The Champions Mile is Australasia’s premier Group 1 weight-for-age mile contest, run over 1600 metres at Flemington Racecourse on Champions Day (the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival). In 2025, the $3 million feature was captured by star Sydney gelding Ceolwulf, trained by Joe Pride and ridden to a thrilling victory by Chad Schofield carrying 59.0kg.
Recent Champions Mile Winners
- 2025 – Ceolwulf: Joe Pride’s high-class gelding dug deep in a thrilling 400m duel to nose out Pericles on the line under Chad Schofield as the $5.00 favourite.
- 2024 – Mr Brightside: Ben, Will & JD Hayes’ fan favorite bounced back to peak form in blinkers, scoring a top-level feature under Craig Williams at $5.00 odds.
- 2023 – Pride Of Jenni: Ciaron Maher & David Eustace’s speedster produced a relentless front-running performance under Declan Bates to score as a $13 chance.
| Year | Horse | Jockey | Trainer | Barrier | Weight | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Ceolwulf | Chad Schofield | Joe Pride | 7 | 59.0 kg | $5.00 |
| 2024 | Mr Brightside | Craig Williams | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 3 | 59.0 kg | $5.00 |
| 2023 | Pride Of Jenni | Declan Bates | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | 3 | 57.0 kg | $13.00 |
| 2022 | Alligator Blood | Tim Clark | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 12 | 59.0 kg | $5.50 |
| 2021 | Superstorm | Damien Oliver | Danny O’Brien | 12 | 56.0 kg | $16.00 |
| 2020 | Yulong Prince | Jye McNeil | Chris Waller | 10 | 55.5 kg | $10.00 |
| 2019 | Fierce Impact | Craig Williams | Matthew Smith | 9 | 56.0 kg | $9.00 |
| 2018 | Best Of Days | Craig Williams | James Cummings | 3 | 52.0 kg | $12.00 |
| 2017 | Shillelagh | Michael Dee | Chris Waller | 8 | 52.0 kg | $12.00 |
| 2016 | Le Romain | Hugh Bowman | Kris Lees | 1 | 55.5 kg | $15.00 |
Full list of Champions Mile winners since 1881
Inaugurated in 1881 as the Coburg Stakes, the race was elevated to Group 1 status in 1979. Formerly run as a handicap feature, it was reformatted to a premier weight-for-age contest under the VRC Champions Day schedule.
| Year | Winner |
|---|---|
| 2025 | Ceolwulf |
| 2024 | Mr Brightside |
| 2023 | Pride Of Jenni |
| 2022 | Alligator Blood |
| 2021 | Superstorm |
| 2020 | Yulong Prince |
| 2019 | Fierce Impact |
| 2018 | Best Of Days |
| 2017 | Shillelagh |
| 2016 | Le Romain |
| 2015 | Turn Me Loose |
| 2014 | Hucklebuck |
| 2013 | Boban |
| 2012 | Happy Trails |
| 2011 | Albert The Fat |
| 2010 | Wall Street |
| 2009 | All American |
| 2008 | All Silent |
| 2007 | Tears I Cry |
| 2006 | Divine Madonna |
| 2005 | Valedictum |
| 2004 | Sky Cuddle |
| 2003 | Titanic Jack |
| 2002 | Scenic Peak |
| 2001 | Desert Eagle |
| 2000 | Testa Rossa |
| 1999 | Bonanova |
| 1998 | Bezeal Bay |
| 1997 | Catalan Opening |
| 1996 | Miss Margaret |
| 1995 | Seascay |
| 1994 | Seascay |
| 1993 | Primacy |
| 1992 | Planet Ruler |
| 1991 | Pontormo |
| 1990 | Shaftesbury Avenue |
| 1989 | Better Loosen Up |
| 1988 | Our Westminster |
| 1987 | Warned |
| 1986 | Chanteclair |
| 1985 | Dazzling Duke |
| 1984 | Riverdale |
| 1983 | Honest Promise |
| 1982 | Magari |
| 1981 | Tower Belle |
| 1980 | Silver Bounty |
| 1979 | Bit Of A Skite |
| 1978 | Family Of Man |
| 1977 | Galway Bay |
| 1976 | Maybe Mahal |
| 1975 | Kiwi Can |
| 1974 | Skyjack |
| 1973 | Taj Rossi |
| 1972 | All Shot |
| 1971 | Gunsynd |
| 1970 | Levian |
| 1969 | Vain |
| 1968 | Cyron |
| 1967 | Heroic Stone |
| 1966 | Storm Queen |
| 1965 | Heroic Stone |
| 1964 | Brandy Lad |
| 1963 | Wenona Girl |
