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Champions Stakes

Horse race in Melbourne, Australia

Field	Value
surface	Turf
class	Group 1
horse race	Champions Stakes (VRC)
registered as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes
image	[[File:PETER PAN lll VRC MELBOURNE CUP 1932 & 1934.JPG	250px]]
caption	1932 and 1934 winner – Peter Pan
location	Flemington Racecourse,
Melbourne, Australia
inaugurated	(as Melbourne Stakes)
race type	Thoroughbred
sponsor	TAB (since 2022)
distance	2,000 metres
qualification	Three year olds and older that are not maidens
weight	Weight for Age
purse	$3,000,000 (2024)

registered as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes Melbourne, Australia

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. Total prize money is A$3,000,000.

History

The race is named after a former chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie ("L.K.S.") MacKinnon (1861–1935). 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.

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. 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.

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

Name

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

1869–1936 - Melbourne Stakes
1937–1986 - LKS Mackinnon Stakes
1987–1989 - Occidental Mackinnon Stakes
1990 - LKS Mackinnon Stakes
1991–2000 - Louis Vuitton Mackinnon Stakes
2001–2004 - Thrifty Mackinnon Stakes
2005–2006 - Motorola Mackinnon Stakes
2007 - L'Oreal Paris Mackinnon Stakes
2008 - Crown Mackinnon Stakes
2009 - LKS Mackinnon Stakes
2010–2015 - Longines Mackinnon Stakes
2016–2017 - Emirates Stakes
2018–2020 - Seppelt Mackinnon Stakes
2021 - Paramount+ Mackinnon Stakes
2022– - TAB Champions Stakes

Distance

1869–1971 - 1 miles (~2000 metres)
1972 onwards - 2000 metres

Grade

1869–1978 - Principal Race
1979 onwards - Group 1

Doubles wins

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

Malua (1884), Carbine (1890), Phar Lap (1930), Peter Pan (1932, 1934), The Trump (1937), Comic Court (1950), Delta (1951), Dalray (1952), Rising Fast (1954), Rain Lover (1968), At Talaq (1986), Empire Rose (1988), Let's Elope (1991), Rogan Josh (1999)

1946 and 1954 racebooks

Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg|1946 VRC Derby racebook front cover Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg|1946 VRC Derby raceday officials Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P3.jpg|1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes page and winner, Flight File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg|1954 VRC Derby racebook front cover File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg|1954 VRC Derby raceday officials File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P3.jpg|1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes starters and results File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P4.jpg|1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes page showing the winner, Rising Fast File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P5.jpg|Back cover showing enclosure information

Winners since 2000

Year	Winner	Age	Jockey	Trainer	Owner	Time

2025	Via Sistina	8	James McDonald	Chris Waller	Yu Long Investments (Mgr: Y Zhang)	2:07.91
2024	Via Sistina	7	James McDonald	Chris Waller	Yu Long Investments (Mgr: Y Zhang)	2:01.86
2023	Atishu	6	James McDonald	Chris Waller	A J A Bosma, Mrs P J Clark et al.	2:02.01
2022	Zaaki	8	Jamie Kah	Annabel Neasham	C E Holt et al.	2:02.00
2021	Zaaki	7	James McDonald	Annabel Neasham	C E Holt et al.	2:02.94
2020	Arcadia Queen	5	Luke Currie	Grant & Alana Williams	Peters Investments Pty Ltd	2:03.53
2019	Magic Wand	5	Ryan Moore	Aidan O'Brien	Tabor, Smith & Magnier	2:01.82
2018	Trap For Fools	5	John Allen	Jarrod McLean	Distinct Racing	2:02.31
2017	Tosen Stardom	7	Damian Lane	Darren Weir	Australian Bloodstock, Doonaree Racing et al	2:01.22
2016	Awesome Rock	5	Stephen Baster	Leon & Troy Corstens	Stan Saric, Mrs J C Saric et al	2:02.49
2015	Gailo Chop	5	Ben Melham	Antoine De Watrigant	OTI Management, Werrett Bloodstock et al	2:03.56
2014	Happy Trails	7	Damien Oliver	Paul Beshara	Peter & Erica Dickmann	2:02.28
2013	Side Glance	7	Jamie Spencer	Andrew Balding	Pearl Bloodstock	2:03.59
2012	Alcopop	8	Craig Williams	Jake Stephens	J A Stephens, J P & Mrs S K Kelton et al	2:01.26
2011	Glass Harmonium	6	Damien Oliver	Mike Moroney	R & C Legh Racing, Lorne Bloodstock	2:02.72
2010	So You Think	4	Steven Arnold	Bart Cummings	Dato Tan Chin Nam	2:04.92
2009	Scenic Shot	7	Shane Scriven	Dan Morton	D L Morton, E A Galante et al	2:03.46
2008	Theseo	5	Nash Rawiller	Gai Waterhouse	Mike Townsend, P Evans et al	2:03.84
2007	Sirmione	4	Peter Mertens	Bart Cummings	Xipell, Covington & Smith	2:02.32
2006	Desert War	6	Chris Munce	Gai Waterhouse	Gooree Pastoral Company	2:02.38
2005	Lad of the Manor	6	Greg Childs	Simon Stout	David Thomas & Lorraine Smith	2:01.72
2004	Grand Armee	6	Damien Oliver	Gai Waterhouse	A R Bell	2:00.91
2003	Casual Pass	3	Glen Boss	Peter Morgan	Contract Racing Syndicate	2:05.86
2002	Lonhro	4	Darren Beadman	John Hawkes	Woodlands Stud	2:02.64
2001	La Bella Dama	4	Scott Seamer	Graeme Rogerson	Mrs C & Mrs D Howell et al	2:01.57
2000	Oliver Twist	6	Greg Childs	Brian Mayfield-Smith	Gainsborough Lodge Syndicat	2:04.48

