# Champions Stakes

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 mile (1.6 km). 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 - 11⁄4 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

* 1946 VRC Derby racebook front cover
* 1946 VRC Derby raceday officials
* 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes page and winner, Flight
* 1954 VRC Derby racebook front cover
* 1954 VRC Derby raceday officials
* 1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes starters and results
* 1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes page showing the winner, Rising Fast
* Back cover showing enclosure information

## Winners since 2000

| Year | Winner | Age | Jockey | Trainer | Owner | Time |
| 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