The last day of the four-day 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival reaches a fever pitch at Headquarters for Stakes Day with the Group 1 $3 million Champions Sprint (1200m) at Flemington one of the features at the meeting. This year’s edition boasts a field of twelve elite horses, with the Sydney raider Bella Nipotina the clear favourite to keep the wins coming at $3.80 Champions Sprint odds at Ladbrokes.
The Everest winning mare Bella Nipotina is after a third straight win as favourite at Flemington in Saturday’s Champions Sprint 2024. Photo: Steve Hart.
Ciaron Maher‘s mare Bella Nipotina is on a roll after claiming The Everest and the Russell Balding Stakes double in Sydney. This remarkable mare is aiming for her first win at Flemington despite ten previous starts here. She’ll be ridden by Craig Williams from a wide barrier twelve but comes into the race in peak form.
Giga Kick, the 2022 Everest champion trained by Clayton Douglas, is another major contender at $4.80 in Champions Sprint betting. He finished a close second to Bella Nipotina in this year’s The Everest and will be looking to turn the tables at Flemington where he has two previous wins from three starts. Mark Zahra takes the reins from barrier seven.
Overpass, trained by Bjorn Baker, emerges as a strong contender at $5. This two-time The Quokka winner in WA has a consistent record and comes off a victory in the Group 3 Sydney Stakes at Randwick. He’ll be well-positioned starting from barrier two with Josh Parr in the saddle.
Other horses in the star-studded Champions Sprint field to consider include:
- Sunshine In Paris ($7.50): Runner-up in the Russell Balding Stakes, trained by Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald.
- Baraqiel ($9.50): Recent Group 2 McEwen Stakes winner drawn in barrier one, aiming for a hat-trick.
- Bellatrix Star ($12): Schillaci Stakes winning filly coming off a strong showing in the Coolmore Stud Stakes when runner-up at the course and distance on Derby Day.
The 2024 Champions Sprint promises to be an exciting sprint down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’. With several talented horses in the mix and Bella Nipotina facing questions about her Flemington record, the race is wide open. Who will emerge victorious and claim the $3 million prize? Don’t miss this exciting race on Saturday when it jumps as Flemington Race 6 at 3:50pm (AEDT).
2024 Champions Sprint Field
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3211x3x542 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | Mark Zahra | 7 | 58.5kg | 116 | ||
| 2 | 12x201x1x1 | OVERPASS | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 2 | 58.5kg | 115 | ||
| 3 | 3222x89x22 | I AM UNSTOPPABLE | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Browne McMonagle | 11 | 58.5kg | 100 | ||
| 4 | 11113311 | BARAQIEL | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | Ben Allen | 1 | 58.5kg | 105 | ||
| 5 | 41221×2311 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 12 | 56.5kg | 119 | ||
| 6 | x1x254x152 | SUNSHINE IN PARIS | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | James McDonald | 9 | 56.5kg | 113 | ||
| 7 | 112120×763 | LADY LAGUNA | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Nash Rawiller | 6 | 56.5kg | 113 | ||
| 8 | 6x1115x471 | ESTRIELLA | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 4 | 56.5kg | 109 | ||
| 9 | 453×211141 | RIGHT TO PARTY | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 3 | 56.5kg | 106 | ||
| 10 | 7x4262x638 | STRETAN ANGEL | Phillip Stokes | Luke Nolen | 5 | 56.5kg | 102 | ||
| 11 | 41×141 | PRIVATE LIFE | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 8 | 53.5kg | 107 | ||
| 12 | 3214×51112 | BELLATRIX STAR | Mark Walker | Michael Dee | 10 | 51.5kg | 109 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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