The Melbourne Cup, Australia’s greatest horse race, returns to Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, November 4th, captivating a nation with its blend of tradition, drama, and world-class competition.
The 2025 edition features a high-quality field of 24 runners, each with their own story, hopes, and connections.
This year, the conversation centres on lofty gambles, international raiders, hometown heroes, and a $500,000 bet that’s set the racing world abuzz.
Al Riffa and the Call Of The Card Bet
Much of the pre-race attention focuses on Al Riffa, the Irish-bred five-year-old trained by Joseph O’Brien and partnered by Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra.
Already well-fancied off tremendous European form, Al Riffa stole headlines after a colossal single $500,000 bet (£250,000) was placed on him at the Call Of The Card event, a legendary pre-Cup gathering at Melbourne’s Crown Casino.
Placed by a representative of tech giant Easygo at odds of 7-1, the bet would return an eye-watering $4 million if Al Riffa wins – a new record at the event.
Owners, bookmakers, and fellow punters watched in awe as Al Riffa’s backers made their confidence clear.
Comments from Jamie Lovett of Australian Bloodstock, also behind a significant wager, reflect wider sentiment: “He has a fair bit of quality and he’s a fast stayer. If he gets the right run, I can’t see him not being involved at the finish”.
Yet, he faces the historical challenge of carrying 59 kilos, a weight not successfully carried to victory for more than 50 years.
The Melbourne Cup 2025 Favourites
As we’ve seen all season, these big races can turn on a sixpence, and a closer look at the market fancies reveals a handful of runners everyone expects to play a part in the finish:
Al Riffa: The clear favourite. The Irish St Leger winner, stays well, and thrives on big days.
Half Yours: Lightly weighted, progressive, and trained by the McEvoys. Won the Caulfield Cup and looks suited by two miles.
Presage Nocturne: Reliable French stayer with form in good European company, third-up here, which signals peak fitness.
Valiant King: Light at the weights for trainer Chris Waller, impressive in lead-ins, and peaking at the right time.
Buckaroo: Second in the Cox Plate demonstrates class and staying power, trained by leading Australian handler Chris Waller.
These five stand out in terms of form, profile, and market support, each with credentials to deliver Cup glory.
The Middling Pack
Beneath the headline horses, the Cup’s ‘middling’ cluster mixes seasoned internationals and homegrown hopes, often with form just shy of the best but capable of a placing at a big price:
Absurde: Irish-trained by W P Mullins, known for springing surprises in major staying events.
River Of Stars: Consistent at Group level and looks to have been primed for this by the Waller stable.
Meydaan: High-class European performer, with James McDonald in the saddle.
Flatten The Curve: Represents Germany and shapes like a true stayer, first-up here but well-trialled.
Vauban: Former hurdler and well-tested on big occasions, needing luck but not discounted.
Onesmoothoperator: Reliable seven-year-old who chased home top company in the UK and earned his spot the hard way.
Furthur (25/1), Goodie Two Shoes (25/1), Royal Supremacy (25/1): Each arrives with strong European staying credentials and the sort of profile that can improve out to 3200m.
These runners might not top the betting but are respected by form and could easily fill the exotics.
The Outsiders
The Melbourne Cup often delivers a fairy-tale finish for horses at bigger odds. This year’s list of outsiders includes hard-knocking older gallopers and unexposed imports capable of outperforming their price:
Arapaho: Eight-year-old who brings strong Australian distance form and Rachel King’s reliable hands.
Torranzino: Lightly weighted and will appreciate a strong tempo, not without hope for a place.
Middle Earth: UK-import who’s run well in local preps, needing luck but brings upside at a price.
More Felons: Perennial place-getter who might enjoy the long Flemington straight.
The Longshots
Every Cup, a handful of runners go off at long odds but still command respect for even standing in the barriers:
Chevalier Rose: Japanese-trained, Group placings form his main hope; tricky to assess but a genuine stayer.
Parchment Party: USA-trained and new to Australian conditions, wildcard with international experience.
Land Legend, Changingoftheguard, Athabascan: Each trained by established stables, all need a career-best.
Smokin’ Romans: Veteran who’s earned nine-year-old stripes and always runs honestly.
The Odds and Prize Money
The current odds, reflecting both expert opinion and massive betting investments, make for fascinating reading.
At the time of writing, Al Riffa leads at 11/2, ahead of Half Yours (6/1) and Presage Nocturne (7/1), with the range stretching as wide as 80/1 for Smokin’ Romans.
| Horse | Odds |
|---|---|
| Al Riffa | 11/2 |
| Half Yours | 6/1 |
| Presage Nocturne | 7/1 |
| Valiant King | 15/2 |
| Buckaroo | 9/1 |
| Absurde | 14/1 |
| River Of Stars | 14/1 |
| Meydaan | 18/1 |
| Flatten The Curve | 18/1 |
| Vauban | 22/1 |
| Onesmoothoperator | 22/1 |
| Furthur | 25/1 |
| Goodie Two Shoes | 25/1 |
| Royal Supremacy | 25/1 |
| Arapaho | 33/1 |
| Torranzino | 33/1 |
| Middle Earth | 40/1 |
| More Felons | 40/1 |
| Chevalier Rose | 50/1 |
| Parchment Party | 50/1 |
| Land Legend | 66/1 |
| Changingoftheguard | 66/1 |
| Athabascan | 66/1 |
| Smokin’ Romans | 80/1 |
The Melbourne Cup 2025 boasts a total purse of $10 million, rewarding depth right through the field.
The winner will receive a remarkable $4.5 million plus the coveted trophies, second place a cool $1.1 million, and even 12th–24th will take away $100,000 each.
The event is not just the race that stops the nation; it’s a career-defining, life-changing occasion for those connected to the victor.
Hours To Go
With a compelling narrative of weight-carrying history, high-stakes punting, and international quality across the field, anticipation for the Melbourne Cup 2025 has rarely been higher.
Flemington’s lawns will be packed, and millions more will tune in across Australia and beyond for the 4:00pm post time (4am UK time), hoping their pick can etch its name into Melbourne Cup folklore.
As the runners parade to the barriers, the tension mounts. Will Al Riffa justify record-breaking bets, or will this be a year for a new name and a fresh fairy tale?
That’s the unique magic of Cup day—no race in the world matches its storylines, surprises, and scope.
BETFRED
