The final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival culminates with a triple shot of Group 1 racing at Headquarters including the Group 1 Champions Mile, a race that shapes up as a very close affair. A field of top-class horses, including several Group 1 winners, will battle it out for the $3 million prize, and the bookies and punters are having a hard time separating the best from the rest.
Mr Brightside is one of the best in 2024 Champions Mile betting at Flemington this weekend. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Mr Brightside, the talented gelding trained by Team Hayes, is one of the favourites at $5.50 in Champions Mile betting at Ladbrokes. He boasts a strong record at Flemington, including a dominant win in the Makybe Diva Stakes over this course and distance in the mud earlier this prep. His recent form has also been consistent, and he’ll be aiming to return to winning ways under the guidance of Craig Williams on the back of a Cox Plate fourth when finishing off well behind eight-length champion Via Sistina.
Tony Gollan‘s in-from Queenslander Antino has emerged as a major player after a stunning victory in the Toorak Handicap by 6.5 lengths in early October at Caulfield. This classy gelding has been in excellent form and will be ridden by Mark Zahra from barrier 12. He is also at Champions Mile odds of $5.50 at time of publish and looks a strong contender despite going up from 55.5kg to 59kg at weight-for-age.
Ciaron Maher‘s defending champion Pride Of Jenni is aiming to become the first horse since Seascay (1994-95) to win the Champions Mile on successive years. While her recent form has been mixed, her class and experience make her a dangerous opponent. She’ll be ridden by James McDonald looking to atone for her eighth in the Cox Plate on October 26 at The Valley.
Among the other standouts include:
- Fangirl: This Chris Waller-trained mare is a proven performer at the highest level and could surprise looking to make amends after missing out on a placing int he King Charles in Sydney last start.
- Broadsiding: The talented, three-time Group 1 winning colt from Godolphin has shown glimpses of brilliance and is a potential dark horse on the back of his Cox Plate third.
- Another Wil: Another Maher-trained runner who has been in good form and could be a value pick on the back of a Group 2 Derby Day win.
The 2024 Champions Mile promises to be a thrilling affair, with a field full of talented horses vying for victory. With so many potential winners, it’s shaping up to be a close finish to Flemington Race 7 at 4:30pm (AEDT) on Saturday’s Champions Stakes Day card.
2024 Champions Mile Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1253×21224 | MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ) | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | Craig Williams | 4 | 59kg | 118 | ||
| 2 | 64730×0263 | MY OBERON (IRE) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Nash Rawiller | 6 | 59kg | 110 | ||
| 3 | 500x0x2173 | PINSTRIPED | Enver Jusufovic | Ben Allen | 8 | 59kg | 112 | ||
| 4 | 0x160x4331 | ANTINO (NZ) | Tony Gollan | Mark Zahra | 12 | 59kg | 113 | ||
| 5 | 131139×314 | DESERT LIGHTNING (NZ) | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | Luke Nolen | 11 | 59kg | 110 | ||
| 6 | 11117×1171 | ANOTHER WIL | Ciaron Maher | Declan Bates | 2 | 59kg | 109 | ||
| 7 | 43x209x658 | NEW ENERGY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Browne McMonagle | 3 | 59kg | 101 | ||
| 8 | 32x715x894 | VON HAUKE (NZ) | Cliff Brown | Joshua Parr | 1 | 59kg | 98 | ||
| 9 | 2121×52128 | PRIDE OF JENNI | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 7 | 57kg | 121 | ||
| 10 | 174x12x316 | FANGIRL | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 9 | 57kg | 117 | ||
| 11 | 0x220x2252 | AMELIA’S JEWEL | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Damian Lane | 10 | 57kg | 112 | ||
| 12 | 42x531x295 | STEFI MAGNETICA | Bjorn Baker | Chad Schofield | 5 | 57kg | 113 | ||
| 13 | 331111×143 | BROADSIDING | James Cummings | Michael Dee | 13 | 52kg | 112 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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