From the race’s inauguration back in 1869 right through until 2024 we have a complete list of past Mackinnon Stakes winners, the race previously known as the Emirates Stakes and as of 2022 the VRC Champions Stakes.

View every previous Mackinnon Stakes champion throughout history, plus extra details including the age, gender and weight carried to victory of the Mackinnon Stakes winners going back to the year 1963.

As of 2022 the Mackinnon Stakes winners are officially known as the VRC Champions Stakes winners.

Glencoe was the inaugural winner of the race, which was run as the Melbourne Stakes from 1869 – 1936.

There have been 14 multiple Mackinnon Stakes winners throughout history: Zaaki (2021 & 2022), Belmura Lad (1980 & 1981), Rising Fast (1954 & 1955), Comic Court (1949 & 1950), Tranquil Star (1942, 1944 & 1945), Beau Vite (1940 & 1941), Peter Pan (1932 & 1934), Phar Lap (1930 & 1931), Eurythmic (1920 & 1921), Cetigne (1917 & 1919), Wakeful (1901, 1902 & 1903), Battalion (1897 & 1898), Chester (1878 & 1880), and Dagworth (1873 & 1874).

Of those, two horses have won the event three times with champion mares Tranquil Star (1942, 1944 & 1945), and Wakeful (1901, 1902 & 1903).

Mackinnon Stakes / Melbourne Cup double winners (in the same year): Malua (1884), Carbine (1890), Phar Lap (1930), Peter Pan (1932, 1934), The Trump (1937), Comic Court (1950), Delta (1951), Dalray (1952), Rising Fast (1954), Rain Lover (1968), At Talaq (1986), Empire Rose (1988), Let’s Elope (1991), Rogan Josh (1999).

The 2021 Mackinnon Stakes winner Zaaki, who enjoyed a consolation victory after being scratched on race morning as favourite for that year’s Cox Plate, franked the form going on to win the following autumn’s $5 million The All-Star Mile (1600m) in 2022.

Zaaki returned in the 2022 Champions Stakes to successfully defend his title as an $8 shot in betting off a lead-up fourth in the Cox Plate.

The 2023 Champions Stakes winner was the Chris Waller-trained Atishu ($8.50) who improved on her lead-up second in the Empire Rose Stakes behind subsequent Champions Mile winner Pride Of Dubai, relishing the quick back-up and extra distance to power home late over a quality field to score an upset win.

The 2024 Champions Stakes winner was the Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina ($1.60F) who came off a historic eight-length Cox Plate victory to salute for the punters by 2.75 lengths as the odds-on favourite when defeating her stablemate and the defending champion Atishu with ease.

mackinnon STAKES / Champions Stakes WINNERS 1963 – the present

Year	Winner	Weight	Time	Colour	Sex	Age
2024 (VRC Champions Stakes)	Via Sistina	57kg	2:01.86	Bay	Mare	7
2023 (VRC Champions Stakes)	Atishu	57kg	2:02.01	Brown	Mare	6
2022 (VRC Champions Stakes)	Zaaki	59kg	2:02.00	Bay	Gelding	8
2021	Zaaki	59kg	2:02.94	Bay	Gelding	7
2020	Arcadia Queen	57kg	2:03.53	Bay	Mare	5
2019	Magic Wand	57kg	2:01.82	Bay	Mare	5
2018	Trap For Fools	59kg	2:02.31	Chestnut	Gelding	5
2017	Tosen Stardom	59kg	2:01.22	Bay	Horse	7
2016	Awesome Rock	59kg	2:02.49.	Bay	Horse	5
2015	Gailo Chop	59kg	2:03.56.	Chestnut	Gelding	5
2014	Happy Trails	59kg	2:02.28.	Chestnut	Gelding	7
2013	Side Glance	59kg	2:03.59.	Bay	Gelding	7
2012	Alcopop	59kg	2:01.26.	Bay	Gelding	8
2011	Glass Harmonium	59kg	2:02.72.	Grey	Horse	6
2010	So You Think	58kg	2:04.92.	Bay/Brown	Horse	4
2009	Scenic Shot	59kg	2:03.46.	Bay	Gelding	7
2008	Theseo	59kg	2:03.84.	Chestnut	Gelding	5
2007	Sirmione	58.5kg	2:02.32.	Bay	Gelding	4
2006	Desert War	58kg	2:02.38	Brown	Gelding	6
2005	Lad Of The Manor	58kg	2:01.72.	Bay	Gelding	6
2004	Grand Armee	58kg	2:00.91.	Brown	Gelding	6
2003	Casual Pass	50kg	2:05.86.	Chestnut	Gelding	3
2002	Lonhro	57.5kg	2:02.64.	Brown	Horse	4
2001	La Bella Dama	55kg	2:01.57.	Chestnut	Mare	4
2000	Oliver Twist	58kg	2:05.48	Chestnut	Gelding	6
1999	Rogan Josh	58kg	2.00:34	Bay	Gelding	7
1998	Champagne	54.5kg	2:02.33	Bay	Mare	4
1997	Ebony Grosve	57kg	2:02.67	Brown	Horse	4
1996	All Our Mob	58.5kg	2:00.80	Chestnut	Gelding	7
1995	Danewin	57kg	2:00.40	Bay	Horse	4
1994	Paris Lane	57kg	2:06.0	Bay	Gelding	4
1993	The Phantom	59kg	2:01.40	Bay	Gelding	8
1992	Veandercross	57kg	2:04.90	Bay	Gelding	4
1991	Let’s Elope	54.5kg	2:01.80	Chestnut	Mare	4
1990	Better Loosen Up	58.5kg	2:02.90	Bay	Gelding	5
1989	Horlicks	56kg	2:003.30	Grey	Mare	6
1988	Empire Rose	56.5kg	2:00.90	Chestnut	Mare	6
1987	Rubiton	57kg	2:02.80	Brown	Horse	4
1986	At Talaq	58.5kg	2:01.20	Bay	Horse	6
1985	Rising Prince	58.5kg	2:02.60	Chestnut	Gelding	5
1984	Bounty Hawk	57kg	2:02.10	Bay/Brown	Gelding	4
1983	Veloso	57kg	2:04.30	Bay	Horse	4
1982	My Axeman	59kg	2:05.30	Chestnut	Gelding	6
1981	Belmura Lad	59kg	2:02.0	Bay	Gelding	7
1979	Bit Of A Skite	51.5kg	–	Chestnut	Horse	5
1978	Family Of Man	59kg	–	Bay	Horse	5
1977	Galway Bay	54kg	–	Bay	Horse	5
1976	Maybe Mahal	51.5kg	–	Bay	Mare	4
1975	Kiwi Can	58kg	–	Bay	–	7
1974	Skyjack	50.5kg	–	Chestnut	Colt	3
1973	Taj Rossi	51kg	–	Bay	Colt	3
1972	All Shot	59kg	–	Bay	Gelding	4
1971	Gunsynd	9.3	–	Grey	Horse	4
1970	Levian	7.3	–	Bay	Horse	5
1969	Vain	8.1	–	Chestnut	Colt	3
1968	Cyron	8.1	–	Black/Brown	Horse	4
1967	Heroic Stone	7.13	–	Bay	Gelding	8
1966	Storm Queen	8	–	Bay	Filly	3
1965	Heroic Stone	8.2	–	Bay	Gelding	6
1964	Brandy Lad	8.3	–	Brown	Gelding	6
1963	Wenona Girl	9.3	–	Chestnut	Mare	6

