2023 PB Lawrence Stakes Results: Cox Plate Hope Mr Brightside Salutes First-Up
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The Kennedy Champions Mile - formerly known as the Cantala Stakes - is one of three $3 million Flemington Group 1 races contested on Day 4 of the Melbourne Cup Carnival - VRC Champions Stakes Day.
The Kennedy Champions Mile – formerly known as the Cantala Stakes – is one of Melbourne’s richest 1600m races for the spring with $3 million prize money as of 2022. This Group 1 race is currently a weight-for-age event now held at Flemington on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Racing Carnival.
Previously run the Saturday prior on Victoria Derby Day, the Champions Mile was moved ahead of the 2022 edition and now takes place on the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup, which runs on the first Tuesday of November.
The Champions Mile now shares the race card at HQ with the recently renamed VRC Champions Stakes – formerly the Mackinnon Stakes – which is also now worth $3 million in prize money.
The other key event on the race card is the Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m), formerly known as the VRC Sprint Classic and attracting horses out of Sydney’s $20 million The Everest race.
Any fillies and mares targeting the Champions Mile may have an earlier lead-up run in Sydney’s $2 million The Invitation (1400m). In 2021 The Invitation winner Icebath finished a brave next-up second in the event, which was then held as the Cantala Stakes on Derby Day.
The 2022 Champions Mile form was franked the following autumn with the winner Alligator Blood returning to take out the 2023 Futurity Stakes. The 2022 Champions Mile third place-getter Mr Brightside meanwhile further franked the form completing the All-Star Mile / Doncaster Mile double in 2023.
The 2023 Champions Mile winner in an all-the-way upset was Pride Of Jenni who backed-up off a win in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) the Saturday before on Derby Day.
The 2023 Champions Mile ran on Saturday November 11, 2023 as part of the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington and was won in a stunning all-the-way upset by the previous weekend’s Empire Rose Stakes winning mare Pride Of Jenni ($13) from the Maher/Eustace stable.
Champions Mile 2023 – (Formerly the Kennedy Cantala Stakes) | |
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Date: | Saturday November 11, 2023 |
Racecourse: | Flemington Racecourse |
Distance: | 1600m |
Race Type: | Open Quality |
Status: | Group 1 |
Prizemoney: | $3,000,000 |
The Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained Pride Of Jenni ($13) was enormous in the lead setting a strong pace up front to go from barrier to box and hold off Mr Brightside and Alligator Blood to record her second Group 1 success in the space of seven days at Flemington in an upset 2023 Champions Mile result on Stakes Day.
The Champions Mile 2023 results and finishing order on the event formerly known as the Kennedy Cantala Stakes will be updated below on Saturday November 11, 2023.
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 7 | PRIDE OF JENNI | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Declan Bates | 3 | 57kg | $13 | |||
2 | 1 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 1.25L | 2 | 59kg | $3 | ||
3 | 2 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 2.5L | 5 | 59kg | $4.20 | ||
4 | 6 | FANGIRL | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 2.6L | 7 | 57kg | $2.40F | ||
5 | 3 | THE INEVITABLE | John Keys | Damien Oliver | 3.6L | 4 | 59kg | $26 | ||
6 | 4 | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | Michael Moroney | John Allen | 7.35L | 6 | 59kg | $81 | ||
7 | 5 | VICTORIA ROAD (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Blake Shinn | 8.1L | 1 | 58kg | $19 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Champions Mile betting odds open months in advance of the race with all-in markets on the potential milers targeting the $3 million event released by online bookmakers.
The season’s latest Champions Mile 2023 Odds and market links to Ladbrokes.com.au will be available below as soon as available.
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Pride Of Jenni winning at Champions Mile odds of $13.
Stay tuned for our insider Champions Mile 2023 Tips on the $3 million middle-distance feature on Stakes Day this spring!
Small field, but what a race! We have a genuine line-up of mile stars here led by Mr Brightside who can bounce back here. The Team Hayes-trained galloper won five on the trot including his opening three this prep before back-to-back seconds he is out to atone for here. Beat Alligator Blood by 1.5 lengths in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at this track and trip then went up to Sydney and finished a distant second to Chris Waller’s runaway winner Fangirl in the King Charles III Stakes with excuses. Was huge at The Valley flashing up the inside late to nearly beat Romantic Warrior right on the line in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2000m). Back to a mile (15:10-1-1) and Flemington and he’s rock hard fit and will be hard to hold out.
If you are serious about your betting, you will need a good Champions Mile Form Guide to help in your analysis of the runners. Follow the link to our dedicated page that gives you a run down on the Champions Mile form guide, how to read the information provided in the guide and where to go for the best Champions Mile form guide each season.
The Champions Mile field – formerly known as the Kennedy Cantala field – is normally comprised of the horses from the Group 2 Crystal Mile (1600m) run at Moonee Valley on Cox Plate Day in late October and graduates of the Group 1 Toorak Handicap (1600m) run at Caulfield at the start of October on Caulfield Guineas Day. Fierce Impact (2019) was the last galloper to complete the Toorak Handicap – Kennedy Cantala double in a single season.
The official Champions Mile 2023 Final Field & Barriers are set for release on the Wednesday leading-up to Champions Stakes Day at Flemington, the full list of milers to be published in full below once announced.
The 2023 Champions Mile field features a diminutive but top class line-up of stars including Cox Plate runner-up Mr Brightside, Chris Waller’s runaway King Charles III Stakes winning mare Fangirl and the reigning champ Alligator Blood from the Waterhouse/Bott stable.
