The Mackinnon Stakes is 2000 metre weight-for-age race
held as a lead-up to the Melbourne Cup. The race is held in October
or November each year at Flemington during the Spring Racing Carnival,
normally on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup.
Race Type: Group 1 WFA 3YO
& up
Distance: 2000m
Track: Flemington Racecourse,
Melbourne, Victoria
The first Mackinnon Stakes was run in 1869 and was won by a horse
named Glencoe. It was known as the Melbourne Stakes prior to 1936, and
has had Group 1 status since 1979. It carries prizemoney of $750,000
and is a WFA race for three-year-olds and up, although in 2003 Casual
Pass became the first three-year-old to win the Mackinnon Stakes for
50 years.
There are a number of great mares in the list of past winners, with
five mares winning in the past 20 years. These are Empire Rose (1988),
Horlicks (1989), Let’s Elope (1991), Champagne (1998) and La Bella
Dama (2001). Both Empire Rose and Let’s Elope were good enough
to go on to win the Melbourne Cup the following tuesday. Two legendary
mares have managed to win this race on three occasions – Tranquil
Star in 1942, 1944 & 1945 and Wakeful in 1901, 1902, 1903 and are
the only two horses to win three times, although there are many several
horses to win on two occasions, including Phar Lap in 1930 and 1931.
There are many other notable winners including Grand Armee (2004), Lonhro
(2002), Better Loosen Up (1990), Rubiton (1987), Dulcify (1979), Leilani
(1974), Rain Lover (1968), Tobin Bronze (1966), Comic Court (1949 &
1950), Flight (1946), Ajax (1938), Peter Pan (1932 & 1934) and Carbine
(1889).
