Ladbrokes Tip: The JRA Cup is a potential lead-up into the Melbourne Cup each spring
The latest edition of the JRA Cup ran on Saturday October 25, 2025 at The Valley on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day and saw the Chris Waller trained Star Of India ($11) break a three-year drought with an impressive upset.
2025 JRA Cup Results
The official JRA Cup 2025 race results and finishing order will be provided below once the race takes place on Saturday October 25, 2025.
- 1st: No. 7 Star Of India
- 2nd: No. 5 Alenquer
- 3rd: No. 1 Middle Earth
Chris Waller’s lightly raced seven-year-old Star Of India ($11) was given a perfectly timed ride by jockey Jye McNeil to come from an on-pace run to hit the lead at the top of the straight and hold on for a dominant 1.5 length upset in the 2025 JRA Cup results on Cox Plate Day. Having broken a three-year drought with the victory, Star Of India remains in the mix for the $10 million Melbourne Cup on November 4 firming in from $201 to $101.
2025 JRA Cup Odds
The season’s best JRA Cup 2025 betting odds and links to our markets will be provided right here the week of the race so stay tuned for the top Moonee Valley racing odds this spring.
| 7. Star Of India (5) J: Jye McNeil 54.5kg 0x806T: Chris Waller | ||
| 5. Alenquer (3) J: Jamie Mott 57kg 90x60T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 1. Middle Earth (7) J: Ethan Brown 60kg x5090T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 4. Future History (2) J: Mark Zahra 57.5kg 0x903T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 3. Casino Seventeen (1) J: Damian Lane 57.5kg 76582T: Gavin Bedggood | ||
| 2. Point King (9) J: Jamie Melham 58kg x112xT: Anthony & Sam Freedman | ||
| 9. Glentaneous (6) J: Daniel Stackhouse 54kg 9277xT: Anthony & Sam Freedman | ||
| 6. Naval College (4) J: Michael Dee 56kg 47x04T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 8. Sir Kingsford (8) J: Harry Coffey 54kg 11x63T: G & N Searle & B Callanan |
JRA Cup Tips
Good JRA Cup betting tips include looking for in-form staying types proven in tougher races and those with past form at Moonee Valley Racecourse.
Runners under double-figures in betting, those with form over the 2000m plus distance range, and any proven Group 1 performers down in grade also make a good JRA Cup tip.
Another key JRA Cup tip is to look for the in-form six-year-olds in the race as all four JRA Cup winners from 2019-2022 were six-year-olds.
2025 JRA Cup Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ insider JRA Cup tips and Moonee Valley Group 3 betting selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the runners to get behind in the race this spring.
To Win: No. 4 Future History
I’ve got Ciaron Maher’s seasoned stayer FUTURE HISTORY (2) on top in what looks a wide-open edition of the JRA Cup, and the market agrees; he’s firming fast, so now’s the time to strike. The eight-year-old is a genuine Moonee Valley specialist, boasting a sharp record at the track (4:2-1-1), and he’s building nicely into this prep. Two runs back he was well held behind eventual Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours in the Group 3 Naturalism, but he was giving weight away and never got into it. He bounced back strongly last start over the same trip, sticking on bravely for third behind Wootton Verni despite lumping 59.5kg while the winner got all the favours. He drops to 57.5kg here, draws perfectly in gate two, and should roll forward into a sweet spot. The rise to 2400m is right up his alley — he’s a proven stayer with a strong record at the trip (15:5-3-1) and still racing with purpose. With Zahra sticking and the race shape in his favour, he’s ready to make a serious play.
|
4. Future History (2)
J: Mark Zahra 57.5kg
0x903T: Ciaron Maher
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The JRA Cup is a Group 3 race currently contested on Cox Plate Day at The Valley on a Saturday late October during the annual Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Racing at the meeting is headlined by the Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) and the day features a host of other Group status events including the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) for Derby hopes, the Group 2 McEwen Stakes (1200m) moved from September in 2024, the Crystal Mile (1600m), and the Group 2 Moonee Valley Fillies Classic (1600m).
The JRA Cup is a quality handicap race contested over 2040m – the same distance as the iconic Ladbrokes W.S. Cox Plate – and currently offers $240,000 in prize money.
