Champions Stakes Day brings the 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival to a close at Flemington on Saturday, with three Group 1 contests providing a fitting finale to a memorable week of racing. The $3 million TAB Champions Stakes is the headline event, featuring Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader against Birdman, Aeliana and Sir Delius over 2000 metres.
The VRC Champions Sprint adds another highlight, with Everest winner Tempted tackling the Flemington straight, while Autumn Glow is expected to draw plenty of attention in the Champions Mile. Across the nine-race card, there are also opportunities to find value away from the short-priced favourites.
Flemington is currently rated Good 4, with the rail out 9 metres for the entire circuit. Below are our race-by-race assessments and betting selections, including our best bets and each-way plays. Check final scratchings, track conditions and prices before placing a bet.
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Flemington Racing Tips: Saturday, November 7th, 2026
Saturday 7 November 2026 | Flemington, Melbourne
Track: Good 4 (at time of writing) | Rail: +9m entire circuit
Flemington Best Bets & Selections
| Race |
Best Bet |
Odds |
| Race 1 |
No Bet |
— |
| Race 2 |
(2) Fiorenot WIN |
$3.20 (2.5 Units) |
| Race 3 |
(4) Pinhole WIN |
$3.00 (2.5 Units) |
| Race 4 |
(6) Inkaruna WIN |
$6.50 (1 Unit) |
| Race 5 |
(8) Vivy Air WIN |
$4.00 (2 Units) |
| Race 6 |
(6) Tempted WIN |
$1.90 (3 Units) |
| Race 7 |
No Bet |
— |
| Race 8 |
(5) Birdman WIN |
$6.00 (1 Unit) |
| Race 9 |
(8) Electric Elvis E/W |
$10/$3.40 (1U/2U) |
Race 1 – Inglis Banner – 1000m (12:40pm AEDT)
(4) Soldi is only one of two horses that have raced with 11 of the 13 runners making their racetrack debut in the rich $400,000 feature event for two-year-olds. She was a winner at Caulfield, but it is hard to line up the trial horses against her. With very little confidence, prefer to just sit back and watch the opening event.
No Bet
Race 2 – Ronald McDonald House VIC/TAS Mile – 1600m (1:15pm AEDT)
(2) Fiorenot was my top selection in the Sigma Trophy on Oaks Day but the stable scratched so that he could contest this event instead. This actually looks more suitable so he goes on top once again. A winner first-up from a spell, he then finished second to Buccleuch over 1440m. Stepping up to the mile looks good and he should prove hard to beat.
(13) Superfabulistic carries the lightest weight of 54kg in the race and she looks ready to win after a second and third placing this prep. While this is a class rise, dropping back from 60.5kg down to 54kg will feel like a huge weight relief. An inside gate looks good as she can settle right on the pace here.
(2) Fiorenot WIN
$3.20 (2.5 Units)
Race 3 – Queen Elizabeth Stakes – 2600m (1:50pm AEDT)
(4) Pinhole started his campaign with back-to-back wins, including the Herbert Power Stakes at Caulfield. He then headed to Flemington for the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and you could put the pen through the run as he was held up on the inside rail for an eternity. To still finish seventh, beaten just 3.4 lengths was excellent. If he gets any luck this time around, he should be fighting out the finish.
(1) Defiantly failed to make it to the Melbourne Cup, but Joseph O’Brien’s import gets his chance to make amends with victory here. He is a horse that has won over 4148m, so the 2600m will be interesting. On class alone, he should be a huge threat in the race.
(4) Pinhole WIN
$3.00 (2.5 Units)
Race 4 – FISHER Stakes – 1200m (2:30pm AEDT)
(6) Inkaruna has been consistent all preparation without winning, running a pair of third and fourth placings from her four runs. The last three runs have been defeats less than two lengths and there’s no reason why she won’t run well again. She carries 54kg here which looks quite good and the price definitely appeals.
(17) Hankee Alpha smashed them by six lengths on a wet track before finishing 10th in the GH Mumm Rising Fast Stakes when dragged back behind a wall of horses and smashing through the line once clear when it was too late. The quick back-up won’t hurt her considering she didn’t have any luck last week. Looks the one to beat.
Also backing: (6) Inkaruna WIN - $6.50 at Next2Go
(17) Hankee Alpha WIN
$3.00 (2 Units)
Race 5 – TAB ONE POOL Matriarch Stakes – 2000m (3:10pm AEDT)
(8) Vivy Air is rock-hard fit for the powerful Ciaron Maher stable. Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Ethan Brown picks up the ride and he would love to finish off the carnival with another big win. The mare was fifth in the Craven Plate won by Lindermann which is stronger form than this. A common theme with a number of tips today is that they were held up badly in their previous race and this applies once again to Vivy Air. She should have finished much closer.
(5) Too Darn Discreet finished eighth last time out with Stewards noting a throat issue. Despite that, the effort was pretty good and looks stronger than most of the form in this race. She has run well all preparation and this looks a more suitable event to try and break back into the winner’s circle.
(8) Vivy Air WIN
$4.00 (2 Units)
Race 6 – VRC Champions Sprint – 1200m (3:50pm AEDT)
(6) Tempted did what no recent horse has been able to do and that is beat champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising. Her victory in The Everest was incredible and she is building a tremendous resume with 10 wins from 15 starts. Her next challenge is the Flemington straight – as long as she doesn’t get lost, she should be too quick for rivals.
(7) Joliestar won the TJ Smith Stakes in the autumn and then headed to Royal Ascot where she finished third. Since resuming, she has finished second in The Shorts and third in The Everest. The $11.4 million earner is certainly good enough to upset the favourite if the race is run to suit.
(6) Tempted WIN
$1.90 (3 Units)
Race 7 – VRC Champions Mile – 1600m (4:30pm AEDT)
(8) Autumn Glow is a winning machine and she should get the job done once again, adding another $1.8 million in earnings beside her name. She has only been beaten once in her career, winning 14 races, and there’s nothing in this field that will scare her or James McDonald. Sit back and enjoy!
No Bet
Race 8 – TAB Champions Stakes – 2000m (5:10pm AEDT)
(5) Birdman was runner up in the Cox Plate won by Cosmic Crusader. He won three runs back defeating the Cox Plate winner in the Underwood Stakes and it should be a great battle once again. He should settle midfield from the inside barrier and there’s not much between the leading trio in the market. With the price difference being offered, happy to be with Birdman at around $6 or better.
(1) Cosmic Crusader and Willie Pike deserved a big race win and it was nice seeing them salute in the Cox Plate. He is very deep into his campaign now, although he seems to thrive on racing. He has been beaten both times in recent starts when drawing wider than barrier eight – he has barrier 11 of 11 here.
(5) Birdman WIN
$6.00 (1 Unit)
Race 9 – HKJC World Pool Grand Handicap – 1100m (5:50pm AEDT)
(8) Electric Elvis has had a lengthy campaign with eight runs dating back to June when having his first race for trainer Reece Goodwin. He has won three times this prep and been runner up on four occasions. His latest win came in a Benchmark 70 Handicap on a Heavy track. Dry ground is probably a concern, but happy to back him each-way at double figures.
(6) Educated is the favourite for Ciaron Maher and she narrowly defeated Electric Elvis last time out at Seymour. The price differential is big here, which is another reason for leaning the other way, but a lot of respect for this mare. Maher is having a great carnival and this horse could make it back-to-back victories.
(8) Electric Elvis E/W
$10/$3.40 (1U/2U)
