The Great Game Wrap: Point Barrow stuns at $18 on Champions Day

Champions Day brought the curtain down on another spectacular Flemington Spring Carnival, with three Group 1 showdowns delivering a shock sprint result, another masterclass from Australia's superstar mare and a Cox Plate reversal.

Meanwhile, at Rosehill, one of Sydney's most consistent mares continued her winning ways, while Lindsay Park raided the Harbour City for a massive payday.

Here's what caught our eye.

Flemington

Point Barrow stuns the sprinting stars

What a performance from Point Barrow!

The Anthony and Sam Freedman mare produced one of the upsets of the spring, storming home at $18 to claim the $3 million Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m).

Mark Zahra made a brilliant mid-race decision to switch back towards the inside, finding clear running before unleashing Point Barrow's devastating turn of foot to defeat $101 outsider Plaintiff by a neck, with Skybird close behind in third.

Everest heroine Tempted, sent out the $1.70 favourite, could only manage fifth, ending her six-race winning streak. Trainer Ciaron Maher suggested her extraordinary Everest victory may have taken its toll.

For Point Barrow, it was a deserved first Group 1 success and her eighth victory from just 13 starts.

Autumn Glow adds another chapter to her legend

Autumn Glow continued her extraordinary career with another commanding victory in the $3 million Group 1 Champions Mile (1600m).

James McDonald positioned the Chris Waller superstar just behind stablemate Lindermann before pressing the button in the straight and cruising clear.

Lindermann fought on for second, with fellow Waller runner Buckaroo completing the stable trifecta.

The victory took Autumn Glow's incredible record to 15 wins from 16 starts, including six Group 1 triumphs, with career earnings now exceeding $14.6 million.

Owner John Messara had long dreamed of seeing his champion mare win at Flemington, and she delivered in spectacular fashion.

Birdman turns the tables on the Cox Plate champion

Revenge is sweet!

Birdman reversed the Cox Plate result with a brilliant victory in the $3 million Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m), defeating Cosmic Crusader just a fortnight after finishing runner-up to him at Flemington.

Ben Melham produced a perfectly timed ride, bringing the Chris Waller galloper down the outside to overhaul the Cox Plate hero.

It was a richly deserved victory after Birdman's outstanding spring campaign, taking his career earnings beyond $5 million.

Rosehill Gardens

Lazzura digs deep to keep winning

Lazzura showed she's got plenty of fight to go with her class, grinding out a determined victory in the Group 2 Hot Danish Stakes (1400m).

Sent out the $1.35 favourite, the Chris Waller mare was forced into a serious battle with Queensland challenger Gerringong, the pair going stride-for-stride down the Rosehill straight.

But under Tommy Berry, Lazzura found enough late to prevail by just over a quarter of a length, with stablemate Surf's Up finishing third.

It was her third victory from four starts this spring, adding to her wins in the Golden Pendant and The Invitation.

Connections indicated the classy mare has earned a well-deserved break before returning for the autumn carnival.

Evaporate pulls off a $2 million Sydney heist

The Lindsay Park team crossed the border and cleaned up at Rosehill, with Evaporate producing a gutsy victory in the $2 million Group 3 Five Diamonds (1800m).

Starting at $11, the Ben, Will and JD Hayes galloper overcame an awkward beginning and his own racing quirks to prevail under Nash Rawiller, holding off a brave Zambardo, with stablemate Plymouth finishing third.

It capped a massive afternoon for Lindsay Park, which also claimed the Golden Gift with Act Up, sending a remarkable $1.93 million in prizemoney back to Victoria.

The victory was Evaporate's eighth career win and took his earnings to $4.5 million, with a possible trip west for the Perth summer carnival now on the radar.