<p>The Victoria Racing Club trademarks the Melbourne Cup as “The Race That Stops A Nation”, but since Irish interloper Vintage Crop won Australia’s most famous race in 1993, the Melbourne Cup – first run in 1861 – has become the race that captivates the world.</p> <p>The $10 million Lexus Melbourne Cup is the richest handicap race in the world and the richest race run over 3200 metres or further.</p> <p><strong>&nbsp;</strong></p> <h2>Melbourne Cup 2025 Preview and Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Track: </strong>Flemington.</p> <p><strong>Distance/type: </strong>3200m. Handicap.</p> <p><strong>Date:</strong> Tuesday, 4 November.</p> <p><strong>Total prize money:</strong> $10,000,000.</p> <p><strong>First prize: </strong>$4,500,000.</p> <p><strong>Race and Time: </strong>Race 7 (3.00 pm).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Weather and Track</h2> <p>The Flemington track was rated Good 4 on Sunday. However, the weather bureau is predicting between 10ml and 35ml of rain on Monday, and up to 10ml on race day, Tuesday. The expectation is the track will be rain-affected in the slow/heavy range, but Flemington dries out quickly.</p> <p>The rail is true. Same position as Saturday when the pattern was fair.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Cup field, trainers, jockeys and barriers<br /> &nbsp;</h2> <p>1– ALL RIFFA (FR) (trainer Joseph O’Brien) Mark Zahra (barrier 19) 59kgs</p> <p>2 – BUCKAROO (GB) (Chris Waller) Craig Williams (12) 57kgs</p> <p>3 – ARAPAHO (FR) (Bjorn Baker) Rachel King (15) 56.5kgs</p> <p>4 – VAUBAN (FR) (Gai Waterhouse/Adrian Bott) Blake Shinn (2) 56.5kgs</p> <p>5 – CHEVALIER ROSE (JPN) (Hisashi Shimizu) Damian Lane (5) 55.5kgs</p> <p>6 – PRESAGE NOCTURN (IRE) (Alessandro Botti) Stephane Pasquier (9) 55.5kgs</p> <p>7 – MIDDLE EARTH (GB) (Ciaron Maher) Ethan Brown (13) 54.5kg</p> <p>8 – MEYDAAN (IRE) (Simon &amp; Ed Crisford) James McDonald (22) 54kgs</p> <p>9 – ABSURDE (FR) (Willie Mullins) Kerrin McEvoy (4) 53.5kgs</p> <p>10 – FLATTEN THE CURVE (FR) (Henk Grewe) Thore Hammer-Hansen (17) 53.5kgs</p> <p>11 – LAND LEGEND (FR) (Chris Waller) Joao Moreira (16) 53.5kgs</p> <p>12 – SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) (Ciaron Maher) Ben Melham(11) 53.5kgs</p> <p>13 – CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) (Kris Lees) Tim Clark (24) 53kgs</p> <p>14 – HALF YOURS (Tony &amp; Calvin McEvoy) Jamie Melham (8) 53kgs</p> <p>15 – MORE FELONS (IRE) (Chris Waller) Tommy Berry (23) 53kgs</p> <p>16 - ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) (Brian Ellison) Harry Coffey (6) 53kgs</p> <p>17 – FURTHER (IRE) (Andrew Balding) Michael Dee (7) 52kgs</p> <p>18 – PARCHMENT PARTY (USA) (Bill Mott) John Velazquez (3) 52kgs</p> <p>19 – ATHABASCAN (FR) (John O’Shea/Tom Charlton) Declan Bates (1) 51.5kgs</p> <p>20 – GOODIE TWO SHOES (IRE) (Joseph O’Brien) Wayne Lordan (20) 51.5kgs</p> <p>21 – RIVER OF STARS (IRE) (Chris Waller) Beau Mertens (14) 51.5kgs</p> <p>22 – ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) (Ciaron Maher) Robbie Dolan (21) 51kgs</p> <p>23 - TORRANZINO (NZ) (Paul Preusker) Celine Gaudray (18) 51kgs</p> <p>24 - VALIANT KING (GB) (Chris Waller) Jye McNeil (10) 51kgs</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>The Trainers</h2> <h3>Of course, no trainer has come close to the legendary Bart Cummings’s 12 Melbourne Cups.&nbsp;</h3> <p>Four trainers with a runner this year have previously won Melbourne Cup. The best strike rate is Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien (Al Riffa and Goodie Two Shoes), who has won the Cup twice – Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment (2020). He knows what it takes to travel to Melbourne and win.