The VRC Champions Stakes, registered as the ''LKS Mackinnon Stakes'', is a

Victoria Racing Club The Victoria Racing Club was founded in 1864. It was formed following the disbanding of the Victoria Turf Club and the Victoria Jockey Club. A legacy passed from the Victoria Turf Club was the annual "race that stops a nation", the Melbourne Cup, ...

Group 1 Group 1 may refer to: * Alkali metal, a chemical element classification for Alkali metal * Group 1 (motorsport), a regulation set of the FIA for series-production touring cars used in motorsport. * Group One Thoroughbred horse races, the leading e ...

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

horse race run under

Weight for Age {{use dmy dates, date=October 2022 Weight for Age (WFA) is a term in thoroughbred horse racing which is one of the conditions for a race. History The principle of WFA was developed by Henry John Rous, Admiral Rous, a handicapper with the English ...

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 race ...

Melbourne Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

on the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Saturday after the

Melbourne Cup The Melbourne Cup is an annual Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne, Australia, at the Flemington Racecourse. It is a 3200-metre race for three-year-olds and older, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club that forms part of the ...

. Total prize money is A$3,000,000.

History

The race is named after a former chairman of the

, Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie ("L.K.S.") MacKinnon (1861–1935). It was originally held on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival,

Victoria Derby The Victoria Derby, also known as the Penfolds Victoria Derby, is a Victoria Racing Club Group races, Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held under Set Weights conditions over a distance of 2,500 metres at Flemington Racecourse ...

Day. In 2016, the VRC moved the race as the feature of the last day of the carnival, and moved the

Cantala Stakes The VRC Champions Mile, registered as the ''Cantala Stakes'', is a Group One, Group 1 Victoria Racing Club quality handicap Thoroughbred horse race run over 1,600 metres at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia on the fourth and last day du ...

(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 Moo ...

, to run at the distance, rather than using the race to prepare for the

. 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. 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

Gothic 1928 VATC Caulfield Stakes Jockey Jim Pike Trainer Lou Robertson

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

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, M ...

.'' *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 –

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 A carbine ( or ) is a long gun that has a barrel shortened from its original length. Most modern carbines are rifles that are compact versions of a longer rifle or are rifles chambered for less powerful cartridges. The smaller size and ligh ...

(1890),

Phar Lap Phar Lap (4 October 1926 – 5 April 1932) was a New Zealand-born champion Australian Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. Achieving great success during his distinguished career, his initial underdog status gave people hope during the ear ...

(1930),

Peter Pan Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical ...

(1932, 1934), The Trump (1937), Comic Court (1950),

Delta Delta commonly refers to: * Delta (letter) (Δ or δ), the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet * D (NATO phonetic alphabet: "Delta"), the fourth letter in the Latin alphabet * River delta, at a river mouth * Delta Air Lines, a major US carrier ...

(1951),

Dalray Dalray (1948−1971) was a notable New Zealand thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1952 Melbourne Cup and Mackinnon Stakes. Dalray was also famously a ‘certainty’ beaten in the 1952 Sydney Cup. When his owner was quizzed about the defeat h ...

(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 unbe ...

(1968), At Talaq (1986), Empire Rose (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 Rogan josh ( English: /ˌroʊɡən ˈdʒɑʃ/);Rogan Josh
Oxford English Dictionary ), also spell ...

(1999)

1946 and 1954 racebooks

Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg, 1946 VRC Derby racebook front cover Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg, 1946 VRC Derby raceday officials Image: 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P3.jpg, 1946 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes page and winner,

Flight Flight or flying is the motion (physics), motion of an Physical object, object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of Outer space, space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift ass ...

File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P1.jpg, 1954 VRC Derby racebook front cover File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P2.jpg, 1954 VRC Derby raceday officials File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P3.jpg, 1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes starters and results File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P4.jpg, 1954 VRC L.K.S. Mackinnon Stakes page showing the winner,

File:1954 VRC LKS Mackinnon Stakes Racebook P5.jpg, Back cover showing enclosure information

Winners since 2000

Earlier winners

* 1999 -

Rogan Josh Rogan josh ( English: /ˌroʊɡən ˈdʒɑʃ/);Rogan Josh
Oxford English Dictionary ), also spell ...

