FEATURE PREVIEWS: MELBOURNE CUP

Horse – 14. Half Yours

Trainer – Tony & Calvin McEvoy

Jockey – Jamie Melham

Barrier – 8

Half Yours is the only horse in the 2025 Melbourne Cup born in Australia. The McEvoy’s purchased him in November 2024 on an Inglis Online sale for $305,000 and his record since is 9:5-2-0, including winning the Group 1 Caulfield Cup last start. This training performance is beyond sensational, and what they have managed to achieve is extraordinary. Meanwhile, Jamie Melham, is trying to become the second female to win the Melbourne Cup, a decade after Michelle Payne. With maiden Melbourne Cup wins the target for all, Half Yours does everything right in the yard and is such an easy horse to like. He has an exceptionally loose stride, is so relaxed and professional and has the perfect staying frame, all meaning he should see out the two miles. His fitness levels have improved nicely with each race, and other than still being a touch wintery last start, he was picture perfect and will be once again come the first Tuesday of November.

Horse –16. Onesmoothoperator  (USA)

Trainer – Brian Ellison (GB)

Jockey – Harry Coffey

Barrier -6

The American born, British trained gelding is having his second crack at winning the Melbourne Cup, after finishing 12^th last year. He has impressively won both Australian lead up races; the 2024 Geelong Cup and the 2025 Moonee Valley Gold Cup. Having now seen him twice, at Flemington and The Valley, he is another import that gets above himself in the yard. Both parades have been tense and toey, getting slightly warm, but nothing over the top or majorly concerning. Not relaxed but not alarming either. Similar to Vauban, I think this gelding will really suit staying in Australia, and I believe he will only improve the longer he gets to acclimatise and settle down into his new home with Tim Fitzsimmons. So with time, I hope to see a more relaxed horse. But on Tuesday, I don’t want to see him too worked up, or too sweaty. Physically, I think his fitness will tighten up a fair bit from The Valley, he was a touch soft with 9 weeks between runs.

Horse – 18. Parchment Party  (USA)

Trainer – William Mott (USA)

Jockey – John Velazquez

Barrier – 3

Parchment Party will be the first ever American trained horse to compete in the Melbourne Cup. The entire was awarded a golden ticket into the first Tuesday of November after winning the Group 2 Belmont Gold Cup in June. He won in unfavourable conditions for most, and racing on grass is his main concern. It is normal for him to race in bandages.

Horse  – 23. Torranzino (NZ)

Trainer – Paul Preusker

Jockey – Celine Gaudray

Barrier – 18

The New Zealand bred son of Tarzino is the local Aussie battlers horse for 2025. Similar to pavlova, us Aussies are claiming him. This will be the Horsham-based trainers third attempt at winning the Cup and from a yard point of view he will be spot on. Torranzino returned in sensational physical condition this prep and has looked to be thriving. He can get warm, but is always relaxed, which is key, sweating up while being relaxed is ok.

Horse  24. Valiant King (GB)

Trainer – Chris Waller

Jockey – Jye McNeil

Barrier – 10

American bred, British born, Irish raised and now an Australian, Valiant King finished 13^th in the 2024 Melbourne Cup. The key difference this year is blinkers on. Two starts ago at Flemington, the blinkers went on and they seem to have been the making of this gelding, bringing out the best of him at both subsequent starts. He’s not much to look at, being a lightly framed type but he has a terrific attitude and does everything right. Fitness has improved with each race and he should be peaking on Tuesday.

Horse – 1. Al Riffa (FR)

Trainer – Joseph O’Brien (IRE)

Jockey – Mark Zahra

Barrier – 19

Melbourne Cup winning syndicators Australian Bloodstock purchased the dual Group 1 winning son of the late Wootton Bassett (GB) after his 5 length victory in the Group 2 Curragh Cup in July. He remained in training in Ireland with Joseph O’Brien before winning the Group 1 Irish St Leger in September. Al Riffa has had 7 weeks since his last start, whilst also rising in distance to 3200m for the first time. Importantly however, the entire is no stranger to travel. Having previously raced in America, Germany, Saudi Arabia and France. Albeit over a much longer travel distance than prior, Al Riffa should be used to travelling and adjusting to new environments. Pre-race, I need to see him relaxed, and not overwhelmed, very fit, but not too light. Imports not losing condition is also key.

Horse – 2. Buckaroo (GB)

Trainer – Chris Waller

Jockey – Craig Williams

Barrier -12

The Cox Plate runner-up has called Australia home for a little over 2 years, and was transferred from Joseph O’Brien to current trainer Chris Waller after 2 starts in Australia. The 7 year old son of Fastnet Rock started favourite in the 2024 Melbourne Cup and finished 9^th. Having seen him a plethora of times throughout his Australian career, he has never put a hoof wrong, consistently doing everything right. He has looked fit and healthy all preparation, improving nicely with each race. I am confident he will be in faultless condition once again come Tuesday, so the yard is no concern with him.

