Gr.1 Vic Champion Stakes
| Victoria-AUS (VIC)Saturday, November 7, 2026 — 4:00:00 PM EST | Race ID : 3675269 | |
| Vic Champion Stakes | |
| Grade I / Group 1*CPU – Purse : $1,000,000 | |
| Restricted to 3 Year Olds and Older | |
| 10 Furlongs | ~2000 Meters | One Mile and One Quarter | |
1. Never That Big
Owner/Trainer: uscsteve
4 year old stakes winning colt by No Nay Never out of a Deep Impact x Forty Niner mare has 5 wins, 3 seconds, and 3 thirds in 21 career starts with lifetime earnings of $331,116. His most notable career performance came in the 10f Gr.2 The Bayside Triumph where he trailed the field early and rallied from 13 lengths off the pace to finish 2nd beaten 1 1/2 lengths in a field of 7 earning him a 111 speed rating to give him a graded stakes placing in consecutive races. Consistent colt has been in the money in 11 of 21(52%) including a stakes victory . Pace dependent closer has shown the ability to be effective against graded with the right set up but he will need to run a career best to make noise here. He is 11/1 on the morning line.
2. Stamford Raffles
Owner/Trainer: cork5
6 year old gelding by Oasis Dream out of an Exceed And Excel x Montjeu mare has 5 wins, 8 seconds, and 6 thirds in 37 career starts with lifetime earnings of $232,841. His best career performance came in a 9.5f starter allowance where he set the early pace and cruised home to a convincing 5 3/4 length victory over a field of 6 earning him a 110 speed rating for the effort. Veteran gelding has hit the board in 19 of 37(51%) of his starts but he has yet to hit the board in 5 starts against stakes/graded stakes competition. Front runner will certainly add to the early pace dynamic but he looks outclassed here. He is 16/1 on the morning line.
3. A Better Behind
Owner/Trainer: cjt10
3 year old bay colt by Constitution out of a Summer Front x Heart’s Cry mare has 2 wins, 2 seconds, and 2 thirds in 8 career starts with lifetime earnings of $110,465. His best career performance came two starts back in an 11f 2L conditioned allowance race where he set the early pace and drew off comfortably to win by 3 lengths over a compact field of 4 earning him a career best 99 speed rating. Consistent colt has hit the board in 6 of 8(75%) including 5 of 6(83%) in route races. Lightly raced 3 year old was well beaten in his stakes/graded stakes debut in the Gr.1 The Europe Classic last time out and he looks to once again be overmatched at this point in his career here. He is a longshot at 88/1.
4. Bring Maurice
Owner/Trainer: turningjapanese0
4 year old Grade Two winning colt by Maurice out of a Sebring x Smart Strike mare has 5 wins, 4 seconds, and 1 thirds in 17 career starts with lifetime earnings of $1,547,100. His best career performance came in the 10f Gr2 Kinsho Kho Classic where he sat near the back of the pack early ,loomed into contention around the far turn, and exploded down the stretch to win by 4 lengths over a field of 8 earning him a 112 speed rating for the victory. Accomplished colt has hit the board in 10 of 17(59%) of his races including 4 graded stakes victories. Classy runner has placed in two Grade Ones this season and if he can run back to those races he should be a player here. He is 8/1 on the morning line.
5. River No Stars
Owner/Trainer: pun
6 year old Grade Three winning gelding by Kinshasa No Kiseki out of a Sea The Stars x Sadler’s Wells mare has 10 wins, 6 seconds, and 6 thirds in 35 career starts with lifetime earnings of $776,000. His best career performance came as a 4 year old in the 2024 10f Gr.3 The Harry Potter where he sat in mid pack early and rallied down the stretch to win by 2 3/4 lengths over a field over 12 earning him a 112 speed rating for his second career graded stakes victory. Gritty gelding has hit the board in 22 of 35(63%) of his races including 6 stakes victories. Veteran turf router is still in solid career form and should be in the mix if he runs his best race. He is 8/1 on the morning line.
6. Keep Disc
Owner/Trainer: cancun6
5 year old Grade One winning gelding by Keep Up out of a Danehill Dancer x Broad Brush mare has 5 wins, 5 seconds, and 2 thirds in 24 career starts with lifetime earnings of $1,689,336. His best career performance came as a 3 tear old in the 2024 12f Gr.1 German Derby where he stalked the early pace in 4th, loomed into contention around the far turn, and pulled away down the stretch to win comfortably by 3 3/4 lengths over a field of 10 earning him a 108 speed rating for his lone Grade One victory. Consistent gelding has hit the board in 12 of 24(50%) including 2 of 2(100% ITM) in Grade One races over this surface. Former claimer has blossomed into a productive Grade One and he will be a contender here if he can bounce back off of an uncharacteristic dull effort last time out. He is 7/1 on the morning line.
