Image: Bruno Cannatelli
Al Riffa has been assigned the topweight of 59kg
Reigning Australian Racehorse of the Year Via Sistina and Irish stayer Al Riffa have been assigned the joint topweight of 59kg for the $10 million Melbourne Cup.
Chris Waller’s star mare Via Sistina has been rated the class horse of the field after her eight-length Cox Plate triumph last spring, though the 3200m trip at Flemington looms as her biggest test. Al Riffa, recently purchased by Australian Bloodstock, surged into contention with a dominant Irish St Leger win and is expected to travel for Joseph O’Brien, already a two-time Cup winner.
Defending champion Knight’s Choice will carry 55kg, a 3.5kg rise on last year, as he bids to become the first back-to-back winner since Makybe Diva. Sir Delius (55.5kg), Sydney Cup winner Arapaho (56.5kg) and northern hemisphere three-year-old Scandinavia (55.5kg) add further intrigue.
Four runners already hold ballot exemptions, including Revelare and American-trained Parchment Party, ensuring international flavour in this year’s renewal.
Market 💰: View the current Melbourne Cup odds
| Order | Horse (name & origin) | Trainer | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exempt as at 16 September: 4 | |||
| 1= | DEAKIN (FR) | Phillip Stokes | 52kg |
| 1= | PARCHMENT PARTY (USA) | William Mott | 52kg |
| 1= | REVELARE | Robert Hickmott | 51.5kg |
| 1- | BASILINNA (NZ) | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 51kg |
| Passed 2025 1st Ballot clause as at 16 September: 75 | |||
| 5 | VIA SISTINA (IRE) | Chris Waller | 59kg |
| 6 | AL RIFFA (FR) | Joseph O’Brien | 59kg |
| 7 | SCANDINAVIA (USA) | Aidan O’Brien | 55.5kg |
| 8 | TREASURETHE MOMENT | Matt Laurie | 54kg |
| 9 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | 57kg |
| 10 | ARAPAHO (FR) | Bjorn Baker | 56.5kg |
| 11 | MOIRA (CAN) | Chris Waller | 55kg |
| 12 | VAUBAN (FR) | Waterhouse & Bott | 56.5kg |
| 13 | AELIANA (NZ) | Chris Waller | 53kg |
| 14 | LA CRIQUE (NZ) | Simon Alexander | 54.5kg |
| 15 | CHEVALIER ROSE (JPN) | Hisashi Shimizu | 55.5kg |
| 16 | PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE) | Alessandro Botti | 55.5kg |
| 17 | SIR DELIUS (GB) | Waterhouse & Bott | 55.5kg |
| 18 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | 55kg |
| 19 | FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) | Chris Waller | 53.5kg |
| 20 | FURTHUR (IRE) | Andrew Balding | 52kg |
| 21 | AUGUSTUS (GER) | Ciaron Maher | 55kg |
| 22 | KOVALICA (NZ) | Chris Waller | 55kg |
| 23 | EPIC POET (IRE) | David O’Meara | 54.5kg |
| 24 | ALALCANCE (GB) | Waterhouse & Bott | 53kg |
| 25 | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | Ciaron Maher | 54.5kg |
| 26 | ZARDOZI | Ciaron Maher | 52.5kg |
| 27 | TABLETALK (IRE) | Tom Clover | 54kg |
| 28 | MEYDAAN (IRE) | Simon & Ed Crisford | 54kg |
| 29 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | Chris Waller | 53.5kg |
| 30 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | 53.5kg |
| 31 | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins | 53.5kg |
| 32 | FLATTEN THE CURVE (FR) | Henk Grewe | 53.5kg |
| 33 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 53kg |
| 34 | RIVER OF STARS (IRE) | Chris Waller | 51.5kg |
| 35 | MORE FELONS (IRE) | Chris Waller | 53kg |
| 36 | GOODIE TWO SHOES (IRE) | Joseph O’Brien | 51.5kg |
| 37 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | Kris Lees | 53kg |
| 38 | HARBOUR WIND (IRE) | Dermot K Weld | 53kg |
| 39 | FEMMINILE | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 40 | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 41 | SHARP ‘N’ SMART (NZ) | Graeme Rogerson | 52.5kg |
| 42 | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | Brian Ellison | 52kg |
| 43 | HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) | Willie Mullins | 52kg |
| 44 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 51.5kg |
| 45 | POINT KING (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 51.5kg |
| 46 | MARK TWAIN (NZ) | Roger James & Robert Wellwood | 51kg |
| 47 | MISTER WOLFGANG (NZ) | Peter McKay | 51kg |
| 48 | BIRDMAN (IRE) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 49 | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 51kg |
| 50 | ASTERIX (NZ) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 51 | THE MAP | Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray | 51kg |
| 52 | SCARY (NZ) | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 51kg |