| 1962 | Woambra |
| 1961 | Aquanita |
| 1960 | Aquanita |
| 1959 | Wheat King |
| 1958 | Droll Prince |
| 1957 | Landy |
| 1956 | Matrice |
| 1955 | Kosciusko |
| 1954 | Prince Cortauld |
| 1953 | Rio Janeiro |
| 1952 | Phaethon |
| 1951 | Kintail |
| 1950 | Ellerslie |
| 1949 | Comedy Prince |
| 1948 | Beau John |
| 1947 | Money Moon |
| 1946 | St. Fairy |
| 1945 | Royal Gem |
| 1944 | Gay Revelry |
| 1943 | Burberry |
| 1942 | Queen Baccha |
| 1941 | Burrabil |
| 1940 | Gold Salute |
| 1939 | Manrico |
| 1938 | St. Constant |
| 1937 | Mohican |
| 1936 | Gay Lover |
| 1935 | Hostile |
| 1934 | L’elite |
| 1933 | Care Free |
| 1932 | Denis Boy |
| 1931 | Dermid |
| 1930 | Mystic Peak |
| 1929 | Amounis |
| 1928 | Highland |
| 1927 | Vaals |
| 1926 | Amounis |
| 1925 | Waranton |
| 1924 | The Night Patrol |
| 1923 | Claro |
| 1922 | Violoncello |
| 1921 | Beeline |
| 1920 | Ethiopian |
| 1919 | Chal |
| 1918 | Fitness |
| 1917 | De Gama |
| 1916 | Colugo |
| 1915 | Fidelio |
| 1914 | De Gama |
| 1913 | Ireland |
| 1912 | Walter Tyrril |
| 1911 | Ladies’ Man |
| 1910 | Perilous |
| 1909 | Kerlie |
| 1908 | Iolaire |
| 1907 | Iolaire |
| 1906 | Benbow |
| 1905 | Debenture |
| 1904 | P.K. |
| 1903 | Graft |
| 1902 | Kinglock |
| 1901 | Caledonia |
| 1900 | Nitre |
| 1899 | Security |
| 1898 | Sailor Boy |
| 1897 | The Grafter |
| 1896 | Ayrshire |
| 1895 | Hindoo |
| 1894 | Escapade |
| 1893 | Rosebrook |
| 1892 | Cooya |
| 1891 | Cardoness |
| 1890 | Crown Jewel |
| 1889 | Boz |
| 1888 | Plutarch |
| 1887 | Quintin Matsys |
| 1886 | Day Star |
| 1885 | The Bohemian |
| 1884 | Josephine |
| 1883 | Paul |
| 1882 | Wizard |
| 1881 | Courtenay |
Champions Mile Records
Horses to win the Champions Mile more than once
- Seascay (2 wins): 1995, 1996
- Heroic Stone (2 wins): 1965, 1967
- Aquanita (2 wins): 1960, 1961
- Amounis (2 wins): 1926, 1929
Most Successful Champions Mile Trainers
- Bart Cummings (6 wins): Storm Queen (1966), Taj Rossi (1973), Skyjack (1974), Maybe Mahal (1976), Shaftesbury Avenue (1990), Catalan Opening (1997).
- Colin Hayes (4 wins): Heroic Stone (1965, 1967), Romantic Dream (1977), Family Of Man (1979).
- David Hayes (4 wins): Planet Ruler (1991), Regal Roller (1993), Magari (1998), Planhet (2002).
- Chris Waller (3 wins): Albert The Fat (2011), Boban (2013), Yulong Prince (2020).
Most successful Champions Mile Jockeys
- Roy Higgins (5 wins): Woambra (1962), Brandy Lad (1964), Storm Queen (1966), Taj Rossi (1973), Maybe Mahal (1976).
- Craig Williams (3 wins): Best Of Days (2018), Fierce Impact (2019), Mr Brightside (2024).
- Damien Oliver (3 wins): Planhet (2002), Happy Trails (2012), Superstorm (2021).
Champions Mile Race Winner & Odds
- Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
- Track: Flemington, Melbourne, VIC
- Distance: 1600m
- Conditions: WFA
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $3 million
- First Run: 1881
- Current Champion: Ceolwulf
Champions Mile odds are available, so bet now on the big race.
Champions Mile 1600m (Pre-Noms)
| 1. Autumn Glow | ||
| 2. Pride Of Jenni | ||
| 3. Lady Shenandoah | ||
| 4. Skyhook | ||
| 5. Autumn Boy | ||
| 6. Sepals | ||
| 7. Surfin Bird | ||
| 8. Gringotts | ||
| 9. Another Wil | ||
| 10. Birdman | ||
| 11. Gods Window | ||
| 12. Headley Grange | ||
| 13. Linebacker | ||
| 14. Pericles | ||
| 15. Tom Kitten | ||
| 16. Zambardo | ||
| 17. Attica | ||
| 18. Evaporate | ||
| 19. Feroce | ||
| 20. Idle Flyer |
Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.tab.co.nz/racing. Data retrieved: 26/10/2026 05:50:49 PM (Pacific/Auckland)