Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader has drawn barrier 11 for Saturday’s $3 million Champions Stakes at Flemington, with favourite Aeliana jumping from barrier four and Birdman from the inside.
The final field of 11 is listed for the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) on Champions Day, Saturday 7 November, with a 5:10pm AEDT start. The race is weight-for-age: the males carry 59kg and the mares Aeliana and Treasurethe Moment carry 57kg. Official fields are on Racing Australia, with the acceptors also set out by Just Horse Racing.
Andrea Leek’s Cosmic Crusader (William Pike) arrives off his Group 1 Cox Plate win at Flemington on 24 October. Chris Waller has two runners: Aeliana (James McDonald, barrier 4) and Birdman (Ben Melham, barrier 1), who filled the minor placings behind Cosmic Crusader in the Cox Plate, Racing.com noted in its Champions Day snapshot.
TAB markets quoted by Just Horse Racing have Aeliana the favourite at $2.60, Cosmic Crusader at $3.30, Birdman at $6.00 and Sir Delius at $7.50. Odds move.
Read more: Cosmic Crusader Wins Cox Plate for Andrea Leek and William Pike
Cox Plate form and the rest of the field
Sir Delius (Craig Williams) was sixth in the Cox Plate for Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. Ciaron Maher has Light Infantry Man (Mark Zahra, barrier 5) and Land Legend (Ethan Brown, barrier 8), who won the Might And Power Stakes before finishing last in the Cox Plate. Sabaj (Blake Shinn) can back up from his Cup Day win for Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr, Racing.com said, while Joseph O’Brien’s Omni Man (Dylan Browne McMonagle) was third in the Geelong Cup behind Melbourne Cup winner Point Of Law.
Treasurethe Moment (Daniel Stackhouse) drops back in trip for Matt Laurie, and Von Hauke (Damian Lane) and Attrition (Jamie Mott) complete the field.
Read more: Point Of Law Wins 2026 Melbourne Cup for Maher and Ethan Brown
Champions Stakes 2026 field and barriers
- Barrier 1: Birdman (IRE) – Chris Waller (trainer), Ben Melham, 59kg
- Barrier 2: Treasurethe Moment – Matt Laurie (trainer), Daniel Stackhouse, 57kg
- Barrier 3: Von Hauke (NZ) – Cliff Brown (trainer), Damian Lane, 59kg
- Barrier 4: Aeliana (NZ) – Chris Waller (trainer), James McDonald, 57kg
- Barrier 5: Light Infantry Man (FR) – Ciaron Maher (trainer), Mark Zahra, 59kg
- Barrier 6: Omni Man (IRE) – Joseph O’Brien (trainer), Dylan Browne McMonagle, 59kg
- Barrier 7: Sir Delius (GB) – Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott (trainer), Craig Williams, 59kg
- Barrier 8: Land Legend (FR) – Ciaron Maher (trainer), Ethan Brown, 59kg
- Barrier 9: Attrition – Mitchell Freedman (trainer), Jamie Mott, 59kg
- Barrier 10: Sabaj – Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr (trainer), Blake Shinn, 59kg
- Barrier 11: Cosmic Crusader (NZ) – Andrea Leek (trainer), William Pike, 59kg
Champions Day at Flemington also features the Group 1 Champions Sprint and Champions Mile. Check scratchings closer to jump on Saturday.
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More News
- Cosmic Crusader Wins Cox Plate for Andrea Leek and William Pike
- Aeliana Very Unlikely for Melbourne Cup, Says Chris Waller
- Point Of Law Wins 2026 Melbourne Cup for Maher and Ethan Brown
- Chris Judd Chases Melbourne Cup After Birdman’s Cox Plate Near Miss
- VRC Oaks 2026 Field: Proxima Dea Draws Barrier 19
