Champions Mile 2024
Champions Mille
Preview, Trends & Analysis
- Date: 11/11/2023
- Distance: 1600m
- Course: Flemington
- Conditions: Handicap
- Level: Group 1
- Prize money: $3,000,000
The Rundown
The Group 1 Kennedy Cantala Mile is a stalwart event of the Flemington Spring Racing Carnival.
Run over 1600 metres at Flemington on Derby Day – which features The Victoria Derby, Empire Rose Stakes and the Coolmore Stud Stakes – it is reserved for the strongest milers who dare challenge.
The race has gone through plenty of name changes since its inception in 1881.
The inaugural running of the race back in 1881 was named the Coburg Stakes and ran under that name until 1919.
From then until 1961 it was called what we know it to be today – Cantala Stakes.
The race then underwent a series of name changes again until it was finally settled in 2018 as the Cantala.
Usually run on the final day of the Flemington Carnival, the race swapped places with the Mackinnon Stakes in order to accomodate horses wishing to back up into a 2000-metre Group 1 race following the Cox Plate.
The Famous Winners and Record Results
The 2021 edition of the Kennedy Cantala Mile was probably one of the most jaw-dropping finishes in the history of the race with four horses almost dead-heating for first.
Cascadian burst through along the rails to hit the front alongside the $5 favourite Mr Brightside, only to get picked off by Damien Oliver charging home on Superstorm.
Cascadian would finish third with Icebath flying home for second and Mr Brightside finished fourth.
Barely a head separated all four horses in a thrilling four-way photo-finish.
Other famous victories in the Cantala include champion miler Fierce Impact (2019) and fan favourite Happy Trails (2012).
One of the biggest upsets in the race was during the Spring Carnival of 2007 when Tears I Cry won the race and in the process brought up Ciaron Maher’s first ever Group 1 success.
Tears I Cry paid in excess of $101 on the day and the famous footage of her owner screaming and crying in the Flemington grandstand is an image many a horse-racing fan will remember.
Scrolling back through history, champion horses such as Better Loosen Up (1989), Taj Rossi (1973) and Gunsynd (1971) have all been victorious in this race.
The Statistics
Barrier one has been the standout for winners of the Kennedy Cantala since 1983 with six winners.
Barriers eight, nine and 12 have produced four winners each.
Barrier two and ten have both produced three winners.
Incredibly, only six favourites have won the Cantala Mile since 1983.
The last favourite to have won this race was Boban back in 2013.
The average starting price of the winner since 2011 has been around about $10.70 with the longest priced winner being Albert The Fat who started $17 in 2011.
Only three mares have won the race since the turn of the century.
Shillelagh (2017) for Chris Waller, Divine Madonna (2006) for Mark Kavanagh and Sky Cuddle (2004) for Peter Moody.
Other than that, it is a race that has been dominated by the boys.
There are usually a handful of form lines that make up the winners and contenders of the Cantala Mile.
The majority of winners and contenders will come from Makybe Diva Stakes, Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes, Toorak Handicap, Moonga Stakes Crystal Mile and the Epsom Handicap.
The Recent Winners
| Year | Winner | Trainer | Jockey | Odds |
| 2022 | Alligator Blood | G Waterhouse & A Bott | Tim Clark | $5.4 |
| 2021 | Superstorm | Danny O’Brien | Damien Oliver | $7 |
| 2020 | Yulong Prince | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | $13 |
| 2019 | Fierce Impact | Matthew Smith | Craig Williams | $7.5 |
| 2018 | Best Of Days | James Cummings | Craig Williams | $10 |
| 2017 | Shillelagh | Chris Waller | Michael Dee | $12 |
| 2016 | Le Romain | Kris Lees | Hugh Bowman | $14 |
| 2015 | Turn Me Loose | Murray Baker | Kerrin McEvoy | $9.5 |
| 2014 | Hucklebuck | Phillip Stokes | Dominic Tourneur | $10 |
| 2013 | Boban | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | $4.5 |
| 2012 | Happy Trails | Paul Beshara | Damien Oliver | $13 |
| 2011 | Albert The Fat | Chris Waller | Mark Zahra | $17 |
The Questions
29th November, 2022.
- The Victoria Derby features four Group 1 races including the Kennedy Cantala Mile itself.
- The $2 million Victoria Derby (2500m), the $1.5 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) and the $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) are the three other main Group 1 events on the day.
- Download the brand new BetDeluxe app on iPhone or Android from your app store and/or punch in betdeluxe.com.au to your browser.
BetDeluxe is your home for all different types of ways to bet not only on the Kennedy Cantala Mile but every race across Australia.
- Nearly all Kennedy Cantala Mile winners and runners are immediately sent to the paddock.
- Some may also chance their luck by heading over to Western Australia and tackling the Railway Stakes or the Kingston Town Stakes.
