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 Flemington Racecourse is a major horse racing venue located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is most notable for hosting the Melbourne Cup, which is the world's richest handicap and the world's richest 3200-metre horse race. The racecou ...

in Melbourne,

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

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 The W. S. Cox Plate is a Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for horses aged three years old and over under Weight for age conditions, over a distance of 2040 metres (approximately 1m 2f), that is held by the Moonee Valley Racing Club at M ...

, 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 (which also features rebranded Cantala Stakes and VRC Stakes) instead of Stakes Day. Delta 1950 VRC St Leger Flemington Racecourse Jockey Neville Sellwood Trainer Maurice McCarten

Delta 1950 VRC St Leger Flemington Racecourse Jockey Neville Sellwood Trainer Maurice McCarten

Tranquil Star 1946 Olympic Park Melbourne Farewell Jockey Scobie Breasley Trainer Ron Cameron

Name

''In 1937 the VRC moved the Melbourne Stakes to earlier in the spring, running it in September, over a shorter distance of . The race was the predecessor to the

Turnbull Stakes The Turnbull Stakes is a Victoria Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race, for horses four years old and older, run under set weights with penalties conditions over a distance of 2,000 metres. The race is held at Flemington Racecourse, Melb ...

.'' *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 - 1 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 Malua is a small village on the Samoan island of Upolu. The name originates from the Samoan word "Maluapapa" which is translated 'shelter under the rock'. It is located on the northwestern coast of the island in the electoral constituency (''faip ...

(1884), Carbine (1890), Phar Lap (1930), Peter Pan (1932, 1934), The Trump (1937),

Comic Court Comic Court (1945–1973) was a most versatile post-war Australian bred Thoroughbred racehorse who set race records at distances of 6 furlongs (1,200 metres) and 2 miles (3,200 metres). He won the 1950 Melbourne Cup carrying and set an Australa ...

(1950),

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), a letter of the Greek alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta") * Delta Air Lines, US * Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19 Delta may also re ...

(1951), Dalray (1952),

Rising Fast Rising Fast (1949 - 1978) was a champion New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who is the only horse to complete the Spring Grand Slam, winning the Melbourne Cup, Caulfield Cup, and Cox Plate in 1954. He also won the 1955 Caulfield Cup and c ...

(1954),

Rain Lover Rain Lover (1964-1989) was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse best remembered for his back-to-back wins in the 1968 and 1969 VRC Melbourne Cup. Background Rain Lover was sired by the good racehorse, Latin Lover (GB) (a son of the un ...

(1968), At Talaq (1986),

Empire Rose Empire Rose (1982–2002) was one of the most popular Thoroughbred mares to race in New Zealand and Australia. She was a gigantic chestnut, only just fitting into the barrier stalls in Melbourne. Trained by Laurie Laxon, one of New Zealand's ...

(1988),

Let's Elope Let's Elope (20 November 1987 – 11 September 2016) was a Champion Thoroughbred racehorse in Australia. Background Bred by Highview Stud in Hamilton, New Zealand, Let's Elope was a giant chestnut mare who in 1991 became the first mare in ...

(1991), Rogan Josh (1999)

Winners since 2000

Earlier winners

Ajax McCarten up at Rosehill, 18 September 1937

* 1999 - Rogan Josh * 1998 - Champagne * 1997 - Ebony Grosve * 1996 -

All Our Mob All Our Mob (foaled 1989) was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who was a four-time Group One winner. He was by What A Guest (IRE) out of All Sold (Northern Spring (IRE)-Tickets). All Our Mob, who had always shown plenty of speed but a t ...

* 1995 - Danewin * 1994 - Paris Lane * 1993 - The Phantom * 1992 - Veandercross * 1991 -

* 1990 -

Better Loosen Up Better Loosen Up (foaled 29 August 1985 – died 15 March 2016) was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse that won the Japan Cup in 1990 and was named Australia's champion racehorse in 1991. He campaigned from two to seven years of age, and won ...

* 1989 - Horlicks * 1988 -

* 1987 -

Rubiton Rubiton (18 October 1983 – 25 November 2005) was a champion Australian Thoroughbred racehorse of the mid-1980s. He was bred by the Oamaru Stud in Victoria. Rubiton's name was a combination of "Ruby" and "ton", a colloquial term for 100 runs ...

* 1986 - At Talaq * 1985 - Rising Prince * 1984 - Bounty Hawk * 1983 - Veloso * 1982 - My Axeman * 1981 - Belmura Lad * 1980 - Belmura Lad * 1979 -

Dulcify Dulcify (14 October 1975– 6 November 1979) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred racehorse. His British-bred sire was the 1970 Irish 2,000 Guineas winner, Decies (GB), a grandson of Pharis (FR), the very important French sire whom ''Thoroughb ...

* 1978 -

Family Of Man ''The Family of Man'' was an ambitious exhibition of 503 photography, photographs from 68 countries curated by Edward Steichen, the director of the New York City Museum of Modern Art's (MoMA) Department of Photography. According to Steichen, ...

* 1977 - Silver Lad * 1976 - Gold and Black * 1975 - Kiwi Can * 1974 -

Leilani Leilani may refer to: __NOTOC__ People *Leilani (singer) (born 1978), Leilani Sen, English pop singer *Leilani Bishop (born 1976), American model * Leilani Dowding (born 1980), English model *Leilani Ettel (born 2001), German snowboarder *Leilani F ...

