The Champions Sprint is one of the most well-known Group One races on the Australian calendar. It always features some of the best sprinters going around as they fight it out over a distance of 1,200m for the biggest slice of the $3 million in prize money that’s on offer.
Champions Sprint Tips, Best Bets, Odds, Field & More 2025
- Champions Sprint Quick Facts
- Key Details About the Champions Sprint
- Top Betting Sites for the Champions Sprint
- Bet Right
- PlayUp
- VicBet
- BoomBet
- Unibet
- Champions Sprint Betting Markets & Bet Types
- Champions Sprint Field & Form
- Best Odds for the Champions Sprint
- Latest Champions Sprint Results
- Champions Sprint Replay
- Champions Sprint Winners
- Champions Sprint FAQs
Champions Sprint Quick Facts
There are some key facts about the Champions Sprint you should be across:
Date | Saturday 8th November, 2025 |
Distance | 1,200 metres |
Status | Group 1 |
Track | Flemington Racecourse |
Conditions | Weight-For-Age (WFA) |
Prize Money | $3,000,000 |
Latest Winner | Sunshine In Paris |
Key Details About the Champions Sprint
The Champions Sprint is run each year on what is known as Champions Day, and features two other Group One races; the Champions Stakes and Champions Mile. The race takes place on the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup and rounds out day four of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington.
The race is known as the premier sprint event of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, and it was first run back in 1960 and won by Karina. Originally, the race was run on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, on Victoria Derby Day. Things changed in 2006, and it was pushed back a week.
The Champions Sprint has had a host of name changes throughout its history:
- 1960-1979: Craven ‘A' Stakes
- 1980-1984: Pure-Pak Stakes
- 1985-1993: Gadsden Stakes
- 1994-1995: Southcorp Packaging Stakes
- 1996-2006: Salinger Stakes
- 2007: The Age Classic
- 2008-2012: Patinack Farm Classic
- 2013: VRC Sprint Classic
- 2014-2017: Darley Classic
- 2018-2024: VRC Sprint Classic/ Champions Sprint
In 2007, the conditions of the Champions Sprint changed, and it became a weight-for-age event. The race didn’t always hold Group One status; it wasn’t until 1979 that the race was granted Group One status.
Champions Sprint Tips & Best Bets
The Australianbettingsites.net.au team provides horse racing tips for the Champions Sprint each year, which become available a couple of days out from the event, so make sure you look out for that. We also provide daily horse racing tips, so there is always something happening.
When it comes to our Group One races tips, like our Champions Sprint tips (or even our Doncaster Mile tips, The Everest tips, or Victoria Derby tips), we take the time to go through every runner in the final field. Our tips are based on data, and we aren’t afraid to take advantage of multiple betting markets.
We want to ensure you’re betting experience on the Champions Sprint is an enjoyable one, so we have developed a set of tips and tricks to follow:
- Develop a Plan - Before you start betting this Champions Sprint Day, it’s a good idea to have a plan of attack. Things can sometimes get away from you, especially in the heat of the moment, so having a proper plan that you can fall back on can be helpful. In your plan, include things like how much money you’re willing to spend and more.
- Check the Form Guide - The form guide is one of the most important aspects to consider before placing your bets. While it isn’t a foolproof tactic, looking at key form indicators can help point you in the direction of the next potential winner. Check out aspects like recent form, results at the same track/ trip and more.
- Shop Around for Odds - Different betting sites will sometimes offer different odds for the same market, so you can pick up easy extra value by taking the time to shop around for the best odds before finalising your bets. You can do some manual work or use odds comparison tools to help you out.
- Utilise Different Promotions - There’s no shortage of betting sites bonuses out there, so make sure you take advantage of them! This is where it is a good idea to have accounts with multiple different bookies, making it even easier to find and lock in extra value through utilising different promotions that are available.
