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Overview
This page was last updated on November 11, 2025
The 2025 Champions Mile runs on Saturday November 8 as part of the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.Â
- Race Date: 08/11/2025
- Race Status: Group 1
- Race Conditions: Weight-for-Age; 3YOs & Upwards
- Race Venue: Flemington, VIC
- Prize Money: $3,000,000
- Distance: 1600m
2025 Champions Mile Results
Stay tuned for the official 2025 Champions Mile results and finishing order when the $3 million showdown runs on Saturday November 8, 2025.
- 1st: No. 2 Ceolwulf
- 2nd: No. 2 Pericles
- 3rd: No. 8 Stefi Magnetica
Winning Margin: 0.06L
Winning Time: 1:38.94
Champions Mile Tips
Stay tuned for our insider Champions Mile 2025 Tips on the $3 million middle-distance feature on Stakes Day this spring!
STEFI MAGNETICA (8)Â looks more than just an each-way play in the Champions Mile.Â
Her Group 2 Invitation win last month was a beauty first-up off a five-week break, overcoming the tempo and powering home late from an awkward spot to score impressively.Â
She’s back fresh and firing, draws an ideal inside gate, and with Jason Collett dropping 2.5kg to stay on, she’ll be hard to hold out if she sees daylight and lets rip with that signature turn of foot.Â
Champions Mile News
- 2024 Champions Mile Result: Mr Brightside Back to Winning Form!
- 2024 Champions Mile Field & Betting Update: Mr B, Jenni, Antino Among Standouts
- 2023 Champions Mile Results: Pride Of Jenni All-The-Way Winner
- Open Champions Mile 2023 Field & Betting Market: Fangirl Narrow Favourite
- Private Eye Heads 2022 Champions Mile Field & Betting for Stakes Day
The VRC 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 placegetter 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.
Pride Of Jenni went on to frank the Champions Mile 2023 form returning in the autumn of 2024 to win the All-Star Mile and the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes – the latter by a record 6.5 lengths!
Mr Brightside returned for his third Champions Mile run improving off a 3rd in 2022 and 2nd in 2023 to win the 2024 edition and celebrate his eighth career Group 1 success!
Mr Brightside returned in 2025 to run top 2 in a host more elite level races including winning the Futurity Stakes. The 2024 Champions Mile form was further franked with the runner-up Antino winning the next year’s Group 1 Doomben Cup in 2025.
2025 Champions Mile Betting
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 2025 Odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au and published here at Races.com.au.
There was a notable upset in 2023 with Pride Of Jenni winning at Champions Mile odds of $13.
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.
Champions Mile Field
2025 Champions Mile Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 CHAMPIONS MILE FORM GUIDE
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.
2025 Champions Mile Nominations
The early Champions Mile Nominations close the Monday of race week and will be updated right here once early entries are confirmed.
2025 Champions Mile Final Field
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.
In 2024 the Toorak Handicap winner Antino finished a brave second in that year’s Champions Mile results behind Mr Brightside.
The official Champions Mile 2025 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.
Champions Mile Barrier & Speedmap
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1x2120x212 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 9 | 59kg | 120 | ||
| 2 | 5315×44361 | CEOLWULF (NZ) | Joseph Pride | Chad Schofield | 7 | 59kg | 117 | ||
| 3 | 91x845x134 | PERICLES | Bjorn Baker | Ben Melham | 4 | 59kg | 112 | ||
| 4 | 2x1x456220 | LAKE FOREST (GB) | William Haggas | Tom Marquand | 6 | 59kg | 112 | ||
| 5 | 32235×8834 | STEPARTY | Paul Preusker | Harry Coffey | 10 | 59kg | 104 | ||
| 6 | 9x504x0731 | VON HAUKE (NZ) | Cliff Brown | Ethan Brown | 5 | 59kg | 105 | ||
| 7 | 0x1910x171 | PRIDE OF JENNI | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 2 | 57kg | 118 | ||
| 8 | 54x8612x41 | STEFI MAGNETICA | Bjorn Baker | Jason Collett | 1 | 57kg | 116 | ||
| 9 | x1111x1223 | TREASURETHE MOMENT | Matt Laurie | Damian Lane | 3 | 57kg | 115 | ||
| 10 | 111114×432 | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 8 | 57kg | 107 |
Champions Mile Previous Race Winners
Check out our dedicated Champions Mile Results page for a full list of the past Kennedy Cantala / Champions Mile winners.
| YEAR | WINNER | 2ND | 3RD | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ceolwulf | Pericles | Stefi Magnetica | 1:38.94 |
| 2024 | Mr Brightside | Antino | Fangirl | 1:36.02 |
| 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 |
| Champions Mile 2025 – (Formerly the Cantala Stakes) | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday November 8, 2025 |
| Racecourse: | Flemington Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1600m |
| Race Type: | Open Quality |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prizemoney: | $3,000,000 |
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