COMPLETE LIST OF PAST emirates stakes / mackinnon STAKES WINNERS

Year	Winner
2024	Via Sistina
2023	Atishu
2022	Zaaki
2021	Zaaki
2020	Arcadia Queen
2019	Magic Wand
2018	Trap For Fools
2017	Tosen Stardom
2016	Awesome Rock
2015	Gailo Chop
2014	Happy Trails
2013	Side Glance
2012	Alcopop
2011	Glass Harmonium
2010	So You Think
2009	Scenic Shot
2008	Theseo
2007	Sirmione
2006	Desert War
2005	Lad of the Manor
2004	Grand Armee
2003	Casual Pass
2002	Lonhro
2001	La Bella Dama
2000	Oliver Twist
1999	Rogan Josh
1998	Champagne
1997	Ebony Grosve
1996	All Our Mob
1995	Danewin
1994	Paris Lane
1993	The Phantom
1992	Veandercross
1991	Let’s Elope
1990	Better Loosen Up
1989	Horlicks
1988	Empire Rose
1987	Rubiton
1986	At Talaq
1985	Rising Prince
1984	Bounty Hawk
1983	Veloso
1982	My Axeman
1981	Belmura Lad
1980	Belmura Lad
1979	Dulcify
1978	Family Of Man
1977	Silver Lad
1976	Gold and Black
1975	Kiwi Can
1974	Leilani
1973	Australasia
1972	Stormy Seas
1971	Skint Dip
1970	Voleur
1969	Roman Consul
1968	Rain Lover
1967	Winfreux
1966	Tobin Bronze
1965	Yangtze
1964	Sir Dane
1963	Summer Fair
1962	Aquanita
1961	Sky High
1960	Tulloch
1959	Trellios
1958	Monte Carlo
1957	Sailor’s Guide
1956	Sir William
1955	Rising Fast
1954	Rising Fast
1953	Hydrogen
1952	Dalray
1951	Delta
1950	Comic Court
1949	Comic Court
1948	Snowstream
1947	Don Pedro
1946	Flight
1945	Tranquil Star
1944	Tranquil Star
1943	Amana
1942	Tranquil Star
1941	Beau Vite
1940	Beau Vite
1939	Ortelle’s Star
1938	Ajax
1937	The Trump
1936	Gay Blonde
1935	Sylvandale
1934	Peter Pan
1933	Rogilla
1932	Peter Pan
1931	Phar Lap
1930	Phar Lap
1929	High Syce
1928	Gothic
1927	Silvius
1926	Manfred
1925	Pilliewinkie
1924	Gloaming
1923	Rivoli
1922	Harvest King
1921	Eurythmic
1920	Eurythmic
1919	Cetigne
1918	Magpie
1917	Cetigne
1916	Lavendo
1915	Traquette
1914	St. Carwyne
1913	Anna Carlovna
1912	Duke Foote
1911	Trafalgar
1910	Son Of The Marsh
1909	Alawa
1908	Peru
1907	Poseidon
1906	Solution
1905	Tartan
1904	Gladsome
1903	Wakeful
1902	Wakeful
1901	Wakeful
1900	Lancaster
1899	Mora
1898	Battalion
1897	Battalion
1896	Disfigured
1895	Hova
1894	Ruenalf
1893	Loyalty
1892	Autonomy
1891	Marvel
1890	Carbine
1889	Abercorn
1888	The Australian Peer
1887	Silver Mine
1886	Isonomy
1885	Trenton
1884	Malua
1883	Commotion
1882	Darebin
1881	Wheatear
1880	Chester
1879	First King
1878	Chester
1877	Robinson Crusoe
1876	Rapid Bay
1875	Kingsborough
1874	Dagworth
1873	Dagworth
1872	Contessa
1871	Warrior
1870	Tim Whiffler
1869	Glencoe