The Champions Stakes 2025 Preview

The Champions Stakes 2025 headlines Champions Day at Flemington as one of the most eagerly anticipated Group 1 contests of the spring.  Expect a tactical and truly run staying test where form, tempo, and track position will prove decisive.

What is the Champions Stakes?

The Champions Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race run over 2,000 metres at Flemington Racecourse on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, known as Champions Day. Open to horses aged three years and older, it’s one of the marquee races that brings the curtain down on the spring carnival.

When is The Champions Stakes 2025?

The Champions Stakes 2025 will be run on Saturday, 8 November as part of the feature-packed Champions Day at Flemington. 

Who Won Last Year’s Champions Stakes?

In 2024, the world-class mare Via Sistina stormed home to win The Champions Stakes, capping off a stellar campaign that further confirmed her as one of the best in the southern hemisphere. Her Group 1 triumph followed Duais’s career-best showing in 2023 and back-to-back successes for the high-class Zaaki in 2021 and 2022.

Race History

Previously known as the LKS Mackinnon Stakes, the race was rebranded as the Champions Stakes in 2022 as part of Racing Victoria’s reshaping of the final day into a true “grand finals” celebration. The race regularly features top-tier gallopers backing up from the Cox Plate or Caulfield Cup, making for a deep and highly competitive field.

Previous Winners

Via Sistina won this in 2024 as part of the multiple Group 1 successes she had during her campaign. In 2023, Duais produced a career-best performance to claim the Champions Stakes, stamping her class over the 2000-metre trip. Zaaki claimed back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022, showcasing his brilliance in high-pressure races. Arcadia Queen, Magic Wand, and So You Think are among the other big names to have saluted in this race over the years.

Latest Champions Stakes Odds & Tips

It is the grand final of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) set to close out Flemington’s blockbuster meeting at 5:10 PM AEDT on Saturday, November 8, 2025. This weight-for-age showdown, worth a cool $3 million, brings together the stars from the Cox Plate and other spring majors for one last tilt at glory.

The headline act is without doubt Via Sistina ($1.60), the champion mare and reigning Cox Plate winner. Trainer Chris Waller has her absolutely humming, and with James McDonald aboard, she looks every bit the one to beat. Her turn of foot is devastating, and after doing the Cox Plate–Champions Stakes double last year, she’s out to repeat the feat. The main dangers appear to be Tom Kitten ($9.50), who continues to finish strongly in his lead-ups, and Light Infantry Man ($10), who’s expected to be right in the mix for Ciaron Maher.

But for those chasing a bit of value, Pickabookie’s each-way play is Alenquer ($61.00). The Ben & JD Hayes-trained runner wasn’t far away in the JRA Cup, where he box-seated behind a fast pace, took over from the 500m, and fought on gamely to the line. He’s shown enough toughness to suggest he can sneak into the finish if things go his way. It’s hard to look past Via Sistina — she’s the class act — but Alenquer could be the one to spice up the exotics late in the day.

Please remember to think before you bet. Stay in control, set limits, and seek support if gambling is no longer fun. Head to https://www.gamblinghelponline.org.au/ if you require help.