Champions Sprint Field

The $3 million Champions Sprint runs on Champions Stakes Day, as part of the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington Racecourse each November.

2023 Champions Sprint Results

  • 1st: #8 Imperatriz
  • 2nd: #2 Buenos Noches
  • 3rd: #7 In Secret



The 2023 VRC Champions Sprint field is released on the Wednesday before the race during Melbourne Cup week 2023. 

The Champions Sprint field attracts the season’s best sprinters that face off down the famous Flemington straight on the first Saturday of November.

The $3 million Group 1 Champions Sprint field runs over 1200m on VRC Champions Stakes Day, formerly known as Mackinnon Stakes Day until being renamed ahead of the 2022 edition, held four days after the Melbourne Cup.

Run under weight-for-age conditions, the VRC Champions Sprint final field attracts mainly older sprinters with the three-year-olds traditionally running a week earlier in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) against their own age at the same track / distance.

The Champions Sprint final acceptances close on the Wednesday before race day and reveal the make-up of the field and the Champions Sprint barrier draw.

Bet on the Champions Sprint Field

Betting on the Champions Sprint field opens weeks in advance of the race, futures markets from Ladbrokes.com.au available here.

CLICK HERE TO BET ON THE 2023 CHAMPIONS SPRINT FIELD (Final Field)

The 2023 Champions Sprint field and barriers are released the Wednesday before Champions Stakes Day, which runs on the first Saturday in November each Melbourne Cup Carnival, and will be published in full below.

The 2023 Champions Sprint final field features a quality line-up of spring sprinters led by the airborne Imperatriz who is odds-on to make it five wins on the trot and her third at elite level this prep after taking out the Moir Stakes – Manikato Stakes double at The Valley.

Click here to read more on the key runners in the Champions Sprint 2023 field and betting markets

No Last 10 Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight Probable Weight Penalty Hcp Rating
1 x10x8826x1 FRONT PAGE Matthew Dale Tyler Schiller 7 58.5kg 104
2 123x57x138 BUENOS NOCHES Matthew Smith Blake Shinn 11 58.5kg 109
3 47x12284x6 LOFTY STRIKE Julius Sandhu Damien Oliver 4 58.5kg 108
4 2x3x160x11 STAR PATROL Clinton McDonald Ben Melham 6 58.5kg 106
5 x15x11x312 AIRMAN Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Jye McNeil 10 58.5kg 103
6 30236×3331 BELLA NIPOTINA Ciaron Maher & David Eustace Craig Williams 1 56.5kg 114
7 1x1317x244 IN SECRET James Cummings James McDonald 5 56.5kg 115
8 x11121x111 IMPERATRIZ Mark Walker Opie Bosson 8 56.5kg 118
9 x6117x2171 ESPIONA Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 3 56.5kg 112
10 11x344x121 ASFOORA Henry Dwyer Mitchell Aitken 9 56.5kg 111
11 1262×4395 C’EST MAGIQUE Grahame Begg Michael Dee 2 56.5kg 95

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2023 Champions Sprint Nominations

The 2023 VRC Champions Sprint Nominations are taken the Monday of race week and will be published below as the first early sign of what sprinters will make up the Champions Sprint Field.

The 2023 Champions Sprint nominations attracted 14 short-distance specialists dominated in the all-in markets by Imperatriz chasing a fifth win on the trot and who was last seen dominating the Group 1 Manikato Stakes at The Valley by over three lengths.

Last 10 Horse Sex Age Trainer Hcp Rating
1 x15x11x312 AIRMAN G 4 Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes 103
2 11x344x121 ASFOORA M 5 Henry Dwyer 111
3 30236×3331 BELLA NIPOTINA M 6 Ciaron Maher & David Eustace 114
4 123x57x138 BUENOS NOCHES H 4 Matthew Smith 109
5 120×110 CELUI C 3 Brent Stanley 74
6 1262×4395 C’EST MAGIQUE M 4 Grahame Begg 95
7 x6117x2171 ESPIONA M 5 Chris Waller 112
8 x10x8826x1 FRONT PAGE G 7 Matthew Dale 104
9 x11121x111 IMPERATRIZ M 5 Mark Walker 118
10 1x1317x244 IN SECRET M 4 James Cummings 115
11 47x12284x6 LOFTY STRIKE H 4 Julius Sandhu 108
12 110412×711 SHE DANCES M 4 Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman 101
13 3211×993 SHINZO C 3 Chris Waller 104
14 2x3x160x11 STAR PATROL G 5 Clinton McDonald 106

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

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