</p> <p>Chris Waller and Ciaron Maher have been the dominant trainers in the past decades, especially with stayers. They each have a win. Maher won with Gold Trip in 2023 (when in partnership with David Eustace) and Waller’s came in 2021 with Verry Elleegant.&nbsp;</p> <p>Maher is represented by Middle Earth, Smokin’ Romans and Royal Supremacy. Waller has five likely starters, headed by Buckaroo, as well as Land Legend, More Felons, River Of Stars and Valiant King.</p> <p>Gai Waterhouse’s only Cup win was with Fiorente in 2013. Her runner (in partnership with Adrian Bott) this year is Vauban.&nbsp;</p> <p>Bill Mott (Parchment Party) is the first American trainer with a Cup runner. Irishman Willie Mullins is back with Absurde for a third attempt after a fifth last year. Mullins has a second and a third with Max Dynamite.&nbsp;</p> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>The Jockeys</h3> <p>Kerrin McEvoy is attempting history in becoming only the third jockey to win four Melbourne Cups, joining greats Bobby Lewis and Harry White. McEvoy has won on Brew (2000), Almandin (2016) and Cross Counter (2018). He will ride Absurde for Irish trainer Willie Mullins.&nbsp;</p> <p>Another multiple Melbourne Cup-winning jockey is Mark Zahra, who won on Gold Trip (2022) and Without A Fight (2023). Zahra, who rode four winners on Derby Day, has been snapped up to ride the highly rated top weight Al Riffa, from Ireland.</p> <p>Craig Williams produced a peach of a ride to win in Vow And Declare in 2019. He will ride Buckaroo. English trainers Simon and Ed Crisford were quick to book champion jockey James McDonald when they heard he was available. McDonald famously won on Verry Elleegant in 2021.&nbsp;</p> <p>Blake Shinn was only a kid when he won on Viewed in 2008. He will ride Vauban. Jye McNeil led throughout on Twilight Payment in 2021 and he’s got a big chance of a second after being booked for Waller’s Valiant King.&nbsp;</p> <p>Last year’s winning rider (on Knights Choice), the singing jockey Robbie Dolan, will ride Royal Supremacy on whom he recently won The Metropolitan at Randwick.&nbsp;</p> <p>Jamie Melham (Half Yours) Rachel King (Arapaho) and Celine Gaudray (Torranzino) will join Michelle Payne as the only females to win the Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>The international riders this year are: Frenchman Stephane Pasquier (Presage Nocturne) Brazilian ace Joao Moreira (Land Legend);&nbsp; Germany’s leading jockey Thore Hammer-Hansen (Flatten The Curve); American champion John Velazquez (Parchment Party) and Ireland’s Wayne Lordan (Goodie Two Shoes).&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The weights</h3> <p>Apart from last year’s shock result with lightly weighted Knights Choice (51.5kg) created history for Queensland, class has prevailed in recent years, with the previous three Melbourne Cups won by horses at the top end of the weights. In 2023, Melbourne Cup winner, Without A Fight, carried 56kg. Gold Trip carried 57.5kg in 2022, Verry Elleegant lumped 57kg (the equivalent of 59kg for a male) to win in 2021, and the Irish-trained Twilight Payment (55.5kg) won before a sparse COVID-influenced crowd in 2020.</p> <p>This year’s top weight, Irish star Al Riffa (59kg), has the form line, class, jockey (Mark Zahra) and trainer (Joseph O’Brien) to win.</p> <p>The most recent horse to win with more than 57.5kg is the great Makybe Diva, who carried 58kg to win her third Cup in 2005. The most recent horse to win with 58.5kg or more is Think Big when he won his second Cup in 1975. Rain Lover’s weight in 1969, his second win, was 60.5kg.