Champions Sprint
Looking for this year’s Champions Sprint betting odds, field, tips and info on how to bet on the Champions Sprint in 2024? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s edition of the race formerly known as both the VRC Sprint Classic and Darley Classic.
The Champions Sprint is held on the last day of the coveted four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival in November each spring. Taking place on the Saturday after the Melbourne Cup is run and won on the first Tuesday of November, the Champions Sprint is held over 1200m down the iconic ‘Straight Six’ at Flemington Racecourse.
Offering $3 million in prize money as of 2022, the weight-for-age feature draws a field of the season’s best sprinters, many of which may be coming out of the world’s richest turf race – the $20 million The Everest (1200m) held at Randwick the month before.
In 2017 Redzel completed The Everest – Darley Sprint Classic double winning the inaugural edition of the first leg. Nature Strip (2021) became the second horse in history to do the double when winning the VRC Sprint Classic for a second time.
The Everest also produced the following four VRC Sprint Classic winners with Santa Ana Lane (6th in 2018), Nature Strip (4th in 2019), Bivouac (2nd in 2020), and as mentioned above Nature Strip (1st in 2021).
The Group 1 Manikato Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley a fortnight prior is a key Champions Sprint lead-up. Buffering (2013) was the last horse to do the double.
The event was renamed the Champions Sprint ahead of the 2022 edition which was won in an upset by the mare Roch ‘N’ Horse who defeated two-time champion Nature Strip.
In 2024 The Everest winner Bella Nipotina ran third in the Champions Sprint which was won by Sunshine In Paris who was fifth in that year’s The Everest results.
champions sprint 2024 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Saturday November 9, 2024
- Formerly Known As: VRC Sprint Classic, Darley Classic
- Track Location: Flemington Racecourse
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Left-handed
- Race Distance: 1,200 metres
- Weight Conditions: Weight for age
- Qualification: Three-year-olds and over (excluding maidens)
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 1
- Operator: Victoria Racing Club
- Prize Purse: $3,000,000
- Inaugural Race: 1960
- 2024 Champions Sprint Winner: Sunshine In Paris
Champions Sprint 2024 RESULTS
The official 2024 Champions Sprint results will be available below once the race takes place on Saturday November 9, 2024.
- #6 Sunshine In Paris
- #9 Right To Party
- #5 Bella Nipotina
The Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald-trained Invader mare Sunshine In Paris ($5) was given a terrific run down the famous Flemington straight by James McDonald to charge home late with a driving finish to salute in the 2024 Champions Sprint results on Stakes Day. Right To Party ran second at big odds while The Everest – Russell Balding Stakes double winning mare Bella Nipotina was brave in third as the beaten favourite.
Champions Sprint Betting 2024
There are many different ways to bet on the Champions Sprint, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type Of Bet In This Year’s Champions Sprint |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Champions Sprint. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Champions Sprint. Pays less than a win bet, but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Champions Sprint, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend. |
| Quinella Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the Champions Sprint results, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Champions Sprint results to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Champions Sprint results to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Champions Sprint results to win the First 4. |
| Quadrella Bet (Quaddie) | You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the Champions Sprint, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet On The Champions Sprint in 2024
- Log in at neds.com.au
- Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
- Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Champions Sprint Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
champions sprint 2024 Odds
Early market betting odds on the 2024 champions sprint will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit neds.com.au.
Which Horse Will Win The Champions Sprint in 2024
The best way to pick which horse will win the Champions Sprint in 2024 is to take into account their lead-up spring racing form, assess the barriers and consider their past record at Flemington down the straight.
Additional factors to consider when picking the Champions Sprint winner include:
- Age – Most winners tend to be four years old or older. No three-year-old has won since Glamour Puss (2005).
- Favourites – Favourites had a poor strike-rate in the event until recent wins by the favourites Bivouac (2020), Nature Strip (2021), and Imperatriz (2023).
- The Everest Lead-Up – The Everest in Sydney is now considered the key form race to follow into the VRC Sprint Classic / Champions Sprint with Redzel (2017) the first to do the double followed by Nature Strip (2021). Sunshine In Parish (5th in 2024) was the last The Everest graduate to win the Champions Sprint. Horses may also run in the previous Saturday’s Group 2 Linlithgow Stakes (1200m) with Glamour Puss (2005) the last to take out both races.