7. K’s Krusher
Owner/Trainer: stax
5 year old Grade Two winning gelding by Midnight Storm out of a Dubawi x Kitten’s Joy mare has 14 wins, 7 seconds, and 2 thirds in 37 career starts with lifetime earnings of $1,307,055. His best career performance came last season in the 10.5 Gr.2 Cities Cup where he sat in mid pack early, challenged for the lead at the top of the stretch and pulled away down the lane to win by 1 length over a field of 13 earning him a 114 speed rating to give him his first graded stakes victory. Consistent gelding has hit the board in 23 of 37(62%) of his races including 4 stakes wins. Former claimer is with his third set of connections and he has been most successful with this owner/trainer. He could make noise if he is able to run his race. He is the 5/1 morning line co-favorite
8. Spuds Match
Owner/Trainer: blueboys
4 year old colt by Almanzor out of a Redoute’s Choice x Montjeu mare has 5 wins,6 second, and 4 thirds in 21 career starts with lifetime earnings of $238,983. His best career performance came three starts back in a 8.5f allowance race where he closed from mid-pack and drew off comfortably to win by 4 3/4 lengths over a field of 8 earning him a career best 115 speed rating for the race. Consistent colt has hit the board in 15 of 21(71%) of his races including 12 of 18(67%) in routes. Solid allowance performer is has not hit the board in two tries against stakes competition and that is not a positive trend as he jumps up to Grade One company in his first graded stakes start . He is 11/1 on the morning line.
9. Patiquin
Owner/Trainer: haack01
5 year old stakes winning horse by Invincible Spirit out of a Sadler’s Wells x Mr. Prospector mare has 8 wins, 3 seconds, and 7 thirds in 26 career starts with lifetime earnings of $367,109. His best career performance came last time out in a 10f stakes race where he sat near the back of the pack early and rallied from over 7 lengths off the pace to win by 1 length over a field of 8 earning him a 112 speed figures for his first career stakes victory. Consistent runner has hit the board in 18 of 26 (69%) including 18 of 24(75%) in route races. Veteran runner comes off a career best and his connections hope he can improve on his 9th place finish in last year’s edition of this race He is 6/1 on the morning line.
10. No Coffee Barbara
Owner/Trainer: muscles3
5 year old Grade Three winning gelding by Cracksman out of a Kingmambo x Montjeu mare has 4 wins and 4 seconds in 17 career starts with lifetime earnings of $233,913. His best career performance came last time out in the 10f Gr.3 The I Can’t Rhyme Stakes where he rallied furiously from nearly 15 lenhths off the pace to win by a head over a full field of 14 while earning a career best 113 speed rating in his graded stakes debut. Veteran has taken a big step forward having placed in 3 of 5(60%), all in stakes races this season. Gelding is in the best form of his career and he has shown an explosive turn of foot that should make him dangerous late with a clean trip. He is 9/1 on the morning line.
11. Schwartz D’Haus
Owner/Trainer: amoled
5 year old Grade One winning horse by Blackbeard out of a Monsun x Theatrical mare has 6 wins, 6 seconds, and 3 thirds in 26 career starts with lifetime earnings of $1,734,222. His best career performance came last time out in the 10f Gr.1 Mighty Stakes where he tracked the pace from mid-pack and drew off comfortably to win by 3 1/2 lengths in a field of 9 while earning 112 speed rating for his first career Grade One victory.Classy runner has hit the board in 15 of 26(58%) including two Graded Stakes victories. Accompliahed 5 year old is in the best form of his career and he is one of the top contendera here. He is 6/1 on the morning line.
12. No Worse For Wear
Owner/Trainer: punter75
5 year old Grade One winning horse by Wootton Bassett out of a Deep Impact x Frankel mare has 9 wins, 5 seconds, and 4 thirds in 25 career starts with lifetime earnings of $4,778,165. His best career performance came in the 10f Gr.1 Mr Met Cap where he sat just off the pace early, took command around the far turn, and cruised home to a 1 length score over a full field of 14 earning him a 117 speed rating in his season debut. 2025 End Of The Year winner has hit the board in 18 of 29(72%) of his starts including three Grade One victories. The #5 rated runner in the division enters this race off of an easy Grade Two victory while posting a career best speed rating and he is the one to beat from the far outside post. He is the 5/1 co-favorite on the morning line.