, Emirates Stakes - Flemington Racecourse - Spring Racing Carnival
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Emirates Stakes

The Emirates Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held each November at Flemington racecourse during the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival in Melbourne. The race is run over a distance of 2000 metres and worth $2,000,000 in prize money. The 2019 Emirates Stakes was won by Magic Wand from Melody Belle with Hartnell third.

In 2016, the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Racing Victoria announced changes to the first and last day of the four-day Flemington carnival. The Mackinnon Stakes (formerly held on first day) would be renamed the Emirates Stakes (formerly held on final day) and moved to the final day (Stakes Day), while the former Emirates Stakes would become the Cantala Stakes and moved to the first day (Derby Day).

Emirates Stakes day is held on the final Saturday of the four-day Flemington carnival, and along with the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic, ends group one racing for the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The Emirates Stakes changes are likely to attract better quality local and international gallopers, being two weeks after the Group 1 WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. With combined prize money of more than $5 million up for grabs, it becomes an attractive proposition for owners and trainers.

The Emirates Stakes meeting is held four days after Melbourne Cup day, two days after VRC Oaks day and seven days after AAMI Victoria Derby day. it signals the end of the week-long spring racing carnival at Flemington and is known as 'family day', because there is plenty of racing and entertainment on offer for both parents and children alike.

Notable feature races on the day include the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes and Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. It makes for a great days racing to end the Flemington spring racing carnival.

Emirates Stakes info

Date: Saturday 6th November 2021
Track: Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance: 2000 metres
Race Type: Weight-for-age
Status: Group 1
Prize Money: $2,000,000
2019 Winner: Magic Wand
2018 Crowd: 67,567
victoria derby Emirates Stakes odds

The Emirates Stakes was first run in 1869 and is one of the premier weight-for-age races of the Flemington spring racing carnival. The move to the final day of the carnival makes it a great option for Cox Plate participants, being two weeks apart. It will also suit any visiting international gallopers bypassing the Melbourne Cup, who will find it appealing as well, creating plenty of interest on the final day.

This race, when it was the Mackinnon Stakes on the first day, was widely recognised as an important final lead up race for any horse contesting the Melbourne Cup on the following Tuesday. In recent times, it has provided four Melbourne Cup winners and two Japan Cup winners, with Rogan Josh (1999) being the last galloper to score the Mackinnon Stakes & Melbourne Cup double in the same year.

Now that it is being held after the Melbourne Cup, races like the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes at Caulfield, along with the Cox Plate, will provide the ideal lead up to the Emirates Stakes.

Trap For Fools (2018) finished runner-up in the Gr2 Moonee Valley Cup over 2500m at Moonee Valley before proving too strong in this event for Warrnambool trainer Jarrod McLean.

Recent Emirates Stakes winners include Tosen Stardom (2017) and Awesome Rock (2016).

Spring Carnival Guide

When it was the Mackinnon Stakes, it was a more than reasonable guide to the Melbourne Cup over the years, although that has changed in recent times, largely due to the Melbourne Cup attracting more international gallopers to make it a truly global event. The Taj Mahal (4th in 2017) captured the Gr2 Sandown Classic at his next start following a fourth placing in this event.

So You Think (2010) managed to run third in the Melbourne Cup at his next start, while Rogan Josh (1999) and Let's Elope (1991) are the last two gallopers to win the Mackinnon Stakes and Melbourne Cup.

Others who have performed well in both races include Champagne (1998) who ran third in the Melbourne Cup, Juene (2nd in 1994) who won the Melbourne Cup, and Veandercross (1992) who ran second in the Melbourne Cup.

The brilliant New Zealander Horlicks (1989) captured the Japan Cup after winning this race and champion galloper Better Loosen Up did the same thing in 1990.