* 1998 - Champagne * 1997 - Ebony Grosve * 1996 - All Our Mob * 1995 - Danewin * 1994 - Paris Lane * 1993 -

The Phantom ''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The char ...

* 1992 -

Veandercross Veandercross (14 October 1988 – 18 October 2014) was a New Zealand-bred Thoroughbred gelding who won 14 stakes races, (including eight Group one), and was chosen Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the 1992–93 season. Veandercros ...

* 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 Horlicks is a British sweet malted milk hot Malt drink, drink powder developed by founders Sir James Horlick, 1st Baronet, James and William Horlick. It was first sold as "Horlick's Infant and Invalids Food", soon adding "aged and travellers" ...

* 1988 - Empire Rose * 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 ''Thoroughbr ...

* 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 Gold and Black (1972−1999) was a New Zealand-bred racehorse which was ridden by John Duggan to win the 1977 Melbourne Cup for the "Cups King" Bart Cummings. Bart Cummings bought the horse for $4,000 in New Zealand for his Adelaide clients, J ...

* 1975 - Kiwi Can * 1974 - Leilani * 1973 - Australasia * 1972 - Stormy Seas * 1971 - Skint Dip * 1970 - Voleur * 1969 - Roman Consul * 1968 -

* 1967 - Winfreux * 1966 -

Tobin Bronze Tobin Bronze (1962–1994) was an Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse who competed with great success during the 1960s. A chestnut son of Arctic Explorer from the Masthead mare Amarco, he was a crowd favourite and won 24 of his 44 A ...

* 1965 - Yangtze * 1964 - Sir Dane * 1963 - Summer Fair * 1962 - Aquanita * 1961 - Sky High * 1960 - Tulloch * 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 Hydrogen is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol, symbol H and atomic number 1. It is the lightest and abundance of the chemical elements, most abundant chemical element in the universe, constituting about 75% of all baryon, normal matter ...

* 1952 -

* 1951 -

* 1950 - Comic Court * 1949 - Comic Court * 1948 - Snowstream * 1947 - Don Pedro * 1946 -

* 1945 - Tranquil Star * 1944 - Tranquil Star * 1943 - Amana * 1942 - Tranquil Star * 1941 - Beau Vite * 1940 - Beau Vite * 1939 - Ortelle's Star * 1938 -

Ajax Ajax may refer to: Greek mythology and tragedy * Ajax the Great, a Greek mythological hero, son of King Telamon and Periboea * Ajax the Lesser, a Greek mythological hero, son of Oileus, the king of Locris * Ajax (play), ''Ajax'' (play), by the an ...

* 1937 - The Trump Beau Vite 1940 MVRC W

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

Melbourne Stakes (1869–1936)

* 1936 - Gay Blonde * 1935 - Sylvandale * 1934 -

* 1933 - Rogilla * 1932 -

* 1931 -

* 1930 -

* 1929 - High Syce * 1928 - Gothic * 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 Gothic fiction. Byr ...

* 1925 - Pilliewinkie * 1924 -

Gloaming Gloaming may refer to: * Twilight Twilight is daylight illumination produced by diffuse sky radiation when the Sun is below the horizon as sunlight from the upper atmosphere is scattered in a way that illuminates both the Earth's lower ...

* 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 Poseidon (; ) is one of the twelve Olympians in ancient Greek religion and mythology, presiding over the sea, storms, earthquakes and horses.Burkert 1985pp. 136–139 He was the protector of seafarers and the guardian of many Hellenic cit ...

* 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 -

* 1889 - Abercorn * 1888 - The Australian Peer * 1887 - Silver Mine * 1886 - Isonomy * 1885 - Trenton * 1884 -

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

Chester Chester is a cathedral city in Cheshire, England, on the River Dee, Wales, River Dee, close to the England–Wales border. With a built-up area population of 92,760 in 2021, it is the most populous settlement in the borough of Cheshire West an ...

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

Warrior A warrior is a guardian specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal society, tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracy, social class, class, or caste. History ...

* 1870 - Tim Whiffler * 1869 - Glencoe

References

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