2024 Champions Mile

The Champions Mile, sponsored by the Victorian Racing Club (VRC) is one of Melbourne’s oldest and most prestigious Group 1 thoroughbred horse race 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. 

In this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile, we will break down all the critical information you will need to know in advance of the 2023 Champions Mile Australian horse race. In addition to this, we take a look at the 2022 Champions Mile (VRC), how the race went down, and what we can take away from it. The other large portion of this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile is a deep dive into the history of the Champions Mile dating back over 140 years. Hopefully this part of the 2023 Champions Mile preview will give you an appreciation for the historic value of this feature race at Flemington Racecourse.

The Feature Race – The 2023 Champions Mile

Our preview to the 2023 Champions Mile will begin with a look at the actual race. This section will speak on:

• Important race information (date, distance, venue)
• The prize money distribution for the 2023 Champions Mile at Flemington Racecourse
• The results of the 2022 Champions Mile, what we learnt from it, and the odds at the time of the jump as provided by PlayUp
• Previous winners of the Champions Mile dating back to the 2008 Champions Mile won by All Silent. Truthfully, this is the furthest back we could find reliable odds provided by an Australian bookmaker. Some of these bookmakers include Unibet and PlayUp. Visit our Bookmaker Reviews page for more information on these available Aussie bookies that offer markets on Group 1 thoroughbred races such as the 2023 Champions Mile

Click on The Feature Race. – The 2023 Champions Mile, or the hyperlink heading this paragraph to view this section.

Where to bet on the 2023 Champions Mile

This section of OnlyRacing’s preview to the 2023 Champions Mile will hopefully impart some useful tips on which available Australian bookmakers – that offer thoroughbred Group 1 horse races – you should use to punt on the 2023 Champions Mile (as well as other races too!). We have also included six pros and cons lists for these bookmakers, some of which are our favourite, others are newer more exciting and up and coming bookies. To view a full, comprehensive list of bookies you might want to use for the 2023 Champions Mile, be sure to check out our Bookmaker Reviews page.

Click on Where to bet on the 2023 Champions Mile, or the hyperlink heading this paragraph to view this section.

Track History of Flemington Racecourse – Home of the 2023 Champions Mile

A brief look at Flemington Racecourse and its inextricable link to the 2023 Champions Mile, as well as other Champions Mile races over the years. Do not miss out on our feature length review of Flemington Racecourse.
Click on Track History of Flemington Racecourse – Home of the 2023 Champions Mile, or the hyperlink heading this paragraph to view this section.

Race History of the Champions Mile

For all of you history-buff horse racing and punting enthusiasts, this should be an interesting section of our 2023 Champions Mile (VRC) preview. Going through the major changes that have helped to shape the Champions Mile into what it is today is definitely well worth it as we get closer to the 2023 Champions Mile at Flemington Racecourse on the 11th of November 2023. 
Click on Race History of the Champions Mile, or the hyperlink heading this paragraph to view this section.

Previous Winners of the Champions Mile

We finish this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile by going through a compiled list of every victor in the Champions Mile feature race’s history.  Try to see how many elite Australian horse racing champions you can recognise. 
Click on Previous Winners of the Champions Mile, or the hyperlink heading this paragraph to view this section.

1600m 2023 Champions Mile – 1600m

Date: Saturday 11th oft November 2023
Time: TBD (AEDT)
Venue: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria
Prize Money: Saturday 11th oft November 2023

The VRC Champions Mile, as it is known this year, or just Champions Mile, is a Group 1 handicap thoroughbred horse race owned and hosted by the Victoria Racing Club. The 1,600 turf race is available to Australia’s best three year old thoroughbred horses that are not maidens. 

It is important to note that last year the Champions Mile returned to the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival after 6 years taking place on the first day rather. Now, for the 2023 Champions Mile, the feature race will be run on Champions Day, which used to be called Stakes day.

2023 Champions Mile Prize Money

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 me keen on this season is the 2023 Champions Mile. Despite Racing Victoria’s obvious plight with giving their biggest races a well needed boost in relation to the kitty on offer, a $3 million AUD sum for the 2023 Champions Mile is nothing to turn your nose at. 

See the proposed final distribution of prize money by the VRC for the 2023 Champions Mile. You will not want to miss out on the entire at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday the 11th of November 2023. 

This $3 million AUD in prize money has remained consistent since last year’s 2022 Champions Mile. In that iteration of the Champions Mile feature race, Alligator Blood, the favourite going into the race, saw it out and took home over $1.5 million AUD for his connections.

Looking at the odds of the runners going into the 2022 Champions Mile, we see that Alligator Blood had a healthy amount of money back him in, with I Wish I Win not far behind.

Just weeks prior, Alligator Blood had lost by a tick over two lengths to the incredible Anamoe. Having dropped in distance going into the 2022 Champions Mile, he started off very strong and gave a strong kick thanks to Tim Clark to claw off the opposition.

Now looking towards the 2023 Champions Mile, as well as referencing the final portion of this preview to the aforementioned 2023 Champions Mile (VRC), a host of our nation’s greatest thoroughbred horses have claimed gold in this race, so I would keep an eye out for some champions once the field is determined for the 11th of November.

Now looking towards the 2023 Champions Mile, as well as referencing the final portion of this preview to the aforementioned 2023 Champions Mile (VRC), a host of our nation’s greatest thoroughbred horses have claimed gold in this race, so I would keep an eye out for some champions once the field is determined for the 11th of November.