Top Betting Sites for the Champions Sprint
We’ve had our skin in the game for a while now, and in this time, we have experienced pretty much everything the betting industry has to offer. There are a handful of bookies that we really like and would recommend to you if you’re on the hunt for a new option. We go through some of the best horse racing betting sites in this section.
Bet Right
Bet Right is right up there among the best racing bookies in Australia thanks to their comprehensive offering. From promotions to odds and form guide features, there is a lot to like with Bet Right. If you haven’t tried them before for racing, you are really missing out.
They offer a highlights feature, which provides quick and easy insights to some of the key runners in each race. This is perfect if you have left things to the last minute and want a quick tip to bet on. They even offer personalised recommendations which help to find your favourite racing venues and runners.
PlayUp
If you’re always on the go, we think you’ll like PlayUp as they have one of the best betting apps going around. It is so easy to use, and all it takes is a couple of taps and you’ve got your bets for the day all sorted. PlayUp also offers some pretty unique racing promotions, but you’ll have to log in to your account to see what’s available.
We also consider PlayUp as one of the best bookies in terms of racing odds. When we compared their odds with some of the other biggest players in the game, PlayUp was consistently just as good or even better than others. If you love your multis, the multi express feature at PlayUp makes building a multi very easy.
VicBet
VicBet is a true-blue Aussie racing bookie. In fact, they only offer markets on racing events and don’t cover sport. They started as an on-course bookie back in 1941 and are a family-run business that spans four generations. In 2005, they began their online operations, opening up to a much wider audience.
Each day, you can view all the big bets they’ve taken and see if that’s something you want to back as well. They offer a great range of markets for every racing event and also offer futures markets for some of the biggest races on the calendar, like the Melbourne Cup.
BoomBet
One of the new betting sites on this list, but you probably wouldn’t know it. Their platform is quite simple, but it makes it much easier to find what you’re looking for, creating a more effective user experience. They also have a decent range of promotions and odds available for racing.
For each race, you can see the fluctuations and speed maps of each runner. If you’re interested in the form, this is also something they provide. You can see runner’s comments, recent results, career record and more through BoomBet’s form.
Unibet
Unibet is undoubtedly one of the biggest betting sites in the world. When it comes to horse racing, there is a lot to like. They offer live streaming on a select range of events and are known to have some of the most competitive odds in the industry.
For each race page, you are automatically shown the easy form, which includes quick insights on each runner’s rating for distance and speed map. If you want to take a deeper dive, they also provide the full form, which shows everything you could need.
Champions Sprint Betting Markets & Bet Types
For a race like the Champions Sprint, you’ll get the full complement of betting markets. This means you have the opportunity to stick with what you know, or try your hand at something new. Before you branch out, you must understand what’s involved with each bet type.
We have put together this table explaining all the most popular bet types available for the Champions Sprint:
Bet Type | Description |
Win | A bet on the racehorse you think will win the Champions Sprint. |
Place | A bet on the racehorse you think will finish in the top three in the Champions Sprint. |
Each Way | A bet that morphs the win and place bets. Here, you place essentially two bets of equal stake amounts on the same racehorse, one on the win and the other on the place. |
Exacta | A bet on the racehorses you think will finish in the top two in the Champions Sprint (in the right order). |
Quinella | A bet on the racehorses you think will finish in the top two in the Champions Sprint (in any order). |
Trifecta | A bet on the racehorses you think will finish in the top three in the Champions Sprint. You can “box” this bet, which allows for your chosen racehorses to finish in any order. |
First Four | A bet on the racehorses you think will finish in the top four in the Champions Sprint. You can “box” this bet, which allows for your chosen racehorses to finish in any order. |
Quadrella (Quaddie) | A bet on the racehorses you think will win four pre-selected races on the Champions Sprint race day. For more chances of landing your quaddie, add more than four runners to your bet. |
Treble | A bet on the racehorses you think will win three pre-selected races on the Champions Sprint race day. For more chances of landing your treble, add more than three runners to your bet. |
Double | A bet on the racehorses you think will win two pre-selected races on the Champions Sprint race day. For more chances of landing your double, add more than two runners to your bet. |
Champions Sprint Field & Form
The Champions Sprint always brings out some of the highest quality horses going around. With $3 million in prize money on the line, plus the prestige of winning a Group One race, there’s a lot on the line in the Champions Sprint each year.