Click here to read more on the key runners in the 2023 Champions Mile field and betting markets.
No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5211×11122 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 2 | 59kg | 118 | ||
2 | x140x42113 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Tim Clark | 5 | 59kg | 118 | ||
3 | 111113×287 | THE INEVITABLE | John Keys | Damien Oliver | 4 | 59kg | 107 | ||
4 | 362598×735 | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | Michael Moroney | John Allen | 6 | 59kg | 103 | ||
5 | 241111×739 | VICTORIA ROAD (IRE) | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Blake Shinn | 1 | 58kg | 109 | ||
6 | x3227x1317 | FANGIRL | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 7 | 57kg | 117 | ||
7 | x4298x6261 | PRIDE OF JENNI | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Declan Bates | 3 | 57kg | 108 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
The early Champions Mile Nominations close the Monday of race week and will be updated right here once early entries are confirmed.
The 2023 Champions Mile nominations feature 16 hopefuls including a host of dual nominees including Cox Plate runner-up Mr Brightside, Alligator Blood who was a brave third in the same $5 million lead-up at Moonee Valley, and the Chris Waller-trained King Charles III Stakes winning mare Fangirl.
Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 5211×11122 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | G | 6 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 1 | 59kg | 118 | ||
2 | x140x42113 | ALLIGATOR BLOOD | G | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 2 | 59kg | 118 | ||
3 | x3227x1317 | FANGIRL | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 3 | 57kg | 117 | ||
4 | 41x217x326 | ZAAKI (GB) | G | 9 | Annabel Neasham | 4 | 59kg | 116 | ||
5 | x216Px5202 | ATISHU (NZ) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | 5 | 57kg | 110 | ||
6 | 111141×310 | LEGARTO (NZ) | M | 4 | Ken & Bev Kelso | 6 | 57kg | 109 | ||
7 | 241111×739 | VICTORIA ROAD (IRE) | H | 4 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 7 | 58kg | 109 | ||
8 | 1023421511 | CEPHEUS (GB) | G | 7 | Matthew Dunn | 8 | 59kg | 109 | ||
9 | 3950×61146 | MUSTANG VALLEY (NZ) | M | 5 | Andrew Forsman | 9 | 57kg | 108 | ||
10 | x4298x6261 | PRIDE OF JENNI | M | 6 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 10 | 57kg | 108 | ||
11 | 34113×2150 | PINSTRIPED | G | 5 | Enver Jusufovic | 11 | 59kg | 107 | ||
12 | 111113×287 | THE INEVITABLE | G | 8 | John Keys | 12 | 59kg | 107 | ||
13 | 26844×4078 | HINGED | M | 5 | Chris Waller | 13 | 57kg | 105 | ||
14 | 113553×404 | NUGGET (GB) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 14 | 59kg | 105 | ||
15 | 362598×735 | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | G | 6 | Michael Moroney | 15 | 59kg | 103 | ||
16 | 0x44496x24 | JUST FOLK | G | 7 | Gavin Bedggood | 16 | 59kg | 102 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Kennedy Cantala betting – now Champions Mile betting – is always hugely popular as the race runs on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival meeting and features a star-studded field of milers and past Group 1 winners. Check out our dedicated Champions Mile betting page for everything to do with enjoying a punt on the $3 million dollar feature including tips for the Champions Mile Trifecta.
Check out our dedicated Kennedy Cantala / Champions Mile Results page for a full list of the past Kennedy Cantala / Champions Mile winners.
YEAR | WINNER | 2ND | 3RD | TIME |
---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | Pride Of Jenni | Mr Brightside | Alligator Blood | 1:34.75 |
2022 | Alligator Blood | Tuvalu | Mr Brightside | 1:35.6 |
2021 | Superstorm | Icebath | Cascadian | 1:35.2 |
2020 | Yulong Prince | Cascadian | Rock | 1:34.5 |
2019 | Fierce Impact | Fifty Stars | Cascadian | 1:38.2 |
2018 | Best Of Days | Le Romain | Peaceful State | 1:33.6 |
2017 | Shillelagh | Tom Melbourne | Wyndspelle | 1:35.0 |
2016 | Le Romain | McCreery | Tivaci | 1:34.9 |
2015 | Turn Me Loose | Politeness | Rock Sturdy | 1:36.2 |
2014 | Hucklebuck | Lucky Hussler | The Cleaner | 1:34.6 |
2013 | Boban | Smokin’ Joey | Speediness | 1:36.5 |
2012 | Happy Trails | Fawkner | Secret Admirer | 1:35.9 |
2011 | Albert The Fat | King’s Rose | Secret Admirer | 1:36.0 |
2010 | Wall Street | Dao Dao | Chasm | 1:36.7 |
2009 | All American | So You Think | Gold Salute | 1:33.9 |
2008 | All Silent | Sea Battle | Mimi Lebrock | 1:35.8 |
2007 | Tears I Cry | Bird Dancer | Shinzig | 1:35.2 |
2006 | Divine Madonna | Niconero | Valedictum | 1:35.5 |
2005 | Valedictum | Infinite Grace | Shania Dane | 1:34.9 |
2004 | Sky Cuddle | Lad Of The Manor | Skewiff | 1:39.1 |
2003 | Titanic Jack | True Glo | Crawl | 1:34.7 |
2002 | Scenic Peak | Crawl | Excellerator | 1:33.4 |
2001 | Desert Eagle | Emission | La Bella Dama | 1:37.3 |
2000 | Testa Rosaa | Weasel Will | Crawl | 1:35.5 |