, so they may be more suited for an inside or wider barrier.

It is always a good idea to look into the Champions Mile form guide each year before the event. The form guide can provide valuable insights into the race and even point you in the direction of the next potential winner. With a race that has been going for as long as the Champions Mile has, there’s certainly plenty of data to go through.

If spending hours going through data doesn’t sound fun to you then you’re in luck! The team at OnlyRacing have done all the work for you. We’ve gone through the data and found some little nuggets of gold that you should be aware of. These key form indicators present a pattern and all the information is below.

As the Champions Mile is a race for both genders, we usually see several different formlines converging for the race. There are a lot of different lead-up races that are worth checking out, but it is a good idea to focus on the races that are around the 1,400m to 1,600m mark and those raced at Group level.

Some of the most influential Group 1 lead-up races include; the Makybe Diva Stakes, the Toorak Handicap, the Epsom Handicap and the Cox Plate. The Group 2 lead-up races you should look into include; the Crystal Mile. While for Group 3, check out the Moonga Stakes and the Craven Plate.

The nature of the track at Flemington means that every horse should get their chance if they are good enough. If a runner is not fit enough or the mile is too long for them, they will usually get found out down the long straight. Due to this, the barrier draw doesn’t have as much of an influence, especially compared to other tracks.

While both genders compete in the Champions Mile, mares don’t have the best record here. Since 2000, we’ve only seen four mares win the Champions Mile, which includes; Pride Of Jenni (2023), Shillelagh (2017), Divine Madonna (2006) and Sky Cuddle (2004).

The favourite also doesn’t have the best record in the Champions Mile. In fact, we’ve seen several double-digit longshots win the race in recent years. Since 2009, nine Champions Mile winners have jumped with odds of $10 or higher.

The Champions Mile has been running since 1881, so that means there are a lot of horses that have competed in the race over the years. The race always brings some of the best horses to Flemington, but only the best of the best are good enough to claim victory and the lion’s share of the prize money that comes with it.

We’ve gone through all the Champions Mile horses and carefully selected some of the best winners over the years to feature here in this section. Remember, with a race that has been running since 1881 and just a handful of spots on this list, some tough decisions needed to be made.

Amounis - 1926 & 1929

Two-time winner of the Champions Mile, Amounis won in 1926 and then again in 1929. The gelding finished his career with a record of 79:33-11-8 and this included victories in key races like the Epsom Handicap, the Cox Plate, the All Aged Stakes and the Caulfield Cup. To learn more about any of those races, check out our Group One races list.

Wenona Girl - 1963

Wenona Girl is one of the few mares to win the Champions Mile and the Australian Racing Hall of Fame inductee finished her career with a record of 68: 27-19-7. Some of the biggest wins in her career included the likes of the King Charles III Stakes, the CF Orr Stakes, the Rosehill Guineas and the Flight Stakes.

Vain - 1969

Named the 1969/70 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year, Vain won the Champions Mile in 1969. Vain even has a Group 3 race named in his honour, the Vain Stakes, which is raced each year at Caulfield Racecourse. Some of the major races he won throughout his career included; the Golden Slipper, the Champagne Stakes and the Caulfield Guineas.

Better Loosen Up - 1989

With a record of 45:17-9-3, it’s easy to see why Better Loosen Up deserves a spot on this list of the best Champions Mile horses. The 1991 Australian Horse of the Year won major races like the Cox Plate, the Australian Cup, the Railway Stakes and the Champions Stakes, along with the Japan Cup. 

Alligator Blood - 2022

With over $8 million in prize money so far throughout his career, Alligator Blood is one of the best-ever horses to compete and win the Champions Mile. His career record stands at 35:15-5-3 at the time of writing and he has won races like the Stradbroke Handicap, the Caulfield Stakes, the Australian Guineas and the Futurity Stakes.

If you’re going to place a cheeky bet on the Champions Mile, then you’ll need to know what the odds are. The odds will tell you which runner is more likely to win, but it’s important to remember that even if a bookie thinks a runner is more likely to win, it doesn’t guarantee that will happen. Curveballs are thrown all the time in horse racing.

In the lead-up to the race, there will be plenty of horse racing markets to choose from, so if you’re interested in more than just the Fixed Win/ Place market, you’ll have to hold on a bit until the week of the race. 