Champions Sprint Favourites 2024
Favourites in Champions Sprint 2024 betting include Ciaron Maher’s brilliant sprinting mare Bella Nipotina coming off wins in The Everest and Russell Balding Stakes, another former The Everest champion in Giga Kick, and last start Sydney Stakes winner Overpass chasing a fourth straight win.
Redzel ($4 in 2017), ($3.20 in 2020), Nature Strip ($1.28 in 2021), and Imperatriz ($2.15 in 2023) are the last VRC Champions Sprint favourites to win.
champions sprint Field 2024
The official 2024 Champions Sprint field of final acceptances is announced on the Wednesday leading-up to the race, the day after the Melbourne Cup, and will be published in full below.
The Champions Sprint 2024 field features a dozen of the season’s best distance horses including The Everest winning mare Bella Nipotina, Overpass coming off a resuming win in the Sydney Stakes, 2.75 length McEwen winner Baraqiel, and Chris Waller’s Caulfield Guineas winning life Private Life.
champions spirnt 2024 Tips
Favourite: #10 Bella Nipotina ($3.60 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Best Bet: #10 Bella Nipotina to salute for the punters (see above) – BET NOW
Best Roughie: #12 Bellatrix Star ($12 at time of publish) – BET NOW
Our insider 2024 Champions Sprint tips will be detailed above the week of the race and a full betting preview available on the Neds Blog.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2024 CHAMPIONS SPRINT PREVIEW & TIPS
champions sprint Race Day 2024
The 2024 Champions Sprint takes place on Saturday the 9th of November 2024 as one of the feature races of Flemington’s 2024 VRC Champions Stakes Day program. The other Group status races on the card include the:
- Group 1 $3,000,000 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) – formerly the Mackinnon Stakes,
- Group 1 $3,000,000 Champions Mile (1600m) – formerly the Kennedy Cantala Stakes,
- Group 2 $300,000 Matriarch Stakes (2000m), and the
- Group 3 $300,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m).
VRC Champions Stakes Day in Melbourne takes place on the same date as Sydney’s $1 million Golden Gift race along with the $2 million Five Diamonds event at Rosehill Gardens.
champions sprint 2024 Nominations
The 2024 Champions Sprint nominations close the Monday of race week and will be published below in full once released.
Ciaron Maher’s The Everest – Russell Balding Stakes double winning mare Bella Nipotina heads the 2024 Champions Sprint nominations for Saturday.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11113311 | BARAQIEL | G | 6 | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | 105 |
| 2 | 41221×2311 | BELLA NIPOTINA | M | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 119 |
| 3 | 3214×51112 | BELLATRIX STAR | F | 3 | Mark Walker | 109 |
| 4 | 25x1213x59 | CLIMBING STAR (NZ) | M | 5 | Phillip Stokes | 108 |
| 5 | 10323×6627 | COLEMAN | C | 3 | Matt Laurie | 102 |
| 6 | 6x1115x471 | ESTRIELLA | M | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 109 |
| 7 | 3211x3x542 | GIGA KICK | G | 5 | Clayton Douglas | 116 |
| 8 | 3222x89x22 | I AM UNSTOPPABLE | H | 4 | Ciaron Maher | 100 |
| 9 | 71280×7075 | JOHNNY ROCKER | H | 5 | Nick Ryan | 98 |
| 10 | 112120×763 | LADY LAGUNA | M | 5 | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | 113 |
| 11 | 12x201x1x1 | OVERPASS | G | 6 | Bjorn Baker | 115 |
| 12 | 41×141 | PRIVATE LIFE | C | 3 | Chris Waller | 107 |
| 13 | 453×211141 | RIGHT TO PARTY | M | 4 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 106 |
| 14 | 11112×3740 | SANS DOUTE | M | 5 | Mark Walker | 98 |
| 15 | 7x4262x638 | STRETAN ANGEL | M | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 102 |
| 16 | x1x254x152 | SUNSHINE IN PARIS | M | 5 | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | 113 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
champions sprint 2024 Weights
Weight for age conditions apply to this race. 2024 Champions Sprint weights will be declared by 4 PM, Monday the 4th of November, 2024 and will be published in our above Champions Sprint Field section.
champions sprint 2024 Acceptances
2024 Champions Sprint final acceptances must be declared before 9:30 AM on Wednesday, the 6th of November, 2024 and will be published in our above Champions Sprint Field section.
