23 HISTORY OF THE STAKES The TAB Champions Stakes, first run in 1869 as the Melbourne Stakes, has been a key weight-for-age contest at the Melbourne Cup Carnival for over 150 years. Originally held on Derby Day, the race now takes place on the final day of the Carnival, capping off four days of elite racing. Winners include 15 horses that have completed the Melbourne Cup-Stakes double, among them Carbine, Phar Lap, Peter Pan, and Rising Fast. The race has also been won by champions like Wakeful, Lonhro, and So You Think, as well as international stars such as Side Glance, Gailo Chop, and Magic Wand. The Victorian-bred, New Zealand-trained, Hall of Famer, Gloaming, won eight of his ten races as a nine-year-old including the 1924 Melbourne Stakes, a career in which he won 57 of his 67 career starts. In 2023, Atishu, with James McDonald aboard, powered home to take the TAB Champions Stakes. It was McDonald’s third Group 1 victory of the week, solidifying his status as one of the country’s leading riders. TAB CHAMPIONS STAKES Scott Barbour/Racing Photos 2023 TAB CHAMPIONS STAKES WINNER ATISHU (NZ)
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