Please Note: All odds are provided by PlayUp.

We have also included this table of prior winners of the Champions Mile with snapshot odds taken from archives. Some of the odds provided are by PlayUp and Unibet. Scroll down to view the best and worst things about these available Australian bookmakers.

Once confirmation of the field of runners takes place, come back to this 2023 Champions Mile preview for a few bet suggestions. However, be sure to check out the 2023 Champions Mile when it runs at Flemington Racecourse.

Betting on the 2023 Champions Mile is simply a must if you are an enthusiastic horse racing fan or punter. To help you decide where to place your 2023 Champions Mile bets, we have provided an extract of our Bookmaker Reviews page. This extract comes from the pros and cons list associated to some of our favourite and some of the newest available Australian bookmakers.

In this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile, we use odds provided to us by PlayUp, as well as Unibet. For a full review into these two bookies, visit their respective bookmaker review pages. For potential promotions associated to these bookies, go to our Promotions page.

As you should surely know if you are reading this 2023 Champions Mile preview, Flemington Racecourse is one of, if not the most famous Group 1 thoroughbred horse racing venues in not just Australia, but the entire world. Having races with over 140 years of history, as well as playing host to the Race That Stops A Nation, the Melbourne Cup, which is held the prior week at the famous Flemington Racecourse.

Despite my eagerness to divulge everything I know about Flemington Racecourse; it would be unnecessary in this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile. In its stead, I suggest checking out our dedicated Flemington Racecourse page which details the most important and wackiest things about the great Melbourne racing venue.

The history of the Champions Mile (VRC) dates back to its inaugural race in 1881. Interestingly, this first edition of Flemington Racecourse’s Champions Mile was also held in the first year that the Melbourne Cup ran. Since that fateful race day, the Champions Mile has garnered seriously notoriety for its prestige and the talent it draws to Flemington Racecourse on the second weekend of November.

In this portion of the 2023 Champions Mile preview we will go through the important changes that the Champions Mile has undergone, as well as some cool facts to get you in the mood for race day on Saturday the 11th of November 2023 (2023 Champions Mile day).

Race Name

The name ‘Champions Mile’ only recently came into fruition as of the 2022 Champions Mile. The original name of the Champions Mile was the Coburg Stakes (1881 – 1918) and that name has undergone many changes over the 142 year history of the Champions Mile.

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

Ampol stepped in as the first major sponsor in 1985 and held the naming rights of the Champions Mile for four consecutive years up 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 twenty yearlong 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 the 2022 Kennedy Champions Mile was born.

For my liking, the ‘Champions Mile’ moniker has an elegant and prestigious ring to it. Now sponsored by the VRC itself, the Champions Mile also goes by the Champions (VRC) Mile.

Race Distance

The distance, whilst it may not seem like it, has not undergone the immense changes like the Champions Mile name has. Although there are a series of changes to the distance that the Champions Mile, then the Coburg Stakes, was run at, these 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: 1600 metres
• 1994: 1616 metres
• 1995–2005: 1600 metres
• 2006: 1610 metres
• 2007 – Present: 1600 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 horse have won the race more than twice! These multi-champions of the Champions Mile are:

• Iolaire: the first horse to win the Champions Mile multiple times in the consecutive editions of the 1907 and 1908 Champions Mile races, Iolaire is one of three horses to do so
• Amounis: the only horse to win multiple Champions Mile races not in consecutive years, Amounis claimed victory in the 1926 Champions Mile and 1929 Champions Mile
• Aquanita: the famous thoroughbred put on a show to win back-to-back Champions Miles in the 1960 and 1961 Melbourne Spring Carnival
• Seascay: the most recent multiple winner of the Champions Mile, Seascay won the 1994 Champions Mile and the 1995 Champions Mile

A couple of fun facts to take you home in this ‘Race History of the Champions Mile’ part:

• In the 2007 Champions Mile, a roughie paying over $100, Tears I Cry, claimed the victory and title of the longest winner of the Champions Mile that has been archived. What makes this even better, the other two horses completing the 2007 Champions Mile trifecta were both paying over $80 too!
• Only three mares have ever won the Champions Mile feature race: Shillelagh in the 2017 Champions Mile, Divine Madonna in the 2006 Champions Mile, and Sky Cuddle in the 2004 Champions Mile

Finally, to wrap up this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile, we have put together a composition of every single champion in the history of the VRC Champions Mile. These range from last year’s 2022 Champions Mile winner Alligator Blood to the inaugural winner of the Coburg Stakes, Courtenay. As I said in the introduction, try and spot as many familiar names as you can! I know quite a few, but of course this is what I do. 

List of All Champions Mile Champions (1881 – 2022)

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

Note: For the purposes of naming standards, we have called each edition of this great race as the Champions Mile. For more information on the naming changes that the Champions Mile has undergone, scroll up the ‘Race History of the Champions Mile’ section of this 2023 Champions Mile preview.

We hope that this preview to the 2023 Champions Mile helped you understand the prestige surrounding this Flemington Racecourse horse race, as well as some useful tips for picking who, what, and where to bet with for the 2023 Champions Mile. As previously mentioned, visit our OnlyRacing Tips page a day or so before the 2023 Champions Mile is due to run (Saturday the 11th of November 2023), to gain insights into the potential biggest winners on the day!