Countdown to TAB Champions Stakes Day
A Celebration of Champions and Racing Excellence.
On Saturday, 8th November 2025, TAB Champions Stakes Day concludes the Melbourne Cup Carnival in spectacular style at Flemington Racecourse. This day is a celebration of the very best in horse racing, where elite thoroughbreds compete in a thrilling showcase of power, speed, and skill.
At the heart of the day are three Group 1 races, featuring some of the finest horses in the world. Don’t miss your final opportunity to explore the newly redesigned family precinct and equine hub in The Park, along with the vibrant party atmosphere and live entertainment on the Live Stage in The Elms. Access to these precincts is free with your race day ticket!
TAB Champions Stakes Day is the perfect finale, offering a unique blend of world-class racing and an electric atmosphere that brings the Carnival to a triumphant close.
Saturday 8 November, 2024
First race: 12:40pm
Last race: 5:50pm
Feature races
Group 1 TAB Champions Stakes (2000m)
Group 1 VRC Champions Mile (1600m)
Group 1 VRC Champions Sprint (1200m)
Fashions on The Field
The 2025 Fashions on the Field kicks off early with the Spring Best Dressed and Best Suited competitions on Crown Makybe Diva Stakes Day and TAB Turnbull Stakes Day, offering fast-track entry to the Crown Oaks Day Daily Final.
The competition returns to the front lawn for the Melbourne Cup Carnival, with the digital competition open now, and closing Sunday October 5. Start planning your boldest looks now.
General Ticketing
Flemington Pass (General Admission)
Adults $85pp
Get in early and gear up for another unforgettable week of racing, fashion, food and fun with your friends!
The Elms VIP
$350pp
Upgrade your Cup Week experience with the all new Elms VIP with VIP access to bars, the Live Stage and food and beverage credit!
Saturday Flemington Pass
Adults $130pp
Join us for two super Saturdays across Howden Victoria Derby Day and TAB Champions Stakes Day!
Birdcage Reserved
Adults $550pp
Experience the exclusivity of The Birdcage from the comfort of a Birdcage Reserved site in The Rails Promenade. Witness new chapters of horse racing history being written right in front of you!
Four Day Flemington Pass
Adults $250pp
One ticket, four unforgettable days at the 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival!
Hill Stand Reserved Seat
From $109pp
Secure your seat with prime views of the racing action, Winning Post, and the colour of The Front Lawn.
Club Lawn Reserved
From $210pp
Trackside luxury at your own table of six. A Club Lawn Reserved table has it all - up close racing action, drinks on arrival and the inimitable atmosphere.
DiDi Mates Rates
$180pp*
Cup Week is best spent with mates. Book a DiDi Mates Rates table of 6 on the Front Lawn and settle in for a smashing day of racing and socialising.
Hospitality & Dining Packages
Marmont in The Birdcage
$900pp
In partnership with international hospitality figure Grant Smillie and Crown Melbourne, Marmont brings its signature Californian-inspired vibe to the heart of The Birdcage.
Makybe Diva® Marquee
$605pp
Enjoy an all-inclusive plated table service in a beautiful marquee with outdoor courtyard offering premium views of the racing action.
TAB Clubhouse
$425pp
Introducing the TAB Clubhouse, a brand-new experience located in the Infield across from the Winning Post, designed for racing fans to be up close to all of the action.
The Parade Social
From $550pp
Perched above the horse stalls and Pre-Parade Ring, The Parade Social is an all-inclusive experience exclusive to VRC Members and their guests.
Kirin Ichiban Pavilion
$650pp
Welcome to Flemington’s Party Central - Kirin Ichiban Pavilion. Settle in for a day of unparalleled racing excitement and an all-inclusive food and drinks package.
Parade Lounge
$670pp
Enjoy this all-inclusive offering with views over the Parade Ring to watch the Cup Week hopefuls ahead of each race.
Skyline Lounge
$589pp
Indulge in an elevated experience at the Skyline Lounge in the Hill Stand, where you and your guests can graze all day while enjoying breathtaking views.
Skyline Dining
$655pp
Indulge in a world where the unbridled thrill of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and exquisite cuisine takes centre stage - this is Skyline Dining.
The Rose Room
$695pp
Experience timeless celebrations in the ever popular Rose Room, where cherished memories flourish.
Terrace Restaurant
$725pp
Sweeping vistas frame this spectacular dining room, delivering unforgettable race day memories in a refined and elegant space.
Members Dining
The Dining Room
From $495pp
Soak up the atmosphere and tradition of Flemington in The Dining Room. Every race is on show as you enjoy a seasonal three-course à la carte menu and premium beverages.
The Byerley
From $620pp
The Byerley invites you to experience Flemington at its most refined, where elegance, tradition and fine dining come together.
TICKETS SELLING FAST
Straight Six
From $325pp
Straight Six brings a relaxed, Italian-inspired dining experience to your race day, curated by Johnny Di Francesco of 400 Gradi.
The Atrium Flat
From $365pp
Step into the light-filled Atrium and experience Cup Week in style.
