Champions Stakes - Relive The Last Five Editions
The Champions Stakes at Flemington, a premier Australian weight-for-age race with a storied history since 1869, has recently been dominated by Via Sistina and Zaaki, each achieving consecutive victories. Via Sistina notably completed the Cox Plate-Champions Stakes double in 2024 and defended her title in 2025, while Zaaki secured back-to-back wins in 2021 and 2022. Atishu claimed the 2023 edition. The race, now a $3 million Group 1 event held on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, continues to attract top middle-distance gallopers, with the 2026 running scheduled for Saturday, 7 November.
- Relive the last five Champions Stakes editions at Flemington from 2021 to 2025
- Via Sistina and Zaaki each claimed back-to-back victories in the Group 1 feature
- Explore past winners, finishing results, race replays and Champions Stakes history
Via Sistina winning the 2025 Champions Stakes. (Getty)
The Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) is one of Australia's premier weight-for-age contests, with a history dating back to 1869 and an honour roll featuring some of the greatest champions to race at Flemington.
The $3 million feature, formerly known as the Mackinnon Stakes, has been won by some of the turf's biggest names, including Phar Lap, Bernborough, Tulloch, Better Loosen Up, Lonhro and So You Think, while more recent champions Via Sistina and Zaaki have dominated the race.
Via Sistina claimed consecutive editions in 2024 and 2025, following Atishu's victory in 2023 and Zaaki's back-to-back triumphs in 2021 and 2022, with the 2026 Champions Stakes set for Saturday, November 7, at Flemington.
Ahead of Saturday's Champions Stakes, we look back at the last five editions and relive each running.
2025 Champions Stakes
1st - Via Sistina
2nd - Zambardo
3rd - Tom Kitten
2024 Champions Stakes
1st - Via Sistina
2nd - Atishu
3rd - Without A Fight
2023 Champions Stakes
1st - Atishu
2nd - Duais
3rd - Young Werther
2022 Champions Stakes
1st - Zaaki
2nd - Mo'unga
3rd - Hezashocka
2021 Mackinnon Stakes
1st - Zaaki
2nd - Cascadian
3rd - Mo'unga
Champions Stakes History & Past Winners
The Champions Stakes has been a fixture of Australian racing for more than 150 years, developing into one of the country's most prestigious weight-for-age contests and regularly attracting established Group 1 performers at the end of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.
First run as the Melbourne Stakes in 1869, the race was renamed the Mackinnon Stakes in 1939 in honour of former Victoria Racing Club chairman Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie Mackinnon. Traditionally staged on Derby Day as an important Melbourne Cup lead-up, it moved to the final Saturday of the carnival in 2016 before adopting the Champions Stakes name in 2022.
The past five editions have been dominated by two outstanding gallopers, with Via Sistina and Zaaki each winning consecutive runnings. Chris Waller's champion mare Via Sistina completed the Cox Plate-Champions Stakes double in 2024, defeating stablemate Atishu and Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight, before returning in 2025 to beat Zambardo and Tom Kitten.
Her victories followed Atishu's impressive 2023 success over Duais and Young Werther, with James McDonald partnering all three winners for Waller between 2023 and 2025.
Zaaki had established his own place in the race's recent history with back-to-back victories for Annabel Neasham, defeating Cascadian and Mo'unga in 2021 before holding off Mo'unga and Hezashocka in 2022. Jamie Kah partnered the gelding to his second victory after James McDonald had ridden him the previous year.
The wider honour roll reads like a history of Australian racing, featuring Phar Lap, Peter Pan, Bernborough, Rising Fast, Tulloch, Gunsynd, Better Loosen Up, Lonhro and So You Think. The latter claimed the race in 2010, while subsequent winners have included international star Magic Wand and outstanding Australian performers Arcadia Queen and Zaaki.
The race's position on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival has created a natural target for Cox Plate runners and other elite middle-distance gallopers, with its 2000m trip and weight-for-age conditions providing a final major test of the spring.
Saturday's 2026 Champions Stakes will again bring together leading weight-for-age performers chasing one of Flemington's most historic prizes, with another $3 million Group 1 title awaiting the winner.
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
05 November 2026
- Flemington- November 5 -
- Horse Racing
- Gawler - November 5 -
- Horse Racing
- VRC Oaks -
- Horse Racing
- Belmont - November 5 -
- Horse Racing
- Cairns Taipans vs Illawarra Hawks -
- Basketball
- Lion City vs Adelaide United -
- Soccer
- Tomas Martin Etcheverry vs Rinky Hijikata -
- Tennis
- Carlos Alcaraz vs Matteo Berrettini -
- Tennis
06 November 2026
- Warrnambool- November 6 -
- Horse Racing
- Albury - November 6 -
- Horse Racing
- Cranbourne- November 6 -
- Horse Racing
- Tasmania JackJumpers vs New Zealand Breakers -
- Basketball
- Sydney FC v Central Coast Mariners -
- Soccer
07 November 2026
- Auckland FC v Wellington Phoenix -
- Soccer
- Champions Mile -
- Horse Racing
- Champions Sprint -
- Horse Racing
- Champions Stakes -
- Horse Racing
- Supercars Sandown 500 -
- Motor Sport
- Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers -
- Soccer
- New Zealand vs Tonga -
- Rugby League
- Perth Glory v Newcastle Jets -
- Soccer
Load More