A couple of days before the race is due to take place, the final field is confirmed. This provides you with all the information you need to start doing your form research. If you’re going to bet on the Champions Sprint, it is a good idea to check out the form guide beforehand.
See which runners took part in the latest edition of the Champions Sprint right here:
No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier |
Weight |
1 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | Mark Zahra | 7 | 58.5kg |
2 | OVERPASS | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 2 | 58.5kg |
3 | I AM UNSTOPPABLE | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Browne McMonagle | 11 | 58.5kg |
4 | BARAQIEL | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | Ben Allen | 1 | 58.5kg |
5 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 12 | 56.5kg |
6 | SUNSHINE IN PARIS | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | James McDonald | 9 | 56.5kg |
7 | LADY LAGUNA | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Nash Rawiller | 6 | 56.5kg |
8 | ESTRIELLA | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 4 | 56.5kg |
9 | RIGHT TO PARTY | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 3 | 56.5kg |
10 | STRETAN ANGEL | Phillip Stokes | Luke Nolen | 5 | 56.5kg |
11 | PRIVATE LIFE | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 8 | 53.5kg |
12 | BELLATRIX STAR | Mark Walker | Michael Dee | 10 | 51.5kg |
Mark Zahra
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Weight
Best Odds for the Champions Sprint
Finding the best odds is something pretty much every bettor is striving for. Over the years, we have honed our process when it comes to looking for the best odds, so it only takes us a handful of minutes. So, if you have a few minutes to spare before the big race, we recommend you shop around.
While it might not seem like it will make a major difference, every little bit helps. Also, if you are a regular bettor, things can add up pretty quickly, especially if you like to bet on roughies, as the discrepancy between the lowest and highest odds available is usually much larger.
One of the things you can do is use an odds comparison tool. This is a good place to start, but there are some limitations with using this type of tool. Firstly, they may only offer the odds on fixed win and place markets, so if you like the more exotic bets, this tool probably can’t help.
Secondly, the tool might not include all the bookies you want to check. So, this means a little bit of manual work is required. Using a desktop computer makes things a lot easier as well. The process involves opening up multiple tabs in your browser and going to the specific market for the Champions Sprint for different bookies.
Latest Champions Sprint Results
The latest Champions Sprint was a fairly open affair, and one of the more favourite runners, Sunshine In Paris, was victorious. The mare was paying $5.00 at the jump, and after starting from barrier nine, she finished just 0.2L ahead of the pack.
Right To Party came out of the clouds in the closing stages of the race to finish in second place, after jumping from barrier three. Bella Nipotina finished in third place, meaning mares successfully completed the trifecta in the Champions Sprint, and she was just 0.3L off the leader.
