Mackinnon Stakes

The Mackinnon Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held annually in late October or early November at Flemington racecourse during the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The race is run over a distance of 2000 metres and worth $1,000,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Mackinnon Stakes was won by Glass Harmonium from Mourayan with Rekindled Interest third.

The Mackinnon Stakes is held on the same day as the Victoria Derby on the first day of the four day Flemington spring racing carnival, three days before the Melbourne Cup.

Derby day is one of the best days of racing anywhere in the world and is the first day of the faboulous four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival. Every race on the Derby Day card is a group race and there are three more Group 1 races alongside the Mackinnon Stakes, including the Victoria Derby, Coolmore Stud Stakes and Myer Classic.

Mackinnon Stakes info
Date:	Saturday 3rd November 2012
Track:	Flemington racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	2000 metres
Race Type:	Weight-for-age
Status:	Group 1
Prizemoney:	$1,000,000
2011 Winner:	Glass Harmonium

The Mackinnon Stakes was first run in 1869 and is one of the premier weight-for-age races of the Flemington spring racing carnival and typically attracts quality gallopers due to the level weight conditions and and the timing of the race being just three days before the 3200m Melbourne Cup.

The race is widely recognised as an important final lead up race for any horse contesting the Melbourne Cup on the following Tuesday and in recent times the LKS Mackinnon Stakes has provided four Melbourne Cup winners and two Japan Cup winners.

Rogan Josh (1999) was the last galloper to score the Mackinnon Stakes & Melbourne Cup double in the same year and more recently the 2008 Melbourne Cup winner Viewed went on to win the big two mile race after finishing unplaced in this event.

Glass Harmonium (2011) finished unplaced in the Gr1 WS Cox Plate over 2040m at Moonee Valley prior to winning this race and recent Mackinnon Stakes winners include So You Think (2010) and Scenic Shot (2009).

Spring Carnival Guide
The Mackinnon Stakes has been a more than reasonable guide to the Melbourne Cup over the years although in recent times the Mackinnon has not proven to be the best guide as it once was, largely due to the Melbourne Cup attracting more international gallopers to make it a truly global 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 before going on to win the Melbourne Cup three days later, while

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 the Mackinnon Stakes and champion galloper Better Loosen Up did the same thing in 1990.

2011 Mackinnon Stakes result
1. $7.00 Glass Harmonium 59.0 Damien Oliver
2. $17.00 Mourayan 59.0 Hugh Bowman
3. $6.50 Rekindled Interest 58.0 Dwayne Dunn

then followed
4. $10.00 Southern Speed 56.0 Craig Williams
5. $6.50 Foreteller 59.0 Corey Brown
6. $41.00 Ginga Dude 59.0 Michael Walker
7. $12.00 Sincero 58.0 Kerrin McEvoy
8. $9.00 Midas Touch 59.0 Nicholas Hall
9. $26.00 Precedence 59.0 Steven Arnold
10. $7.50 Efficient 59.0 Steven King
11. $41.00 The Verminator 59.0 Craig Newitt
12. $12.00 Lights Of Heaven 56.0 Luke Nolen

Margins: 3/4 len, 1 len
Time: 2:02.72

Mackinnon Stakes recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
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	Dulcify	Shivaree	Minuetto	2:00.9
1978	Family of Man	La Mer	Kankama	2:04.0
1977	Sir Silver Lad	Gold and Black	Salamander	2:02.4
1976	Gold and Black	Better Draw	How Now	2:05.2