The Champions Mile, which as its name suggests, is a 1600m Group 1 feature held at Flemington Racecourse on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Formerly known as the Cantala Stakes, the $3m weight for age contest has been taken out by some serious milers, including the Bob Peters owned, Superstorm, who was victorious last year.
The Everest runner up, Private Eye, heads the market for this year’s Champions Mile after a dominant win in the Winners Stakes last Saturday. He’s currently $3.10 with Dabble ahead of import, My Oberon, at $4.40. Old timer, Cascadian, is a $5.00 chance and Alligator Blood is also in the mix at $6.00.
If the market is any guide to this year’s Champions Mile, we might be in for a close and competitive race. So, we have dissected each of the horses’ chances for you and provided our horse racing tips! Read on below to find our runner by runner preview of the 2022 Champions Mile along with The Shark’s best tips.
1. Kolding (1) – $81
Jockey – Damien Oliver 59kg
Trainer – Chris Waller
Veteran galloper who hasn’t set the world on fire in two runs back from a spell. Should appreciate the step up to 1600m here and will use no petrol from the inside gate, but have a few in front of him here.
2. Private Eye (5) – $3.10F
Jockey – Brenton Avdulla 59kg
Trainer – Joseph Pride
Unlucky not to win the Stradbroke prior to a spell. Destroyed his rivals first up here down the straight before an enormous effort in The Everest. Gave them windburn last Saturday in the Winners Stakes and comes here in career best form. Steps up to 1600m now, which is ideal, will enjoy a nice trail from the good gate and it’s hard to see him not going close on recent form.
How hot is the Champions Mile field!? This will be some race 🏇🏼 pic.twitter.com/LkeQsEUuwH
— The Leg Up Podcast (@TheLegUpAus) November 2, 2022
3. Cascadian (11) – $5.00
Jockey – James McDonald 59kg
Trainer – James Cummings
Continued his consistent form with a dominant win in the Craven Plate last start. He destroyed his rivals in the Hill Stakes the start prior. Has some good form at the Flemington mile and will be strong late. One of the main dangers to the favourite.
4. Alligator Blood (3) – $6.00
Jockey – Tim Clark 59kg
Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Top liner who was brave when winning the Underwood three starts ago. Finished close up in the Caulfield Stakes and Cox Plate past two. Will appreciate the drop back to a mile here, where he is a G1 winner, and should be able to control the tempo from the low draw. Tough horse to get past on his day who looks well suited in this.
5. Mr Brightside (4) – $10
Jockey – Craig Williams 59kg
Trainer – Ben & JD Hayes
Doncaster winner who was solid to the line last start in the Cox Plate. Gets back to his pet trip here, where he is a seven time winner, and has drawn a nice gate with in form hoop Craig Williams on board. Class should take him a long way in this and he’s capable of running top four.
6. Dalasan (2) – $91
Jockey – Michael Dee 59kg
Trainer – Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas
Got back and made some late headway in a race suited to leaders last start. Wasn’t far away in the Rupert Clarke the start prior. Has raced at the top level all his career but needs to find two or three lengths to be winning this.
7. Aegon (10) – $31
Jockey – Jamie Kah 59kg
Trainer – Andrew Forsman
Broke a long drought of outs last start, when he scraped home in the Moonga Stakes. He’s been kept fresh for this, and although a two time winner at the mile, feel he needs to find another gear to make it two wins in a row.
🚨MARKET OPEN🚨
Private Eye is the $3.60 favourite to take out Saturday’s Kennedy Champions Mile. pic.twitter.com/Vopzi84rvb
— TAB (@tabcomau) November 2, 2022
8. Tuvalu (8) – $11
Jockey – Jarrod Fry 59kg
Trainer – Lindsey Smith
Followed the leaders and held off the late challenge of Laws Of Indices for a much deserved G1 victory last start. Steps up to weight for age now but is yet to be unplaced in thirteen starts and should get a good run behind the speed. In the mix.
9. My Oberon (7) – $4.40
Jockey – John Allen 59kg
Trainer – Annabel Neasham
Raised plenty of eyebrows at his Australian debut, winning the Crystal Mile at Moonee Valley. Has some very good international form lines and has clearly settled in well down under. Should get a good run midfield, gets blinkers on to sharpen him up even more and is a five time winner at the mile. Plenty to like.
10. Kiss Sum (9) – $51
Jockey – Nash Rawiller 59kg
Trainer – Tracey Bartley
Lightly raced gelding who savaged the line first up in the Silver Eagle. Had the wallet open, ready to back him last weekend but he’s been saved for this. Needs to go to another level if he’s to win here second up but is worth following in easier races as he gets further into his prep.
11. Sinawann (6) – $101
Jockey – Ben Melham 59kg
Trainer – Anthony & Sam Freedman
Finished off ok last Saturday in the Linlithgow behind Old Flame. Not racing as well as he was when he first arrived in Australia at the end of last year, and will find this tougher than last Saturday. Capable on his day but not keen here.
Final Word
To put it simply, this year’s Champions Mile is an absolute cracker. The Everest form meets Cox Plate form in what looks to be a race for the ages. Hard to go past Private Eye on recent form.
Private Eye has drawn barrier 5 in the G1 Champions Mile. 🏇🔥
The field:
1. Kolding (1)
2. Private Eye (5)
3. Cascadian (11)
4. Alligator Blood (3)
5. Mr Brightside (4)
6. Dalasan (2)
7. Aegon (10)
8. Tuvalu (8)
9. My Oberon (7)
10. Kiss Sum (9)
11. Sinawann (6)#Flemington pic.twitter.com/rx89Ly1qzs— bet365 AUS (@bet365_aus) November 2, 2022
He was a dominant victor first up here at Flemington before going down narrowly in The Everest. He sat back and gave his rivals windburn late in the Winners Stakes last Saturday and looks well suited up to a mile at Flemington now. Looks to tick every box in the form guide and is clearly the one to beat.
Cascadian and My Oberon are the dangers. Both horses were strong last start winners. Cascadian has some brilliant form here at the Flemington mile and gets McDonald on top and My Oberon was ultra impressive at his Australian debut. He has some strong international form lines and can easily take the next step here.
Underwood Stakes winner, Alligator Blood, should get a soft enough lead here and can run a bold race in front, whilst Tuvalu is as honest as the day is long and Mr Brightside can run into the money dropping back from a hot Cox Plate.
Champions Mile Tip
2. Private Eye – Win ($3.10)
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*Odds correct at time of writing, courtesy of Dabble.