First run in 1993, the event gained Group 3 status in 2010 and has been won by many quality horses over the years that went on to win bigger races during their careers.
Some of the better horses out of the JRA Cup race may now continue onto the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) on the first Tuesday of November after the JRA Cup moved from Moir Stakes Night in September to the Moonee Valley Gold Cup Night in October ahead of the 2023 edition.
In 2024 it moved from the Friday Night Racing program at The Valley to the Cox Plate Day line-up on the Saturday but remains a potential Melbourne Cup lead-up race.
JRA Cup Race Facts
- Date: Saturday October 25, 2025
- Track: Moonee Valley Racecourse
- Distance: 2040m
- Conditions: Quality Handicap
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $240,000
- First Run: 1993
JRA Cup Betting
JRA Cup betting is led by in-form staying types with winning form over at least 2000m.
Horses coming off a lead-up Melbourne win or proven at the tight Moonee Valley circuit also sit high up the JRA Cup betting odds.
Ain’tnodeeldun ($2.80 in 2023) and Future History ($3.20 in 2024) are the latest favourites in JRA Cup betting to salute for the punters.
JRA Cup Field
The JRA Cup race field attracts a quality field of staying types heading towards tougher assignments over the spring carnival.
Previously, runners out of the JRA Cup field may have backed-up in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) at Caulfield looking to win their way into the Caulfield Cup field before the JRA Cup date changed to late October in 2023.
In 2024, Future History improved on a lead-up 2nd in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) to dominate the JRA Cup results.
Now runners in the JRA Cup field are likely to target Flemington races over the Melbourne Cup Carnival including the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) or even the Melbourne Cup race itself over the two-miles.
The JRA Cup nominations close the Monday before the race runs on the Saturday, while the final field and barriers are out on the Wednesday.
2025 JRA Cup Field
The official JRA Cup 2025 Final Field & Barrier Draw will be available right here once acceptances are taken on the Wednesday of race week so stay tuned to see the list of horses set to face off at Moonee Valley in the potential Group 1 lead-up.
The 2025 JRA Cup final field features a quality line-up of potential Melbourne Cup bound stayers including the Ciaron Maher trained import Middle Earth out to atone for his Caulfield Cup 11th last weekend and the Group 3 Coongy Cup runner-up Casino Seventeen drawn the rails.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Middle Earth
J: Ethan Brown
T: Ciaron Maher |
9x5090 | G | 7 | 60kg | |
|
2. Point King
J: Jamie Melham
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
8x112x | G | 9 | 58kg | |
|
3. Casino Seventeen
J: Damian Lane
T: Gavin Bedggood |
276582 | G | 1 | 57.5kg | |
|
4. Future History
J: Mark Zahra
T: Ciaron Maher |
50x903 | G | 2 | 57.5kg | |
|
5. Alenquer
J: Jamie Mott
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
590x60 | G | 3 | 57kg | |
|
6. Naval College
J: Michael Dee
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
x47x04 | G | 4 | 56kg | |
|
7. Star Of India
J: Jye McNeil
T: Chris Waller |
00x806 | G | 5 | 54.5kg | |
|
8. Sir Kingsford
J: Harry Coffey
T: G & N Searle & B Callanan |
111x63 | G | 8 | 54kg | |
|
9. Glentaneous
J: Daniel Stackhouse
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
69277x | G | 6 | 54kg | |
| 10. Lincoln Rocks (3) Scratched: | |||||
2025 JRA Cup Nominations
The JRA Cup Nominations for 2025 close on the Monday leading-up to the race.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 00x0590x60 | ALENQUER (FR) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 100 |
| 2 | x54248x626 | BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 97 |
| 3 | 72×111 | BLINDEDBYTHELIGHT | M | 4 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | 74 |
| 4 | 045×276582 | CASINO SEVENTEEN | G | 8 | Gavin Bedggood | 101 |
| 5 | 70x5585x09 | DASHING DUCHESS (NZ) | M | 6 | Symon Wilde | 91 |
| 6 | 45x750x903 | FUTURE HISTORY (GB) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 101 |
| 7 | 60x069277x | GLENTANEOUS (IRE) | G | 8 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 90 |
| 8 | 17425x9x00 | HERMAN HESSE (GB) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 100 |
| 9 | 17x039x638 | LINCOLN ROCKS (NZ) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 81 |
| 10 | 8x159x5090 | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 106 |
| 11 | 3646x47x04 | NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 98 |
| 12 | x803441471 | NAVY KING (NZ) | G | 5 | Symon Wilde | 76 |
| 13 | 8x4x8x112x | POINT KING (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 102 |
| 14 | 1111x6x915 | SEA WHAT I SEE (IRE) | M | 6 | Danny O’Brien | 96 |
| 15 | 10x5111x63 | SIR KINGSFORD | G | 6 | G & N Searle & B Callanan | 91 |
| 16 | 60310×7294 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 105 |
| 17 | 0x0000x806 | STAR OF INDIA (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 95 |
| 18 | 316120×790 | THEDOCTOROFLOVE | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 92 |
| 19 | 1443133×59 | ZIRYAB (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 85 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
JRA Cup Form Guide
The JRA Cup form guide features all the essential race information including the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the horses in the field.
