The Stage is Set for the Race That Stops a Nation

The countdown is on for Australia’s greatest race, the $10 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup over 3200m from Flemington Racecourse this Tuesday. Following the excitement of Victoria Derby Day, the final field of 24 has been confirmed and the barriers drawn, setting the scene for a truly global contest.

This year’s Cup showcases international flair like never before, with contenders representing seven countries across four continents including Australia, Japan, Great Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, and, for the very first time, the United States.

A decade after Michelle Payne’s history-making triumph aboard Prince Of Penzance, Jamie Melham is chasing her own place in Cup folklore aboard Half Yours, the Caulfield Cup champion. Trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the mare will jump from barrier eight as she bids to become the 13th horse in history to claim the Cups double.

Cup-winning master Chris Waller will saddle up five runners, while Ciaron Maher lines up three. The barrier gods dealt a mixed hand with Waller’s Valiant King (10), Buckaroo (12) and River Of Stars (14) sit mid-pack, flanked by Maher’s Smokin’ Romans (11) and Middle Earth (13). Maher’s third contender, the Group 1-winning Royal Supremacy, will start from a testing gate 21, partnered with Robbie Dolan, last year’s winning jockey.

Meanwhile, Vauban returns with history on the line aiming to become the first horse since 1988 to capture the Melbourne Cup at his third attempt. Now under the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, the Irish import will jump from barrier two, hoping local knowledge makes the difference.

Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien again leads the international charge. His dual Group 1 winner Al Riffa will start from barrier 19, alongside stablemate Goodie Two Shoes (20) the first Australian runner for global racing powerhouse J.P. McManus. Already a two-time Cup winner with Rekindling (2017) and Twilight Payment (2020), the 32-year-old O’Brien could make it a treble. Fellow Irishman Willie Mullins sends back the ever-determined Absurde, contesting his third Cup after finishing seventh and fifth in the past two years. He’ll jump from barrier four.

Adding a new chapter to Cup history, the United States is represented for the first time by Parchment Party, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott and ridden by John Velazquez, starting from barrier three. The international line-up continues with Japan’s Chevalier Rose (5) for Hisashi Shimizu, France’s Presage Nocturne (9) for Alessandro Botti, and Germany’s Flatten The Curve (17) for Henk Grewe each looking to etch their nation’s name onto the famous Cup.

With a world-class field, storied rivalries, and $10 million in prize money on the line, the 2025 Melbourne Cup promises to deliver another unforgettable chapter in sporting history.