TICKETS SELLING FAST
The Atrium Tiered
From $465pp
Dining on the tiered section of The Atrium provides shared dining with a front row view of the track and crowd below.
The Parade Social
From $550pp
Perched above the horse stalls and Pre-Parade Ring, The Parade Social is an all-inclusive experience exclusive to VRC Members and their guests.
Members Car Parks
The Nursery
$200 per site
There’s nothing quite like hosting your own race day experience – and The Nursery is where it happens.
The Nursery Super Site
$1210 per site
Take your Melbourne Cup Carnival experience up a notch with a Nursery Super Site – the ultimate in space, style and trackside hosting.
The Rails Promenade
$845 per site
The Rails Promenade delivers an unmatched vantage point from within The Birdcage – so close to the track you’ll feel a part of the action.
Members Reserved Tables
The Peak
From $125pp
With sweeping view of the Flemington straight, Winning Post and city skyline, and access to the popular VRC Punters Club, The Peak is the place to be for punting enthusiasts this Cup Week.
The Forum
From $105pp
Reserving a table in The Forum guarantees you and your guests a reserved spot for the day, giving you the flexibility to enjoy the day your way.
SOLD OUT
The Birdcage Reserved Tables
From $105pp
Members and their guests can enjoy the buzz of The Birdcage with the comfort and convenience of a reserved bar table for the day.
SOLD OUT
Furlong Bar
From $105pp
With its laid-back atmosphere and prime location, the always-popular Furlong Bar is an ideal spot to watch the racing action in comfort.
SOLD OUT
Members Lawn
From $105pp
Reserve a table on the Members Lawn, giving you the freedom to come and go as you please while still being at the centre of all the action.
Members Reserved Seating
The Grandstand Reserved Seating
FROM $30pp
Reserve a grandstand-style seat for any Carnival race day and enjoy an uninterrupted view of all the day's racing.
Members Guest Ticketing
Members Enclosure Daily Guest
$295pp
Share your Cup Week experience with friends and family by purchasing a Members Enclosure Daily Guest Ticket.
Birdcage Pedestrian Pass
$199pp
Rendezvous in The Birdcage with friends and family this Cup Week by purchasing a Birdcage Pedestrian Pass.
Private Hospitality
Hill Stand Corporate Suites
Price on application
Welcome your guests into your own private suite with one of the best views at Flemington, located opposite the Winning Post.
SOLD OUT
The 350 Collective
SOLD OUT
Introducing The 350 Collective - a brand-new private venue located on the coveted east end of the Front Lawn.
Prizemoney: $3,000,000
Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: L.K.S Mackinnon Stakes
157th of Series
Race History
LKS MACKINNON (1861–1935)
Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie Mackinnon (1861–1935) was one of the most influential chairmen of the Victoria Racing Club in its long history, a committeeman for 26 years from 1909 and Chairman from 1916 until his death, guiding its fortunes as the principal club in Victoria. A solicitor by profession, he bred and raced thoroughbreds, at different times owning Maribyrnong Stud and Chatsworth Park. Kingsburgh won the 1914 Melbourne Cup for him. Woorak won the Epsom at Randwick and became a top Australian stallion. Mackinnon’s conservative views, especially about women in racing, were not universally shared but Victorian racing flourished. The Melbourne Stakes, created in 1869 as a traditional weight-for-age Derby Day lead-up to the Cup, became the Mackinnon in his honour from 1939. In 2016 the race was repositioned as the 2000 metre champion race for the final day of the Carnival.
Prizemoney: $3,000,000
Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Cantala Stakes
107th of Series
Race History
CANTALA STAKES
The original Cantala was not a racehorse, but a mansion that until demolished in 1939 occupied five hectares on Dandenong Road near Kooyong Road, Caulfield. It belonged to Septimus Miller, VRC Chairman 1895–1906. In 1919 the VRC Committee renamed the Coburg Stakes the Cantala in his honour. Miller provided a gold trophy to the first winner. In recent decades the Cantala was the feature mile on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival under various sponsorships – George Adams, Ampol, Nisson, Honda, Chrysler, Emirates. From 2016 to 2021 it shifted to Victoria Derby Day as the Kennedy Mile. Now it returns to the final Saturday as the VRC Kennedy Champions Mile.
Prizemoney: $3,000,000
Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Victoria Racing Club Stakes
66th of Series
Prizemoney: $300,000
Mares Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.
40th of Series
Race History
MATRIARCH STAKES
A 2000 metre race for mares has long been part of the card for the fourth and final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The race name Matriarch Stakes was first applied in 1995, and the Kilmore and Ballarat Cup winner Magical Storm was victorious. The race name was inspired by the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, a mile race for mares on the turf in the USA, first run at Hollywood Park in 1981 and later at Del Mar Racetrack, California. Among the best winners of the VRC Matriarch Stakes has been multiple Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina, successful in 2015 before winning the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick the following year.
