The road to the 2025 Melbourne Cup has begun with nominations officially announced for the $8 million race at Flemington.
A total of 120 horses have been entered, featuring a strong mix of international raiders and local hopes.
Among the global names are Irish contenders Adelaide River, Aftermath, Changingoftheguard and Okita Soushi, while French-trained Absurd and Hipop De Loire also feature.
Champion trainer Aidan O’Brien has several chances in the mix, joined by Willie Mullins, Joseph O’Brien and Dermot Weld, who all bring proven Cup pedigrees.
Australia’s biggest stables are also well represented, with Chris Waller nominating a large team including Militarize, Kovalica, River Of Stars and Via Sistina. Ciaron Maher has entered Zardozi, Smokin’ Romans and Interpretation among others.
Other notable entries include Waterhouse and Bott’s star stayer Vauban, New Zealand’s Sharp ’N’ Smart, and last year’s Cup runner Sir Delius.
The final field will be declared on Derby Day, November 1.
Market 💰: View the Odds for the Melbourne Cup
| Horse | Trainer | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins |
| 2 | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | Kris Lees |
| 3 | AELIANA (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 4 | AFTERMATH (IRE) | Aidan O’Brien |
| 5 | AGE OF SAIL (GB) | Kris Lees |
| 6 | AL RIFFA (FR) | Joseph O’Brien |
| 7 | ALALCANCE (GB) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 8 | ANISETTE (GB) | Chris Waller |
| 9 | ANTRIM COAST (NZ) | Steve Richards |
| 10 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker |
| 11 | ASTERIX (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 12 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton |
| 13 | AUGUSTUS (GER) | Ciaron Maher |
| 14 | BASILINNA (NZ) | Emma-Lee & David Browne |
| 15 | BELLE DETELLE | Chris Waller |
| 16 | BELVEDERE BOYS | Matthew Dunn |
| 17 | BIRDMAN (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 18 | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 19 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller |
| 20 | BUR DUBAI (GB) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 21 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | Kris Lees |
| 22 | CHEVALIER ROSE (JPN) | Hisashi Shimizu |
| 23 | CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
| 24 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | Kris Lees |
| 25 | COUNTRY’S LIGHT | Tetyana Furdetska |
| 26 | DEAKIN (FR) | Phillip Stokes |
| 27 | DISTRUSTFUL AWARD | Peter Luttrell |
| 28 | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | Annabel & Rob Archibald |
| 29 | DURAJI (IRE) | Dermot K Weld |
| 30 | ENCODER | Michael Freedman |
| 31 | EPIC POET (IRE) | David O’Meara |
| 32 | ETNA ROSSO (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 33 | EUPHORIC | Greg Eurell |
| 34 | FEMMINILE | Chris Waller |
| 35 | FERNAO (IRE) | Annabel & Rob Archibald |
| 36 | FIRST IMMORTAL | Mark & Levi Kavanagh |
| 37 | FLATTEN THE CURVE (FR) | Henk Grewe |
| 38 | FLYING BANDIT | Kerry Parker |
| 39 | FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) | Chris Waller |
| 40 | FURTHUR (IRE) | Andrew Balding |
| 41 | GILDED WATER (GB) | Ciaron Maher |
| 42 | GO DADDY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 43 | GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 44 | GOLDEN PATH (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 45 | GOLDEN SNAP (JPN) | Katsunori Tanaka |
| 46 | GOOD BANTER (NZ) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton |
| 47 | GOODIE TWO SHOES (IRE) | Joseph O’Brien |
| 48 | GRAND PIERRO | Jason Warren |
| 49 | HALF YOURS | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 50 | HARBOUR WIND (IRE) | Dermot K Weld |
| 51 | HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) | Willie Mullins |
| 52 | HUTCHENCE (GB) | Chris Waller |
| 53 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 54 | JENNIVAMOOSE (NZ) | Ciaron Maher |
| 55 | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 56 | KADAVAR (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 57 | KINESIOLOGY (GB) | Chris Waller |
| 58 | KINGS VALLEY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 59 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon |
| 60 | KOVALICA (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 61 | LA CRIQUE (NZ) | Simon Alexander |
| 62 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | Chris Waller |
| 63 | LASPIRIT DEELER | Lee & Cherie Curtis |
| 64 | LASTOTCHKA (FR) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) |
| 65 | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 66 | LITZDEEL | Danny O’Brien |
| 67 | MARK TWAIN (NZ) | Roger James & Robert Wellwood |
| 68 | MEYDAAN (IRE) | Simon Crisford |
| 69 | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | Ciaron Maher |
| 70 | MILITARIZE (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 71 | MISTER WOLFGANG (NZ) | Peter McKay |
| 72 | MOIRA (CAN) | Chris Waller |
| 73 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 74 | MORMONA (FR) | Annabel & Rob Archibald |
| 75 | MOUNT KILIMANJARO (FR) | Aidan O’Brien |
| 76 | MUKTAMIL (IRE) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 77 | NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) | Annabel & Rob Archibald |
| 78 | NEWLOOK (FR) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 79 | NIKAU SPUR (NZ) | Corey & Kylie Geran |
| 80 | NO RUMOURS | Paul Preusker |
| 81 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 82 | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | Brian Ellison |
| 83 | OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) | Bjorn Baker |
| 84 | OUR GOLD HOPE | Robert & Luke Price |
| 85 | PARCHMENT PARTY (USA) | William Mott |
| 86 | POINT KING (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
| 87 | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
| 88 | PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE) | Alessandro Botti |
| 89 | QUIETNESS (GB) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton |
| 90 | REAL CLASS (NZ) | Chris Waller |
| 91 | RED ACES | Nick Ryan |
| 92 | REVELARE | Robert Hickmott |
| 93 | RIVER OF STARS (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 94 | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 95 | SAV ON ICE | Darryl Carrison |
| 96 | SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher |
| 97 | SCANDINAVIA (USA) | Aidan O’Brien |
| 98 | SCARY (NZ) | Emma-Lee & David Browne |
| 99 | SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) | Graeme Rogerson |
| 100 | SIR DELIUS (GB) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 101 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher |
| 102 | SO YOU ARE | Stirling Osland |
| 103 | STAR OF INDIA (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 104 | STAR VEGA (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
| 105 | STATUARIO | Emma-Lee & David Browne |
| 106 | SWELTERING | Chris Waller |
| 107 | TABLETALK (IRE) | Tom Clover |
| 108 | TAJANIS (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 109 | TAPILDOODLEDO (NZ) | Kerry Taplin |
| 110 | THE MAP | Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray |
| 111 | THEDOCTOROFLOVE | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
| 112 | TORRANZINO (NZ) | Paul Preusker |
| 113 | TRAV (NZ) | Raymond Connors |
| 114 | TREASURETHE MOMENT | Matt Laurie |
| 115 | TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 116 | VALIANT KING (GB) | Chris Waller |
| 117 | VAUBAN (FR) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
| 118 | VIA SISTINA (IRE) | Chris Waller |
| 119 | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | Glen Thompson |
| 120 | ZARDOZI | Ciaron Maher |