<p>The Victoria Racing Club has revitalised the Final Day of Melbourne Cup week with the branding of Champions Day, featuring three enthralling weight-for-age $3 million contents of the best horses in Australia.</p> <p>They are the Champions Sprint (1200m), Champions Mile (1600m) and the Champions Stakes (2000m).&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Champions Day Stakes 2025 Preview and Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Track: </strong>Flemington.</p> <p><strong>Date: </strong>Saturday, 8 November.</p> <p><strong>Champions Sprint – </strong>Race 6 (3.50 pm)</p> <p><strong>Champions Mile –</strong> Race 7 (4.30 pm)</p> <p><strong>Champions Stakes – </strong>Race 8 (5.10 pm)&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Total prizemoney:</strong> $3,000,000.</p> <p><strong>First prize:</strong> $1,800,000</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Weather and Track</h3> <p>The Flemington track was rated a Soft 5 on Wednesday. Showers expected on Friday and rain up to 20mm on Saturday. Expect the track to remain in the soft range.</p> <p>The rail is likely to be out 6m after the Oaks Day meeting on Thursday.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Trainers</h3> <p><strong>The Champions Sprint</strong></p> <p>Three different trainers have won the Sprint since it was established on Champions Day. The late Mike Moroney won the first with his mare Roch ‘N’ Horse, Mark Walker won with the champion Kiwi, Imperatriz, and last year, wife and husband pair, Annabel and Rob Archibald trained Sunshine In Paris. Only the Archibalds (Libertad) have a runner this year.</p> <p>Anthony and Sam Freedman hold a strong hand with the exciting colt Tentyris and Tropicus. The stable won with Santa Ana Lane in 2016. Chris Waller, who has won the race three times when it was the VRC Sprint, saddles the favourite Joliestar.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The Champions Mile</strong></p> <p>Partnerships have been to the fore in the past three years in the Champions Mile, which was formerly the Cantala Stakes. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott won the first with Alligator Blood in 2022, Ciaron Maher, training with David Eustace, won with Pride Of Jenni in 2023, and the Hayes brothers (Ben, Will and JD) trained Mr Brightside last year.</p> <p>Mr Brightside returns to win his second, as does Pride Of Jenni for Maher, who also won with Tears I Cry in 2007. Chris Waller has won four times. He will saddle the former New Zealand mare Leica Lucy. Bjorn Baker (Pericles and Stefi Magnetica) is trying to repeat his father Murray’s win with Turn Me Loose in 2015. William Haggas (Lake Forest) is attempting to be the first Englishman to win the race.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>The Champions Stakes</strong></p> <p>Chris Waller and Annabel Archibald have dominated the Champions Stakes – formerly the Mackinnon Stakes – in the past four years. Waller won with the mares Atishu and Via Sistina, and the latter is hot favourite to win her second. Archibald won the race twice (with Zaaki) in her maiden name, Neasham. She is now training with husband Rob, but they don’t have a runner this year.</p> <p>Waller also saddles Kovalica. Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr have two runners (Golden Path and Zambardo) as do Anthony and Sam Freedman (Tom Kitten and Point King). Ciaron Maher (Light Infantry Man) and the Hayes brothers (Alenquer) are chasing his first Champions Stakes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Jockeys</h3> <p><strong>Champions Sprint</strong></p> <p>James McDonald is chasing his fifth Champions Sprint when he rides the favourite Joliestar. Mark Zahra, who dominated on Derby Day with four wins, will ride Giga Kick, while his sensational Derby Day winner, Tentyris, will be ridden by Craig Williams, who is yet to ride the winner of this race. Zahra won on Santa Ana Lane in 2018. Jamie Melham has been booked for Benedetta and Englishman Tom Marquand rides Libertad.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Champions Mile</strong></p> <p>Craig Williams won last year’s Champions Mile on Mr Brightside. The two veterans are back for a repeat. Williams is chasing his fourth Champions Mile. James McDonald (Leica Lucy) has dominated the Champions Day racing in the past three years, but he hasn’t won the Mile.&nbsp; Englishman Tom Marquand rides the English horse Lake Forest.</p> <p>Declan Bates famously won this race on Pride Of Jenni in 2023 after winning the Empire Rose Stakes on Derby Day. Bates and Jenni are back to attempt the double-double after her brilliant Empire Rose win last Saturday. Damian Lane (Treasurethe Moment) caused an upset when he won on Yulong Prince in 2020. Ceowulf’s rider Chad Schofield’s father Glyn won on Boban in 2013.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Champions Stakes</strong></p> <p>James McDonald has won three of the past four Champions Stakes, including last year’s winner Via Sistina, who he rides again on Saturday. His sequence was split when Jamie Melham won on Zaaki in 2022. Melham, fresh from her historic Melbourne Cup win on Half Yours, will ride the outsider Zambardo.</p> <p>Melham’s husband, Ben Melham (Tom Kitten), won on Gailo Chop in 2015. Damian Lane (Kovalica) won on Tosen Stardom in 2017. Craig Williams (Attrition) won on Alcopop in 2012. Declan Bates has a late call-up to ride Light Infantry Man.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Speed Maps</h3> <p><strong>Champions Sprint</strong></p> <p><strong>Tempo:</strong> Good-fast. Expect Tropicus to lead and run along at a good clip, with Caballus on his hammer. The late chargers will be Joliestar, Giga Kick, and the brilliant Tentyris.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Champions Mile</strong></p> <p><strong>Tempo:</strong> fast to hectic. As she did last Saturday in the Empire Rose over this course and distance, Pride Of Jenni will lead and run it hard to take her rivals out of their comfort zone. Can they catch and who will be one horse to take the field up to her? Our tip for that task is Pericles.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Champions Stakes</strong></p> <p>Tempo: moderate. It’s hard to see this race being run at a solid tempo. Light Infantry Man surprised us when he led and ran along in the Cox Plate, but if he leads this time, it’s doubtful he will set a quick tempo. Golden Path and Alenqueur will go forward. Via Sistina will be suited out wide.&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Champions Day 2025 Racing Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Champions Sprint Top Tip&nbsp;</h3> <p>Tentyris</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Champions Sprint Dangers</h3> <p>Joliestar &amp; Giga Kick</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Champions Mile Top Tip&nbsp;</h3> <p>Ceowulf</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Champions Mile Dangers</h3> <p>Pride Of Jenni, Mr Brightside &amp; Stefi Magnetica</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Champions Stakes Top Tip&nbsp;</h3> <p>Via Sistina&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Champions Sprint Dangers</h3> <p>Tom Kitten &amp; Pier</p>