Earlier winners

1999 - Rogan Josh
1998 - Champagne
1997 - Ebony Grosve
1996 - All Our Mob
1995 - Danewin
1994 - Paris Lane
1993 - The Phantom
1992 - Veandercross
1991 - Let's Elope
1990 - Better Loosen Up
1989 - Horlicks
1988 - Empire Rose
1987 - Rubiton
1986 - At Talaq
1985 - Rising Prince
1984 - Bounty Hawk
1983 - Veloso
1982 - My Axeman
1981 - Belmura Lad
1980 - Belmura Lad
1979 - Dulcify
1978 - Family Of Man
1977 - Silver Lad
1976 - Gold and Black
1975 - Kiwi Can
1974 - Leilani
1973 - Australasia
1972 - Stormy Seas
1971 - Skint Dip
1970 - Voleur
1969 - Roman Consul
1968 - Rain Lover
1967 - Winfreux
1966 - Tobin Bronze
1965 - Yangtze
1964 - Sir Dane
1963 - Summer Fair
1962 - Aquanita
1961 - Sky High
1960 - Tulloch
1959 - Trellios
1958 - Monte Carlo
1957 - Sailor's Guide
1956 - Sir William
1955 - Rising Fast
1954 - Rising Fast
1953 - Hydrogen
1952 - Dalray
1951 - Delta
1950 - Comic Court
1949 - Comic Court
1948 - Snowstream
1947 - Don Pedro
1946 - Flight
1945 - Tranquil Star
1944 - Tranquil Star
1943 - Amana
1942 - Tranquil Star
1941 - Beau Vite
1940 - Beau Vite
1939 - Ortelle's Star
1938 - Ajax
1937 - The Trump

]]

Melbourne Stakes (1869–1936)

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

References

(2016). "Significant changes to the Melbourne Cup Carnival". Just Horse Racing Australia.
(2014). "Winners and Past Results for the Winners and Past Results for the MacKinnon Stakes". Pro Group Racing Australia.
(26 August 1935). "MR. L.K.S. MACKINNON V.R.C. Chairman Dead.". The Canberra Times.
"VRC Champions Stakes".
"Track records and attendances". Victorian Racing Club.
"History of VRC MACKINNON STAKES | Breednet".
"1999 Result – L K S Mackinnon Stks ''(held 30 October 1999)''". breednet.com.
"1998 Result – L K S Mackinnon Stks ''(held 31 October 1998)''". breednet.com.
"1997 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 1 November 1997)''". breednet.com.
"1996 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 2 November 1996)''". breednet.com.
"1995 Result – Mackinnon Stks ''(held 4 November 1995)''". breednet.com.
"1994 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 29 October 1994)''". breednet.com.
"1993 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 30 October 1993)''". breednet.com.
"1992 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 31 October 1992)''". breednet.com.
"1991 Result – Mackinnon Stakes ''(held 2 November 1991)''". breednet.com.
"1990 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 3 November 1990)''". breednet.com.
"1989 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 4 November 1989)''". breednet.com.
"1988 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 29 October 1988)''". breednet.com.
"1987 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 31 October 1987)''". breednet.com.
"1986 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 1 November 1986)''". breednet.com.
"1985 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 2 November 1985)''". breednet.com.
"1984 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 3 November 1984)''". breednet.com.
"1983 Result – L.K.S. Mackinnon Stks ''(held 29 October 1983)''". breednet.com.
(5 November 1972). "Flemington Results – Mackinnon Stks ''(held 4 November 1972)''". [[The Sydney Morning Herald]].
(29 October 1938). "Ajax Too Good For Rivals - Race Results section L.K.S. MACKINNON STAKES ''(held 29 October 1938)''". Trove.

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