2026 All-Star Mile Contenders

The first running of the All-Star Mile was at Flemington in 2019, won by the star Tasmanian filly, Mystic Journey, backing up from Group 1 Australian Guineas (1600m) two weeks earlier.

2022 saw Zaaki claim Mile honours at Flemington, coming off the back of winning the 2021 TAB Champions Stakes (2000m) during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Mile champion Mr Brightside added the 2023 All-Star Mile to his impressive list of accolades after finishing fourth behind Zaaki the year prior. Run at Moonee Valley, Mr Brightside turned the tables on Alligator Blood who had beaten him in the lead up Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Sandown.

Bold, front-running mare, Pride Of Jenni, set a solid tempo at the 2024 edition of the race run at Caulfield. Not quite her usual leading gap but she had the field chasing with 3 furlongs to go and built an unassailable lead.

James Cummings capped his outstanding tenure as Godolphin’s head trainer in perfect fashion when Tom Kitten stormed home to win the 2025 All-Star Mile. The talented gelding turned the tables on Mr Brightside, who had narrowly beaten him in the Futurity Stakes at his previous start and went into the Mile sharing favouritism with Another Wil. After a tense photo-finish review, Tom Kitten was declared the winner by the narrowest of margins, securing his second Group 1 success of his career.

Who was rise to occasion and claim All-Star status as this year’s mile champion? We take a look at some of contenders.

The eight-year-old wonder mare Pride Of Jenni has been primed for a first-up assault on the All-Star Mile following a strong Cranbourne jump-out. She hasn’t raced since finishing down the track on a heavy Flemington surface in the Group 1 Lexus Champions Mile (1600m), but a start earlier she was back to her brilliant best, setting a fierce tempo in the Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) and demolishing her rivals in a dazzling display on Howden Victoria Derby Day. Her recent fresh form has been top class, she won the 2025 Group 2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield first-up and kicked off her spring campaign last year with victory in the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley. Those efforts suggest she’ll be ready to fire again and, true to form, will take plenty of catching. While her 2023 All-Star Mile success came at Caulfield, her affinity for the Flemington mile is just as strong.

The 2024 Crown Oaks (2500m) winner has already forged an outstanding career record, boasting four Group 1 victories including the ATC Oaks (2400m), Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) and, to launch her 2025 spring campaign, a commanding Memsie Stakes (1400m) victory over the likes of star miler, Mr Brightside, confirming her evolution into a genuine star over all distances. However, the remainder of her spring was a tale of near misses. Treasurethe Moment finished runner-up in both the Group 2 Feehan Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m), before placing third in the W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) and fourth in the Lexus Champions Mile (1600m). Resuming this preparation with Group 1 ambitions, she started a heavy favourite in the Futurity Stakes (1400m) but was outgunned in the run to the line by Godolphin stallion Pericles after setting the tempo, with Buckaroo also finishing over the top of her. A proven improver second-up, having missed the placings only once in seven attempts, she’s expected to tighten up fitness-wise for the All-Star Mile and reinforce her standing among the elite.

Last year’s All-Star Mile hero has changed hands since his triumph under former Godolphin trainer James Cummings. Now trained by the father-son partnership of Anthony and Sam Freedman, Tom Kitten will aim to become the first dual winner of the Mile while chasing a third Group 1 victory. His three-year-old season saw consistent results, collecting multiple black-type placings and two stakes victories, highlighted by his win in the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes (2000m) at Randwick. His 2024 spring campaign produced a string of high-class performances, including a runner-up finish in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and fourth in the Group 1 King Charles III Stakes (1600m), both behind 2025 Lexus Champions Mile winner, Ceolwulf, before a third-placed finish in the lucrative Golden Eagle (1500m). After going winless since last year’s All-Star Mile, the gelding returned to his best when resuming in the Group 3 Heffernan Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, where he justified favouritism by chasing down 2025 Australian Guineas winner Feroce in the shadows of the post. Back in form and with fitness on his side, he shapes as a genuine contender to create history with back-to-back Mile victories.

Sydney-based trainer Bjorn Baker will send star mare Stefi Magnetica south for a crack at the All-Star Mile. The stable also had last-start Futurity Stakes winner Pericles earmarked for the race, but he will instead be kept for a possible Sydney showdown with Autumn Glow. Stefi Magnetica already boasts wins in two of Australia’s time-honoured features, having claimed the 2024 Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) defeating star mare, Bella Nipotina, and the Group 1 Doncaster Handicap (1600m). Her mile record underlines her status among the country’s premier milers, with four runs at 1600 metres returning a fourth to Mr Brightside in the 2024 Group 1 VRC Champions Mile, victory in the 2025 Group 1 Doncaster Handicap, a second to Fangirl in the 2025 Group 1 Queen Of The Turf, and a third to Ceolwulf in the Group 1 Lexus Champions Mile. This campaign she resumed with a solid effort behind unbeaten mare Autumn Glow in the Group 2 Apollo Stakes at Randwick and with natural fitness improvement, she should be right in the finish at Flemington on Saturday.

Buckaroo joined the Chris Waller stable following two unplaced runs in Australia during the 2023 spring for Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien. His early days under Waller were steady rather than spectacular, highlighted by a third placing in the 2024 Group 1 Ranvet Stakes (2000m). It wasn’t until the following spring that he truly hit his stride, evolving into a genuine weight-for-age force with wins in the Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) and Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m). He then produced a strong second in the Caulfield Cup (2400m) and a gallant ninth, beaten just over three lengths, behind Knight’s Choice in the Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m). His 2025 autumn campaign again went winless, mirroring the previous year, but he saved his best for the spring. A trio of Group 1 placings – in the Underwood Stakes (1800m), Caulfield Stakes (2000m), and a narrow defeat to champion stablemate Via Sistina in the W.S. Cox Plate (2040m) – reaffirmed his class at the top level. After an uncharacteristic performance in the 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup, Buckaroo has bounced back this preparation, running Pericles to three-quarters of a length in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) first-up at Caulfield. With Chris Waller’s trademark patience and polish, he looks to be back to his best and primed to feature prominently once again.

Kiwi mare Leica Lucy has continued to measure up since joining the Chris Waller stable in March, but she is yet to break through for her first Australian win. She signed off her New Zealand career in style with victory in the 2025 Group 1 New Zealand Oaks (2400m) for former trainer New Plymouth-trainer Robbie Patterson, before crossing the Tasman to finish a close fourth in the Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) behind star filly Treasurethe Moment, beaten less than a length. The four-year-old has not been tried beyond a mile for Waller but has already shown her class at 1600 metres, placing in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap and finishing runner-up to tearaway miler Pride Of Jenni in the Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes. She resumed in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and caught the eye late, charging home from last to finish just over a length from Godolphin galloper Pericles. The extra 200 metres of the Flemington mile looks ideal, and she can be expected to be finishing powerfully again.