| 53 | TRAV (NZ) | Raymond Connors | 51kg |
| 54 | ETNA ROSSO (IRE) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 55 | STATUARIO | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 51kg |
| 56 | TAJANIS (IRE) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 57 | THEDOCTOROFLOVE | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 51kg |
| 58 | GRAND PIERRO | Jason Warren | 51kg |
| 59 | SWELTERING | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 60 | HALF YOURS | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | 51kg |
| 61 | ANTRIM COAST (NZ) | Steve Richards | 51kg |
| 62 | DISTRUSTFUL AWARD | Peter Luttrell | 51kg |
| 63 | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 64 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 65 | OUR GOLD HOPE | Robert & Luke Price | 51kg |
| 66 | KADAVAR (NZ) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 67 | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 51kg |
| 68 | STAR VEGA (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 51kg |
| 69 | GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 70 | LITZDEEL | Danny O’Brien | 51kg |
| 71 | MORMONA (FR) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 51kg |
| 72 | NEWLOOK (FR) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 51kg |
| 73 | SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 74 | KINESIOLOGY (GB) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 75 | GO DADDY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 76 | VALIANT KING (GB) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 77 | FERNAO (IRE) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 51kg |
| 78 | NIKAU SPUR (NZ) | Corey & Kylie Geran | 51kg |
| 79 | FIRST IMMORTAL | Mark & Levi Kavanagh | 51kg |
| Not Passed 2025 first ballot clause as at 16 September: 41 | |||
| 80 | ANISETTE (GB) | Chris Waller | 54kg |
| 81= | MILITARIZE (NZ) | Chris Waller | 53kg |
| 81= | GOLDEN SNAP (JPN) | Katsunori Tanaka | 51.5kg |
| 83 | GOLDEN PATH (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 52.5kg |
| 84 | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | Kris Lees | 52kg |
| 85 | MOUNT KILIMANJARO (FR) | Aidan O’Brien | 51kg |
| 86- | AFTERMATH (IRE) | Aidan O’Brien | 51kg |
| 86- | AGE OF SAIL (GB) | Kris Lees | 51kg |
| 86= | BELLE DETELLE | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 86= | BELVEDERE BOYS | Matthew Dunn | 51kg |
| 86= | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 51kg |
| 86- | BUR DUBAI (GB) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 51kg |
| 86- | CHIEF LITTLE ROCK (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 51kg |
| 86= | CLEVELAND (IRE) | Kris Lees | 51kg |
| 86= | COUNTRY’S LIGHT | Tetyana Furdetska | 51kg |
| 86 | DASHING DUCHESS (NZ) | Symon Wilde | 51kg |
| 86- | DURAJI (IRE) | Dermot K Weld | 51kg |
| 86= | ENCODER | Michael Freedman | 51kg |
| 86 | EUPHORIC | Greg Eurell | 51kg |
| 86= | FLYING BANDIT | Kerry Parker | 51kg |
| 86= | GILDED WATER (GB) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 86= | GOOD BANTER (NZ) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 51kg |
| 86 | HUTCHENCE (GB) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 86= | JENNIVAMOOSE (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 86= | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 86- | KINGS VALLEY (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | 51kg |
| 86= | LASPIRIT DEELER | Lee & Cherie Curtis | 51kg |
| 86= | LASTOTCHKA (FR) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 51kg |
| 86- | MUKTAMIL (IRE) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 51kg |
| 86 | NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 51kg |
| 86= | NO RUMOURS | Paul Preusker | 51kg |
| 86= | OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) | Bjorn Baker | 51kg |
| 86= | QUIETNESS (GB) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 51kg |
| 86= | REAL CLASS (NZ) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 86 | RED ACES | Nick Ryan | 51kg |
| 86 | SAV ON ICE | Darryl Carrison | 51kg |
| 86= | SO YOU ARE | Stirling Osland | 51kg |
| 86 | STAR OF INDIA (IRE) | Chris Waller | 51kg |
| 86- | TAPILDOODLEDO (NZ) | Kerry Taplin | 51kg |
| 86- | TORRANZINO (NZ) | Paul Preusker | 51kg |
| 86= | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | Glen Thompson | 51kg |
| TOTAL: 120 | |||
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