* 1973 - Australasia * 1972 - Stormy Seas * 1971 - Skint Dip * 1970 - Voleur * 1969 - Roman Consul * 1968 -

* 1967 - Winfreux * 1966 -

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* 1965 - Yangtze * 1964 - Sir Dane * 1963 - Summer Fair * 1962 - Aquanita * 1961 -

Sky High Sky High or Skyhigh may refer to: Business * Sky High Aviation Services, an airline based in the Dominican Republic Film and television * ''Sky High'' (1922 film), an American silent film * ''Sky High'' (1951 film), a US Air Force comedy wit ...

* 1960 -

Tulloch Tulloch may refer to: People with the surname *Alexander Bruce Tulloch (1838–1920), Major-general in the British Army, author *Bert Tulloch, English footballer *Bitsie Tulloch, American actress *Francis Tulloch (born 1940), Jamaican politician ...

* 1959 - Trellios * 1958 - Monte Carlo * 1957 -

Sailor's Guide Sailor's Guide was an outstanding Thoroughbred racehorse that was conceived in England and foaled in Australia. He is notable in that he won races in the United States, Canada, and a number of principal Australian races, and was a high stakes ear ...

* 1956 - Sir William * 1955 -

* 1954 -

* 1953 - Hydrogen * 1952 - Dalray * 1951 -

* 1950 -

* 1949 -

* 1948 - Snowstream * 1947 - Don Pedro * 1946 - Flight * 1945 -

Tranquil Star Tranquil Star (foaled in 1937) was one of the hardiest and best performed Australian-bred Thoroughbred race-mares. She is the only mare to have won the double of the Caulfield Stakes, now known as the Yalumba Stakes, and the Cox Plate, which is ...

* 1944 -

* 1943 - Amana * 1942 -

* 1941 - Beau Vite * 1940 - Beau Vite * 1939 - Ortelle's Star * 1938 - Ajax * 1937 - The Trump Beau Vite 1940 MVRC W

Gloaming 1922 AJC Craven Plate Randwick Racecourse Owner George D Greenwood Trainer Richard J Mason

Poseidon 1906 VRC Melbourne Cup Owner Sir Hugh Denison Randwick Trainer Isaac Earnshaw

Melbourne Stakes (1869–1936)

* 1936 - Gay Blonde * 1935 - Sylvandale * 1934 - Peter Pan * 1933 -

Rogilla Rogilla was a chestnut Australian thoroughbred gelding, who was a versatile racehorse performing in Australia. Known as the ''Coalfields Champion'' from Newcastle, Rogilla raced during a vintage era of the Australian turf. He won in each of the ...

* 1932 - Peter Pan * 1931 - Phar Lap * 1930 - Phar Lap * 1929 - High Syce * 1928 -

Gothic Gothic or Gothics may refer to: People and languages *Goths or Gothic people, the ethnonym of a group of East Germanic tribes **Gothic language, an extinct East Germanic language spoken by the Goths **Crimean Gothic, the Gothic language spoken b ...

* 1927 - Silvius * 1926 -

Manfred ''Manfred: A dramatic poem'' is a closet drama written in 1816–1817 by Lord Byron. It contains supernatural elements, in keeping with the popularity of the ghost story in England at the time. It is a typical example of a Gothic fiction. Byr ...

* 1925 - Pilliewinkie * 1924 -

Gloaming Gloaming may refer to: * Twilight, the period after sunset and before the darkness of night * The Gloaming, an Irish traditional music group ** ''The Gloaming'' (album), their first album * Gloaming (horse) (1915–1932), a Thoroughbred racehorse ...

* 1923 - Rivoli * 1922 - Harvest King * 1921 -

Eurythmic Eurythmic (1916–1925) was a versatile Australian-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who had the ability to produce a brilliant finishing run in staying races and he also won important sprint races, too. At four he won 12 of his 13 starts including the ...

* 1920 -

* 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 -

* 1883 - Commotion * 1882 - Darebin * 1881 - Wheatear * 1880 -

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* 1879 - First King * 1878 - Chester * 1877 - Robinson Crusoe * 1876 - Rapid Bay * 1875 - Kingsborough * 1874 - Dagworth * 1873 - Dagworth * 1872 - Contessa * 1871 - Warrior * 1870 -

Tim Whiffler Tim Whiffler was an Australian bred Thoroughbred racehorse that won the 1867 Melbourne Cup ridden by jockey John Driscoll. The 1867 Melbourne Cup included two horses with the name Tim Whiffler. The winning horse was known as Tim Whiffler Sy ...

* 1869 - Glencoe * The 1932 race was a dead-heat and has joint winners.

1946 &1954 racebooks

Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg, Front cover of the 1946 L.K.S. MacKinnon Stakes racebook. Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg, Inside cover showing raceday officials. Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P3.jpg, Starters and results showing the winner, Flight. File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg, Front cover of the 1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes racebook. File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg, Inside cover showing raceday officials. File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P3.jpg, Starters and results 1954 L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes. File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P4.jpg, Starters and results showing the winner, Rising Fast. File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing Enclosure Information. Rising Fast (NZ)

Gothic 1928 VATC Caulfield Stakes Jockey Jim Pike Trainer Lou Robertson

References

{{VRC Race Days and Events Open middle distance horse races Group 1 stakes races in Australia Flemington Racecourse