See where all the runners finished in the Champions Sprint here:
Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Barrier | Weight |
1 | 6 | SUNSHINE IN PARIS | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | James McDonald | - | 9 | 56.5kg |
2 | 9 | RIGHT TO PARTY | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 0.2L | 3 | 56.5kg |
3 | 5 | BELLA NIPOTINA | Ciaron Maher | Craig Williams | 0.3L | 12 | 56.5kg |
4 | 10 | STRETAN ANGEL | Phillip Stokes | Luke Nolen | 0.8L | 5 | 56.5kg |
5 | 11 | PRIVATE LIFE | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 1.2L | 8 | 53.5kg |
6 | 4 | BARAQIEL | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | Ben Allen | 2.22L | 1 | 58.5kg |
7 | 1 | GIGA KICK | Clayton Douglas | Mark Zahra | 2.4L | 7 | 58.5kg |
8 | 2 | OVERPASS | Bjorn Baker | Joshua Parr | 3.4L | 2 | 58.5kg |
9 | 8 | ESTRIELLA | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 3.8L | 4 | 56.5kg |
10 | 7 | LADY LAGUNA | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Nash Rawiller | 4L | 6 | 56.5kg |
11 | 12 | BELLATRIX STAR | Mark Walker | Michael Dee | 5.7L | 10 | 51.5kg |
12 | 3 | I AM UNSTOPPABLE | Ciaron Maher | Dylan Browne McMonagle | 9L | 11 | 58.5kg |
Champions Sprint Replay
It was an action-packed race, and you can see where each runner finished in the Champions Sprint here:
Champions Sprint Winners
Over the years, we have seen many high-profile runners win the Champions Sprint, and we have a recent history of all the winners here:
Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer |
2024 | Sunshine In Paris | James McDonald | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
2023 | Imperatriz | Opie Bosson | Mark Walker |
2022 | Roch ‘N Horse | Jamie Mott | Michael Moroney |
2021 | Nature Strip | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
2020 | Bivouac | Glen Boss | James Cummings |
2019 | Nature Strip | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
2018 | Santa Ana Lane | Mark Zahra | Anthony Freedman |
2017 | Redzel | Kerrin McEvoy | Peter and Paul Snowden |
2016 | Malaguerra | Ben Melham | Peter Gelagotis |
2015 | Delectation | James McDonald | Chris Waller |
2014 | Terravista | Hugh Bowman | Joseph Pride |
2013 | Buffering | Damian Browne | Robert Heathcote |
2012 | Mental | Kerrin McEvoy | Peter Snowden |
2011 | Black Caviar | Luke Nolen | Peter G Moody |
2010 | Black Caviar | Ben Melham | Peter G Moody |
Champions Sprint FAQs
Hopefully, we have managed to answer all the questions you have about one of the biggest races on the Australian calendar. If not, this is the section for you as we go through all of the most commonly asked questions about the Champions Sprint.
Where to bet on the Champions Sprint?
If you’re ready to place some bets on the Champions Sprint, you’ll be pleased to know there are a lot of options available to you. We recommend bookies like Bet Right, PlayUp and VicBet for horse racing.
Where is the Champions Sprint raced?
Each year, the Champions Sprint is raced at Flemington Racecourse.
How long is the Champions Sprint?
The Champions Sprint is raced over a distance of 1,200m every year.
What conditions are the Champions Sprint raced under?
The Champions Sprint is raced under weight-for-age (WFA) conditions.
How to get tickets for the Champions Sprint?
If you’re thinking of heading to Flemington Racecourse to watch the Champions Sprint live, we recommend you pre-purchase your tickets to secure your place. Head to the Victoria Racing Club website to see what options are available.
What is the prize money for the Champions Sprint?
The Champions Sprint boasts some of the most prize money in Australia. Runners in the race are fighting it out for the lion’s share of the $3 million that’s on the line.
Where can I livestream the Champions Sprint?
If you can’t make it to Flemington Racecourse, there are multiple livestreaming options available. You can catch the Champions Sprint through free-to-air channels, Foxtel, Kayo, or even through an Australian bookie (only a handful offer livestreaming services though)
Which horses have won the Champions Sprint?
Some of the most well-known and iconic horses have gone on to win the Champions Sprint, including Dance Hero, Planet Ruler, Black Caviar, Nature Strip and Redzel.
Where to find the best Champions Sprint odds?
To find the best Champions Sprint odds, you can use an odds comparison tool or check manually. We recommend sticking with bookies like Unibet, BoomBet and PlayUp, as they have a reputation for offering competitive horse racing odds.
Can I get horse racing tips for the Champions Sprint?
If you want tips for the Champions Sprint, look no further than Australian Betting Sites. We provide horse racing tips for all the biggest Group One races on the calendar, plus we provide daily tips as well.