Horse  – 3. Arapaho (FR)

Trainer – Bjorn Baker

Jockey – Rachel King

Barrier – 15

Two-time Group 1 winner Arapaho will be having his 50^th career start in this year’s Melbourne Cup. This is his second attempt at winning the race that stops the nation after finishing 11^th in 2022. He last raced over the two miles in April, breaking the track record while winning the Group 1 Sydney Cup. It has been a decade since Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, on this anniversary could Rachel become the second?

Horse  – 4. Vauban (FR)

Trainer – Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott

Jockey – Blake Shinn

Barrier – 2

In 2023 and 2024 Vauban competed in the Melbourne Cup as a fly-in visitor, being prepared internationally by Willie Mullins in Ireland. Both parades were poor and well below the standard I expect of a Melbourne Cup runner. Both occasions he had a complete meltdown, got very worked up and sweated profusely. His coat was off and he didn’t look fit. He was a fantastic lay betting proposition both times. I was adamant that he was the type of international that needed time to acclimatise to Australia and didn’t suit the fly in fly out nature of these campaigns. So when he was transferred to Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott last year, I thought this would be ideal and exactly what he needed. I was really confident with him in the Caulfield Cup, he had made all the improvements I wanted to see from prior years, but I was disappointed with his performance. On Tuesday, I need to see him relaxed and not too sweaty. I already know he is in perfect physical condition, it now comes down to him mentally; what he wants to do and how he handles the day.

Horse – 5. Chevalier Rose (JPN)

Trainer – Hisashi Shimizu (JPN)

Jockey – Damian Lane

Barrier – 5

Making his Australian debut in the Cup, this Japanese entire has had 11 weeks since his last race. This makes fitness my main concern. I expect him to be wearing bandages (not a negative) as it is normal for most Japanese horses to race in them. He also needs a firm, fast, dry track. Chevalier Rose is looking to become the second Japanese trained Melbourne Cup winner (Delta Blues 2006) and Damian Lane is aiming for his maiden.

Horse – 6. Presage Nocturne  (IRE)

Trainer – Alessandro Botti (FR)

Jockey – Stephane Pasquier

Barrier – 9

The French trained entire made his Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup where he had the back of eventual winner Half Yours and finished a terrific 4^th, well surpassing expectations of a $61 starting price. He had had 8 weeks between runs and I thought he looked quite soft in the yard, so he performed above my expectations too. I do think his fitness will improve from this run however, so I expect to see him strip fitter on Tuesday. He was relaxed and slightly sweaty, which is fine, the key is relaxed and not over doing it, so look for this again. The more rain the better for his chances. He is also looking to make this a breeding fairytale, scripted by the racing gods, as his sire is the late champion Wootton Bassett (GB).

Horse – 17. Furthur  (IRE)

Trainer – Andrew Balding (GB)

Jockey – Michael Dee

Barrier – 7

A northern hemisphere bred three year old, this handsome entire has only had 8 career starts and is an eye-catchingly beautiful shade of grey. He races with a cross-over nose band and lugging bit suggesting he may get keen and over race, so I will be looking to see him particularly relaxed in the yard.

Horse  7. Middle Earth (GB)

Trainer – Ciaron Maher

Jockey – Ethan Brown

Barrier – 13

The half-brother to Buckaroo, I first saw Middle Earth earlier this year. He is another prime example of imported horses taking their time to acclimatise to their new environments. Although his on track performances weren’t necessarily impacted, he was still performing well enough whilst parading poorly. Up until recently, he consistently paraded inadequately, getting very worked up, sweaty and throwing his head around. His coat was backwards and he looked extremely unsettled. He was unrecognisable two starts ago at Caulfield, he was relaxed, only slightly warm and for the first time he actually looked good. Last start at The Valley was even better, it was the best I had ever seen him look. It’s taken him 8 months to acclimatise but now that he has, I really hope to see him improve on the track and if he maintains this improved parade, I think he is a great chance to win the Melbourne Cup.

Horse – 8. Meydaan  (IRE)

Trainer – Simon & Ed Crisford (GB)

Jockey – James McDonald

Barrier – 22

This son of Frankel is one of the fly-in visitors who made his Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup finishing an unlucky 9^th. He had had 6 weeks between runs and I thought he had good fitness improvement to come. He was quite soft and being a naturally very solid, heavy gelding, I expect him to always carry excess condition but I do think he will tighten up a fair bit after that run. The positives were that he was relaxed, professional, not warm and did everything else right. His attitude at Caulfield bodes well for Flemington and I would need to see the same, plus fitness improvement for him to be competitive come Tuesday. Post-work on Thursday morning, James McDonald said “he can’t be any fitter, he can’t look any better and he can’t feel any better” I wonder if I will think the same…

Horse  – 11. Land Legend (FR)

Trainer – Chris Waller

Jockey – Joao Moreira

Barrier – 16

Joao Moreira is hoping to win the Melbourne Cup at his 7^th attempt, partnering the Galileo gelding who has finished last at his past two starts. Land Legend has been an Australian resident for a little over 2 years now, but it took him a while to acclimatise. Initially he was very unsettled and got worked up and sweaty. This is the first prep he has been relaxed and paraded acclimatised. I really hoped there would be a correlation between him being relaxed in the yard, to in his races, as he is his own worst enemy, often over racing, however it is yet to translate. He is more mature pre-race but still struggling to settle in his races. From a yard point of view, he is finally doing everything right but unfortunately I don’t think this is enough.