Champions sprint 2024 riders
Riders must be declared by 1 PM Wednesday, the 6th of November, 2024 with the official list of 2024 Champions Sprint jockeys to be published in our above Champions Sprint Field section.
champions sprint Scratchings 2024
2024 Champions Sprint scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Saturday, the 9th of November, 2024.
champions sprint Prize Money 2024
The 2024 Champions Sprint prize purse is worth $3,000,000 in total, distributed from places first through to eighth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,800,000 |
| 2nd | $540,000 |
| 3rd | $270,000 |
| 4th | $135,000 |
| 5th | $75,000 |
| 6th | $60,000 |
| 7th | $60,000 |
| 8th | $60,000 |
champions sprint Jockeys
Some of the most memorable VRC Sprint Classic / Champions Sprint jockeys of all time include Hugh Bowman, Damian Browne and Glen Boss. In the past decade, two jockeys have won the Darley Classic twice with Kerrin McEvoy and Ben Melham, while James McDonald enjoyed his third victory in 2021 on Nature Strip.
James McDonald aboard Sunshine In Paris in 2024 is the most recent Champions Sprint winning jockey.
champions sprint Race Number 2024
The 2024 Champions Sprint race number is scheduled as Flemington Race 6 at 3:50pm (AEDT) on Saturday, November 9, 2024. There are nine races in total that day at Flemington Racecourse.
champions sprint 2024 Form Guide
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2024 Champions Sprint Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2024 CHAMPIONS SPRINT CLASSIC FORM GUIDE
champions sprint Live 2024
You can watch or listen to the 2024 Champions Sprint live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Free to air television: Channel 9
Radio: Radio Sport National
Streaming: Racing.com
Mobile: Neds App
vrc sprint Classic / Champions Sprint Winners
Winners of the VRC Sprint Classic / Champions Sprint going back to 2004 are displayed in the table below. If you would like to view the full list of winners, going all the way back to 1960, please visit our Champions Sprint Winners page.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sunshine In Paris | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | James McDonald | 1:09.25 |
| 2023 | Imperatriz | Mark Walker | Opie Bosson | 1:09.08 |
| 2022 | Roch ‘N’ Horse | Michael Moroney | Jamie Mott | 1:09.19 |
| 2021 | Nature Strip | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 1:08.78 |
| 2020 | Bivouac | James Cummings | Glen Boss | 1:08.69 |
| 2019 | Nature Strip | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 1:09.23 |
| 2018 | Santa Ana Lane | Anthony Freedman | Mark Zahra | 1:08.66 |
| 2017 | Redzel | Peter & Paul Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 1:08.74 |
| 2016 | Malaguerra | Peter Gelagotis | Ben Melham | 1:10.25 |
| 2015 | Delectation | Chris Waller | James McDonald | 1:10.07 |
| 2014 | Terravista | Joseph Pride | Hugh Bowman | 1:08.79 |
| 2013 | Buffering | Robert Heathcote | Damian Browne | 1:10.36 |
| 2012 | Mental | Peter Snowden | Kerrin McEvoy | 1:09.04 |
| 2011 | Black Caviar | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | 1:08.32 |
| 2010 | Black Caviar | Peter Moody | Ben Melham | 1:07.96 |
| 2009 | All Silent | Grahame Begg | Nicholas Hall | 1:08.78 |
| 2008 | Swick | Bart Cummings | Michael Rodd | 1:11.05 |
| 2007 | Miss Andretti | Lee Freedman | Craig Newitt | 1:08.93 |
| 2006 | Magnus | Peter Moody | Luke Nolen | 1:08.90 |
| 2005 | Glamour Puss | Danny O’Brien | Steven King | 1:08.92 |
| 2004 | Fastnet Rock | Paul Perry | Glen Boss | 1:09.08 |