</p> <p>Three horses – Valiant King, Torranzino and Royal Supremacy – are weighted on the limit of 51kg in the 2025 Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Internationals</h3> <p>Since the ground-breaking Irish gelding Vintage Crop (trained by Dermot Weld) became the first overseas-trained (not including New Zealand) horse to win Australia’s most famous race in 1993, eight internationally trained horses have won the Melbourne Cup. The most recent was Twilight Payment (2020), trained in Ireland by Joseph O’Brien, who also trained Rekindling to win in 2017. O’Brien is back for a third win with Al Riffa and Goodie Two Shoes.</p> <p>The other international winners: Media Puzzle (Ireland, trained by Dermot Weld in 2002); Delta Blues (Japan, Katsuhako Kumii, 2006); Americain (France, Alain de Royer Dupre, 2010); Dunaden (France, Mikel Delzangles, 2011); Protectionist (Germany, Andreas Wohler, 2014) and Cross Counter (UK, Charlie Appleby, 2018).</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>This year’s internationally trained runners are:</strong></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien, Ireland):</strong> The top weight with 59kg after wins in the G2 Curragh Cup and the G1 Irish St Leger.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Absurde (Willie Mullins, Ireland): </strong>Absurde returns after a solid fifth in last year’s Cup when he was beaten less than two lengths. He ran well in the recent Caulfield Cup. Three-time winner Kerrin McEvoy rides.</p> <p><strong>Presage Nocturne (Alessandro Botti, France): </strong>To be ridden by French jockey Stephane Pasquier, who rode him into a closing fourth in the Caulfield Cup. That was an eye-catching run for a horse better suited over the Cup trip.</p> <p><strong>Chevalier Rose (Hisashi Shimizu, Japan): </strong>Comes from Japan with a reputation as a dour and tough stayer. Damian Lane rides.</p> <p><strong>Meydaan (Simon &amp; Ed Crisford, England): </strong>The Crisfords rate this horse as good as their2023 Caulfield Cup runner-up West Wind Blows and a better 3200m horse. No luck in the Caulfield Cup, and James McDonald rides.</p> <p><strong>Onesmoothoperator (Brian Ellison, England):</strong> He finished midfield last year after winning the Geelong Cup. This year, he thrashed his rivals in the Mooneen Valley Cup, and received a 1kg penalty. Harry Coffey rides from a good barrier.</p> <p><strong>Furthur (Andrew Balding, England): </strong>Irish-bred stayer, who like past winners Rekindling and Cross Counter, is a 3YO by northern hemisphere time.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Flatten The Curve (Henk Grewe, Germany): </strong>Aiming to join Protectionist as a German bred- and -trained winner of the Melbourne Cup. He has won eight of his 41 starts.</p> <p><strong>Goodie Two Shoes (Joseph O’Brien, Ireland):</strong> Travelling companion of the top weight Al Riffa, although her Irish form is sound, and she has been “specked” to win. Wert track could be a worry.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The best of the locals</h3> <p><strong>Half Yours (Tony &amp; Calvin McEvoy): </strong>The Caulfield Cup winner. Aiming to be the seventh horse to win the Cups double. Still well in with 53kg and the prospect of rain boosts his chances. Jamie Melham rides.</p> <p><strong>Buckaroo (Chris Waller): </strong>He hasn’t had a traditional Cup preparation, like last year when he ran second in the Caulfield Cup. He has the class to win off his great second in the Cox Plate. Craig Williams booked to ride.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Valiant King (Chris Waller):</strong> In great form. Stormed home late for third in the Caulfield Cup. He gets in on the limit and past winner Jye McNeil rides. The best of the lightweights</p> <p><strong>River Of Stars (Chris Waller): </strong>Yet to win in Australia but she has run terrifically well in the Sydney Cup (third) in April and at her last start when second in the Caulfield Cup behind Half Yours. Meets that horse on better weight terms, and she will be ridden by Beau Mertens. The Cup distance is perfect for her.