Prizemoney: $300,000
Quality Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes
47th of Series
Prizemoney: $175,000
Open Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Race History
ALWAYS WELCOME (Seventh Hussar (FR) - Welcome Back)
Always Welcome, an Australian-bred son of Seventh Hussar, was foaled in 1973, a consistent stakes-winning sprinter whose six Group level victories included the VRC Linlithgow Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes (at that time the Craven A Stakes) at Flemington, the Caulfield Futurity (beating So Called) and the Randwick All-Aged Stakes. Twice runner-up in the VRC Newmarket, and second in the Epsom, the Doncaster and the Epsom at Randwick, Always Welcome had the misfortune of competing against such champions as Maybe Mahal, Luskin Star and Manikato. He was trained by Bernie Byrnes from the old Big Stable at Inglis' Newmarket property at Randwick.
Prizemoney: $500,000
2YO Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Restricted 2YO horses nominated in the Inglis Race Series + $200k Pink Bonus to the first eligible horse past the post.
Prizemoney: $150,000
4YO & Upwards Benchmark 90 Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Prizemoney: $150,000
Benchmark 80 Grand Handicap. Apprentices can claim.
Your one-stop for a luxury Carnival experience
With premium accommodation, fine dining, exclusive experiences and ticket options – experience an elevated Melbourne Cup Carnival, curated just for you.
Explore packages created by the experts or build your own Melbourne Cup Carnival experience.
Prizemoney: $3,000,000
Trophies: $11,500
Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: L.K.S Mackinnon Stakes
157th of Series
Race History
LKS MACKINNON (1861–1935)
Lauchlan Kenneth Scobie Mackinnon (1861–1935) was one of the most influential chairmen of the Victoria Racing Club in its long history, a committeeman for 26 years from 1909 and Chairman from 1916 until his death, guiding its fortunes as the principal club in Victoria. A solicitor by profession, he bred and raced thoroughbreds, at different times owning Maribyrnong Stud and Chatsworth Park. Kingsburgh won the 1914 Melbourne Cup for him. Woorak won the Epsom at Randwick and became a top Australian stallion. Mackinnon’s conservative views, especially about women in racing, were not universally shared but Victorian racing flourished. The Melbourne Stakes, created in 1869 as a traditional weight-for-age Derby Day lead-up to the Cup, became the Mackinnon in his honour from 1939. In 2016 the race was repositioned as the 2000 metre champion race for the final day of the Carnival.
Last year's winner - Vis Sistina (IRE)
Prizemoney: $3,000,000
Trophies: $5,645
Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Cantala Stakes
107th of Series
Race History
CANTALA STAKES
The original Cantala was not a racehorse, but a mansion that until demolished in 1939 occupied five hectares on Dandenong Road near Kooyong Road, Caulfield. It belonged to Septimus Miller, VRC Chairman 1895–1906. In 1919 the VRC Committee renamed the Coburg Stakes the Cantala in his honour. Miller provided a gold trophy to the first winner. In recent decades the Cantala was the feature mile on the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival under various sponsorships – George Adams, Ampol, Nisson, Honda, Chrysler, Emirates. From 2016 to 2021 it shifted to Victoria Derby Day as the Kennedy Mile. Now it returns to the final Saturday as the VRC Kennedy Champions Mile.
Last year's winner - Mr Brightside (NZ)
Prizemoney: $3,000,000
Trophies: $5,645
Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Victoria Racing Club Stakes
66th of Series
Last Year's Winner - Sunshine In Paris
Prizemoney: $300,000
Trophies: $4,945
Mares Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.
40th of Series
Race History
MATRIARCH STAKES
A 2000 metre race for mares has long been part of the card for the fourth and final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. The race name Matriarch Stakes was first applied in 1995, and the Kilmore and Ballarat Cup winner Magical Storm was victorious. The race name was inspired by the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes, a mile race for mares on the turf in the USA, first run at Hollywood Park in 1981 and later at Del Mar Racetrack, California. Among the best winners of the VRC Matriarch Stakes has been multiple Group 1 winner Lucia Valentina, successful in 2015 before winning the AJC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick the following year.
Prizemoney: $300,000
Trophies: $3,645
Quality Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes
47th of Series
Prizemoney: $200,000
Trophies: $2,295
Open Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Race History
ALWAYS WELCOME (Seventh Hussar (FR) - Welcome Back)
Always Welcome, an Australian-bred son of Seventh Hussar, was foaled in 1973, a consistent stakes-winning sprinter whose six Group level victories included the VRC Linlithgow Stakes and Coolmore Stud Stakes (at that time the Craven A Stakes) at Flemington, the Caulfield Futurity (beating So Called) and the Randwick All-Aged Stakes. Twice runner-up in the VRC Newmarket, and second in the Epsom, the Doncaster and the Epsom at Randwick, Always Welcome had the misfortune of competing against such champions as Maybe Mahal, Luskin Star and Manikato. He was trained by Bernie Byrnes from the old Big Stable at Inglis’s Newmarket property at Randwick.
Prizemoney: $500,000
Trophies: $5,649
2YO Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Restricted 2YO horses nominated in the Inglis Race Series + $200k Pink Bonus to the first eligible horse past the post
Prizemoney: $150,000
Trophies: $2,145
4YO & Upwards Benchmark 90 Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Prizemoney: $150,000
Trophies: $2,245
Benchmark 80 Grand Handicap. Apprentices can claim.