Emirates Stakes
The Emirates Stakes is a Group 1 weight-for-age race held each November at Flemington racecourse during the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival in Melbourne. The race is run over a distance of 2000 metres and worth $2,000,000 in prize money. The 2019 Emirates Stakes was won by Magic Wand from Melody Belle with Hartnell third.
In 2016, the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and Racing Victoria announced changes to the first and last day of the four-day Flemington carnival. The Mackinnon Stakes (formerly held on first day) would be renamed the Emirates Stakes (formerly held on final day) and moved to the final day (Stakes Day), while the former Emirates Stakes would become the Cantala Stakes and moved to the first day (Derby Day).
Emirates Stakes day is held on the final Saturday of the four-day Flemington carnival, and along with the Group 1 VRC Sprint Classic, ends group one racing for the Melbourne spring racing carnival. The Emirates Stakes changes are likely to attract better quality local and international gallopers, being two weeks after the Group 1 WS Cox Plate at Moonee Valley. With combined prize money of more than $5 million up for grabs, it becomes an attractive proposition for owners and trainers.
The Emirates Stakes meeting is held four days after Melbourne Cup day, two days after VRC Oaks day and seven days after AAMI Victoria Derby day. it signals the end of the week-long spring racing carnival at Flemington and is known as 'family day', because there is plenty of racing and entertainment on offer for both parents and children alike.
Notable feature races on the day include the Group 2 Matriarch Stakes and Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes. It makes for a great days racing to end the Flemington spring racing carnival.
Emirates Stakes info
| Date: | Saturday 6th November 2021 |
| Track: | Flemington racecourse, Melbourne |
| Distance: | 2000 metres |
| Race Type: | Weight-for-age |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prize Money: | $2,000,000 |
| 2019 Winner: | Magic Wand |
| 2018 Crowd: | 67,567 |
 Emirates Stakes odds |
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The Emirates Stakes was first run in 1869 and is one of the premier weight-for-age races of the Flemington spring racing carnival. The move to the final day of the carnival makes it a great option for Cox Plate participants, being two weeks apart. It will also suit any visiting international gallopers bypassing the Melbourne Cup, who will find it appealing as well, creating plenty of interest on the final day.
This race, when it was the Mackinnon Stakes on the first day, was widely recognised as an important final lead up race for any horse contesting the Melbourne Cup on the following Tuesday. In recent times, it has provided four Melbourne Cup winners and two Japan Cup winners, with Rogan Josh (1999) being the last galloper to score the Mackinnon Stakes & Melbourne Cup double in the same year.
Now that it is being held after the Melbourne Cup, races like the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington and the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes at Caulfield, along with the Cox Plate, will provide the ideal lead up to the Emirates Stakes.
Trap For Fools (2018) finished runner-up in the Gr2 Moonee Valley Cup over 2500m at Moonee Valley before proving too strong in this event for Warrnambool trainer Jarrod McLean.
Recent Emirates Stakes winners include Tosen Stardom (2017) and Awesome Rock (2016).
Spring Carnival Guide
When it was the Mackinnon Stakes, it was a more than reasonable guide to the Melbourne Cup over the years, although that has changed in recent times, largely due to the Melbourne Cup attracting more international gallopers to make it a truly global event. The Taj Mahal (4th in 2017) captured the Gr2 Sandown Classic at his next start following a fourth placing in this 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 and Melbourne Cup.
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 this race and champion galloper Better Loosen Up did the same thing in 1990.
2019 Emirates Stakes result
1. $4.80 Magic Wand 57.0 Ryan Moore
2. $3.80 Melody Belle 57.0 Opie Bosson
3. $10.00 Hartnell 59.0 Hugh Bowman
then followed
4. $41.00 Life Less Ordinary 59.0 Nash Rawiller
5. $16.00 Fifty Stars 59.0 Jye McNeil
6. $7.00 Kings Will Dream 59.0 James McDonald
7. $61.00 Suzuka Devious 59.0 Michael Dee
8. $18.00 Kluger 59.0 Kerrin McEvoy
9. $12.00 Humidor 59.0 Damian Lane
10. $20.00 Aristia 56.5 Craig Williams
11. $51.00 Gailo Chop 59.0 John Allen
12. $31.00 Harlem 59.0 Jamie Kah
13. $31.00 Night's Watch 59.0 Damien Oliver
14. $51.00 So Si Bon 59.0 Luke Nolen
15. $41.00 Debt Agent 59.0 Michael Rodd
16. $21.00 Cape Of Good Hope 57.5 Mark Zahra
Margins: 1 len, 0.1 len
Time: 2:01.82
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Emirates Stakes winners & placegetters
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
| 2019 | Magic Wand | Melody Belle | Hartnell | 2:01.8 |
| 2018 | Trap For Fools | Latrobe | Extra Brut | 2:02.3 |
| 2017 | Tosen Stardom | Happy Clapper | It's Somewhat | 2:01.2 |
| 2016 | Awesome Rock | =2 Hauraki | =2 Seaburge | 2:02.4 |
| 2015 | Gailo Chop | Rising Romance | Contributer | 2:03.5 |
| 2014 | Happy Trails | He's Your Man | Farraaj | 2:02.2 |
| 2013 | Side Glance | Dear Demi | Moriarty | 2:03.5 |
| 2012 | Alcopop | Glass Harmonium | Ocean Park | 2:01.2 |
| 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 | Bit of a Skite | Consenting | Waitangirua | 1:35.8 |
| 1979 | Dulcify | Shivaree | Minuetto | 2:00.9 |
| 1978 | Family of Man | Cool Minstrel | Arbre Chene | 1:36.3 |
| 1978 | Family of Man | La Mer | Kankama | 2:04.0 |
| 1977 | Galway Bay | Raffindale | Romantic Dream | 1:36.1 |
| 1977 | Sir Silver Lad | Gold and Black | Salamander | 2:02.4 |
| 1976 | Maybe Mahal | Bonfield | Visit | 1:36.0 |
| 1976 | Gold and Black | Better Draw | How Now | 2:05.2 |
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