</p> <p><strong>Royal Supremacy (Ciaron Maher): </strong>Showed a turn-of-foot to win the G1 The Metropolitan (2400m) at Randwick, and franked the form with a solid fifth in the Caulfield Cup. In the right hands. Last year’s winner Robbie Dolan rides.</p> <p><strong>Middle Earth (Ciaron Maher): </strong>This horse had been disappointing until his good third in the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley last week. Maher has been bullish about this horse in the Cup for some time. He’s the one that can upset the favourites. Ethan Brown rides.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Melbourne Cup Tips</h2> <h3>&nbsp;</h3> <h3>Melbourne Cup Top Tips</h3> <p><strong>Half Yours: </strong>The Caulfield Cup winner needs a smother, so he has drawn perfectly in barrier eight. He also will love a likely soft/heavy track and he has only 53kg. He’s the top tip.</p> <p><br /> <strong>Al Riffa: </strong>Ireland’s top stayer who has vibes of being as good as any Irish horse to come her. He has been dominant of late, the in-form jockey Mark Zahra rides, his trainer has won this race twice and the wide draw will suit his style.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Melbourne Cup The Dangers</h3> <p><strong>Valiant King: </strong>Outstanding run for third&nbsp; in the Caulfield Cup. Gets in with only 51kg and a Cup-winning jockey, and his trainer has timed his preparation to perfection.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Meydaan: </strong>The booking of Australia’s top jockey enhances his chances. The wide draw shouldn’t worry him on wet ground. He’s a big strider who needs room.</p> <p><strong>Presage Nocturne: </strong>French galloper with a form line similar to past winners Americain, Protectionist and Dunaden. Big run in the Caulfield Cup is a pointer to his chances. Should get a perfect run from barrier nine.</p> <p><strong>River Of Stars: </strong>She is an out-and-out stayer who ran a bottler of a race to finish second in the Caulfield Cup, so she misses a weight penalty. Expect her to race on the pace, although the query is very wet ground.</p> <p><strong>Buckaroo:</strong> Unlucky in this race last year after finishing second in the Caulfield Cup. This time, he has had a 2000m preparation that includes a second in the Cox Plate. He has a touch of class, Craig Williams rides from a middle barrier.</p> <p><strong>Royal Supremacy:</strong> The Metropolitan winner, who gets in with only 51kg. Last year’s winning jockey Robbie Dolan rides and his trainer is tipping him to run a big race.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Melbourne Cup The Roughies</h3> <p><strong>Middle Earth: </strong>Back on track with a good third in the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley. Trainer Ciaron Maher has been upbeat about his Melbourne Cup chances all spring.</p> <p><strong>Arapaho:</strong> Trying to do something only two other horses have done – win the Sydney Cup and Melbourne Cup in the same year. Those two are champions Makybe Diva and Carbine. However, the prospect of a wet track brings him into the race, and like last year’s winner, Knights Choice, he warmed up for this with an unplaced run in the Bendigo Cup.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Melbourne Cup Trifecta</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>To win and finish second:</strong> Half Yours, Al Riffa, Valiant King, Presage Nocturne, Royal Supremacy</p> <p><strong>To finish third – (as above) </strong>plus Meydaan, River Of Stars, Buckaroo, Middle Earth, Arapaho</p> <p>Numbers: 1 ,6, 14, 22, 24 / 1,6, 14, 22, 24 / 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 14, 21, 22, 24.</p>