2019 Emirates Stakes result

1. $4.80 Magic Wand 57.0 Ryan Moore
2. $3.80 Melody Belle 57.0 Opie Bosson
3. $10.00 Hartnell 59.0 Hugh Bowman

then followed
4. $41.00 Life Less Ordinary 59.0 Nash Rawiller
5. $16.00 Fifty Stars 59.0 Jye McNeil
6. $7.00 Kings Will Dream 59.0 James McDonald
7. $61.00 Suzuka Devious 59.0 Michael Dee
8. $18.00 Kluger 59.0 Kerrin McEvoy
9. $12.00 Humidor 59.0 Damian Lane
10. $20.00 Aristia 56.5 Craig Williams
11. $51.00 Gailo Chop 59.0 John Allen
12. $31.00 Harlem 59.0 Jamie Kah
13. $31.00 Night's Watch 59.0 Damien Oliver
14. $51.00 So Si Bon 59.0 Luke Nolen
15. $41.00 Debt Agent 59.0 Michael Rodd
16. $21.00 Cape Of Good Hope 57.5 Mark Zahra

Margins: 1 len, 0.1 len
Time: 2:01.82

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Emirates Stakes winners & placegetters

Year Winner 2nd 3rd Time
2019 Magic Wand Melody Belle Hartnell 2:01.8
2018 Trap For Fools Latrobe Extra Brut 2:02.3
2017 Tosen Stardom Happy Clapper It's Somewhat 2:01.2
2016 Awesome Rock =2 Hauraki =2 Seaburge 2:02.4
2015 Gailo Chop Rising Romance Contributer 2:03.5
2014 Happy Trails He's Your Man Farraaj 2:02.2
2013 Side Glance Dear Demi Moriarty 2:03.5
2012 Alcopop Glass Harmonium Ocean Park 2:01.2
2011 Glass Harmonium Mourayan Rekindled Interest 2:02.7
2010 So You Think Descarado Ginga Dude 2:04.9
2009 Scenic Shot Miss Maren Viewed 2:03.4
2008 Thesio Barbaricus Sirmione 2:03.8
2007 Sirmione Princess Coup Zipping 2:02.3
2006 Desert War Growl Aqua dAmore 2:02.3
2005 Lad of The Manor Our Smoking Joe Lachlan River 2:01.7
2004 Grand Armee Confectioner Vouvray 2:00.9
2003 Casual Pass Pentastic Fields of Omagh 2:05.8
2002 Lonhro Royal Code Distinctly Secret 2:02.6
2001 La Bella Dama Hill of Grace Emission 2:01.5
2000 Oliver Twist Camarena Slavonic 2:05.4
1999 Rogan Josh Rebel Oliver Twist 2:00.3
1998 Champagne Northern Drake Aerosmith 2:02.3
1997 Ebony Grosve Istidaad Filante 2:02.6
1996 All Our Mob Filante Saleous 2:00.8
1995 Danewin Protaras Bay Starstruck 2:00.4
1994 Paris Lane Jeune Excited Angel 2:06.6
1993 The Phantom Fraar Naturalism 2:01.4
1992 Veandercross Rough Habit Aquidity 2:04.9
1991 Lets Elope Super Impose Prince Salieri 2:01.8
1990 Better Loosen Up Stylish Century Mr. Brooker 2:02.9
1989 Horlicks Kings High Vo Rogue 2:00.3
1988 Empire Rose Vo Rogue Sky Chase 2:00.9
1987 Rubiton King of Brooklyn Military Plume 2:02.8
1986 At Talaq Colour Page Roman Artist 2:01.2
1985 Rising Prince So Vague The Filbert 2:02.6
1984 Bounty Hawk Alibhai Goleen 2:02.1
1983 Veloso Chiamare Kiwi Slave 2:04.3
1982 My Axeman Gurners Lane My Sir Avon 2:05.3
1981 Belmura Lad Kingston Town No Peer 2:02.0
1980 Belmura Lad Family of Man Lady Capri 2:03.8
1979 Bit of a Skite Consenting Waitangirua 1:35.8
1979 Dulcify Shivaree Minuetto 2:00.9
1978 Family of Man Cool Minstrel Arbre Chene 1:36.3
1978 Family of Man La Mer Kankama 2:04.0
1977 Galway Bay Raffindale Romantic Dream 1:36.1
1977 Sir Silver Lad Gold and Black Salamander 2:02.4
1976 Maybe Mahal Bonfield Visit 1:36.0
1976 Gold and Black Better Draw How Now 2:05.2