At this stage, our favourite bookie, PlayUp, has already released their initial market for the race. This means if you’ve got yourself an early hot tip, then you can get your bets sorted already. Betting a month or so out from the event can be a good thing because you’ll usually find better odds than compared to if you choose to be on the day of the race.

When it comes to the Champions Mile odds, it is a good idea to shop around as well. Different bookies are known to offer different odds for the same runner/ market and you are leaving easy money on the table by not shopping around, especially if you’re thinking about betting on a roughie.

All the current odds for the top contenders in the Champions Mile are displayed below, thanks to PlayUp:

*Odds correct as of late July.

In this section of the Champions Mile page, we will go through the important changes that the race has undergone, as well as some interesting facts to get you in the mood for race day. The history of the Champions Mile dates back to its inaugural race in 1881. 

Interestingly, this first edition of the Champions Mile was also held in the first year that the Melbourne Cup ran. Since that race day, the Champions Mile has garnered serious notoriety for its prestige and the talent it draws to Flemington Racecourse. The Champions Mile forms part of the Spring Racing Carnival, one of the biggest horse racing carnivals in Australia.

Race Name

The name ‘Champions Mile’ only recently came into fruition as of the 2022 edition of the race. The original name of the Champions Mile was the Coburg Stakes (1881-1918) and that name has undergone many changes over the history of the Champions Mile.

After almost 30 years of the Coburg Stakes, the Cantala Stakes was born and ran for a further 40 years until the year 1961. From then, the George Adams Handicap was run at Flemington Racecourse up to 1984.

Ampol stepped in as the first major sponsor in 1985 and held the naming rights of the Champions Mile for four consecutive years until Honda took over with a higher bid. The sponsorship cycle continued in the following order (with a noticeable pattern of automobile manufacturers):

• Honda (1989-1992)
• Nissan (1992-1995)
• Chrysler (1996-1997)
• Emirates (1998-2015)

After the almost 20-year-long partnership between Emirates Airlines and Victoria Racing ended, the Cantala Stakes was held in 2016 and the Kennedy Mile (named for the length of the race of course) in 2017 and 2018. A combination of the two, the Kennedy Cantala Stakes, ran for three years until 2022.

Race Distance

The distance, whilst it may not seem like it, has not undergone the immense changes that the Champions Mile name has. Although there are a series of changes to the distance, they are all quite minor. As a result, we have listed them off below in terms of their officially registered distance:

• 1881-1894: 1.5 miles 
• 1895-1971: 1 mile
• 1972-1993: 1,600 metres
• 1994: 1,616 metres
• 1995-2005: 1600 metres
• 2006: 1,610 metres
• 2007-Now: 1,600 metres

Notable Records in the Champions Mile

For a race as famed as the Champions Mile, there are only four multiple-time winners of the thoroughbred feature race. Interestingly, none of these horses have won the race more than twice! These multi-champions of the Champions Mile are:

• Iolaire
• Amounis
• Aquanita
• Seascay

So, who won the latest Champions Mile? All the Champions Mile results details can be found here. We go through the finishing order of all runners in the field, plus we provide a race replay, so you can watch the action as it unfolded.

For the Champions Mile in 2023, Pride Of Jenni won against a small field. The mare was paying $13 to win the race, but that didn’t stop her from leading pretty much all the way. None of her rivals could get close to her, with Mr Brightside finishing in second place, 1.3L off the pace.

Alligator Blood finished in third place, but as there were only seven runners in the race, no third dividend was paid. The pre-race favourite, Fangirl, finished in fourth spot. The Champions Mile was run in a time of 1:34.75 in 2023 and there was a total of 8.1L that split the entire field.

Here’s where the entire field in the Champions Mile finished:

Another year, another epic edition of the Champions Mile. See how the entire race unfolded in the video below:

Over the years, we’ve seen some pretty epic Champions Mile winners and we’d love to display them all in the table, but we are focusing on the more recent winners. All the recent Champions Mile winners are below:

As one of the most popular races on the Australian calendar, we’ve noticed that many people have questions about the Champions Mile. We’ve gone through and found some of the most common questions and answered them in our Champions Mile FAQs section.