Horse  – 12. Smokin’ Romans (NZ)

Trainer – Ciaron Maher

Jockey – Ben Melham

Barrier -11

As tough as a racehorse can get, this 9 year old gelding is an old gentleman of the track. He won his maiden on debut in 2020, won the Pakenham Cup in 2021, won his one and only Group 1 in 2022 (Turnbull) and then subsequently finished 7^th in both the 2022 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups. His next cups victory was in May 2025 winning the Listed Warrnambool Cup. Now, he is contesting the Melbourne Cup, hoping second time’s the charm.

Horse– 9. Absurde (FR)

Trainer – Willie Mullins (IRE)

Jockey – Kerrin McEvoy

Barrier– 4

Absurde is aiming to become the first horse since Empire Rose in 1988 to win the Melbourne Cup for the first time at his third attempt. This is also the first campaign he has had a run before the Cup, finishing 7^th in the Caulfield Cup, the other two campaigns he went into the Melbourne Cup fresh off the plane. I think this is key to his chances this year, as I didn’t think he was rock hard fit in both 2023 and 2024. Unlike his then stablemate Vauban, mentally, Absurde has always done everything right, he is a professional. But he looked slightly soft and a touch underdone last start, so going into the Cup second up is going to be extremely beneficial. Champion Irish trainer Willie Mullins has come agonisingly close to winning the Melbourne Cup over the past 2 decades, with horses running second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh. Will 2025 be his year?

Horse  – 10. Flatten The Curve  (FR)

Trainer – Henk Grewe (GER)

Jockey – Thore Hammer-Hansen

Barrier– 17

Horse, trainer and jockey will all make their Australian debuts in the Melbourne Cup. Flatten The Curve is no stranger to travel, having won the Gold Cup Invitational Stakes at Kentucky Downs, America in late August. His next start is here, so with 9 weeks between runs, his fitness levels will be key. It’s reassuring and a good guide that he was fresh off an 8 week let-up leading into his last start win in America over a similar, but slightly further trip. Meaning the stable know how to keep him fit whilst travelling.

Horse  – 21. River Of Stars (IRE)

Trainer – Chris Waller

Jockey – Beau Mertens

Barrier– 14

Having her 7^th start in Australia in this year’s Melbourne Cup, after running a scintillating 2^nd in the Caulfield Cup. This daughter of Sea The Stars arrived in Australia earlier this year and caught my eye the second I saw her. She is a beautiful mare who has been in terrific physical and mental condition her last couple. She might have shocked some in the Caulfield Cup, but I was firmly on her side and will be again come Tuesday.

Horse  – 15. More Felons (IRE)

Trainer – Chris Waller

Jockey – Tommy Berry

Barrier -23

At his second start for Chris Waller, More Felons finished 12^th in the 2023 Melbourne Cup. In the autumn of 2024 he injured himself and was sidelined for 18 months. He returned to racing this campaign, and first up off such a long break, he was surprisingly forward in condition. He has had 4 runs in the lead up to this year’s Melbourne Cup, so now, deep into his prep, he should have no fitness excuses.

Horse  – 20. Goodie Two Shoes  (IRE)

Trainer – Joseph O’Brien (IRE)

Jockey – Wayne Lordan

Barrier– 20

A daughter of Fastnet Rock, this northern hemisphere bred six year old mare is the stablemate of Al Riffa. It will be 13 weeks since she last raced, so her fitness levels are a huge concern for me. She also races with a cross-over nose band and tongue tie on suggesting she may have some breathing issues.

Horse – 13. Changingoftheguard  (IRE)

Trainer – Kris Lees

Jockey – Tim Clark

Barrier– 24

Lightly raced 7 year old son of Galileo only having his 18^th career start in the Melbourne Cup. He has been under the care of Kris Lees since July 2024 and has only recorded the one win on Australian soil, the Group 3 Tattersalls Club Cup over 2400m in September. I haven’t seen him in the flesh, but off what he did last start in the Geelong Cup, he would need to improve a lot to be competitive on Tuesday.

Horse  – 19. Athabascan (FR)

Trainer – John O’Shea & Tom Charlton

Jockey – Declan Bates

Barrier – 1

Racing Victoria stewards withdrew Athabascan the day prior to the 2024 Melbourne Cup, after RV vets deemed he had an increased risk of a cardiac episode after assessing him to have cardiac arrhythmia. He had to undergo further extensive testing before being permitted to race again on the grounds of safety, and here he is, one year later, having his 40^th career start in the 2025 Melbourne Cup.

Horse  – 22. Royal Supremacy (IRE)

Trainer – Ciaron Maher

Jockey – Robbie Dolan

Barrier -1

It was my first time seeing this gelded son of Make Believe last start in the Caulfield Cup. He paraded toey, tense and slightly worked up, he didn’t get too warm but he was also restless in the barriers, so on Tuesday I need to see him more relaxed and settled if he is to handle the occasion.