The JRA Cup form has gone on to stack-up in better spring races many times over the years including the 2018 winner The Taj Mahal who ran fifth in that year’s Caulfield Cup results before a subsequent win in the Group 2 Zipping Classic at Sandown, a race he also won in 2017.
In 2017 the ATC Derby winner Jon Snow took out the JRA Cup before a next-up third in the Group 1 Caulfield Stakes (2000m).
2025 JRA Cup Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive JRA Cup 2025 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
JRA Cup Results
The JRA Cup race results have been dominated in recent years by in-form stayers at single-figures in betting.
Notable JRA Cup winners throughout history include El Segundo (2005), Maldivian (2007), Alcopop (2009), Precedence (2010), and Jon Snow (2017).
Both El Segundo and Maldivian won the Cox Plate throughout their careers in 2007 and 2008 respectively, but not in the same year as their JRA Cup victories.
Real Love (2016) was the last JRA Cup winning mare.
Secret Blaze holds the current 2040m JRA Cup race record winning in 2021 in a time of 2 minutes 04.31 seconds.
Past JRA Cup Winners
Recent JRA Cup winners dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Weight | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Star Of India | Chris Waller | Jye McNeil | 54.5 kgs | 2:04.85 |
| 2024 | Future History | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 58 kgs | 2:06.68 |
| 2023 | Ain’tnodeeldun | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Billy Egan | 56.5 kgs | 2:05.22 |
| 2022 | Desert Icon | Chris Waller | Brett Prebble | 54 kgs | 2:09.17 |
| 2021 | Secret Blaze | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Craig Williams | 54 kgs | 2:04.31 |
| 2020 | Al Galayel | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Ben Melham | 56 kgs | 2:07.94 |
| 2019 | Captain Cook | Chris Waller | Linda Meech | 54 kgs | 2:06.45 |
| 2018 | The Taj Mahal | Liam Howley | Ben Melham | 58.5 kgs | 2:05.37 |
| 2017 | Jon Snow | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Stephen Baster | 59 kgs | 2:07.12 |
| 2016 | Real Love | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 58 kgs | 2:05.76 |
| 2015 | Escado | Matt Laurie | Ben Melham | 56.5 kgs | 2:05.88 |
| 2014 | The Cleaner | Mick Burles | Steven Arnold | 59 kgs | 2:05.99 |
| 2013 | Mourinho | Peter Gelagotis | Craig Newitt | 54 kgs | 2:06.14 |
| 2012 | Bianmick | Michael Brady | Darren Gauci | 54 kgs | 2:06.66 |
| 2011 | Dream Pedlar | Troy Blacker | Craig Newitt | 54.5 kgs | 2:08.71 |
| 2010 | Precedence | Bart Cummings | Blake Shinn | 55 kgs | 2:05.31 |
| 2009 | Alcopop | Jake Stephens | Dom Tourneur | 53 kgs | 2:08.41 |
| 2008 | Cefalu | Lee Freedman | Luke Nolen | 54.5 kgs | 2:05.99 |
| 2007 | Maldivian | Mark Kavanagh | Michael Rodd | 56 kgs | 2:05.85 |
| 2006 | Pavlova | Cliff Brown | Ben Melham | 53 kgs | 2:07.00 |
| 2005 | El Segundo | Colin Little | Darren Gauci | 52.5 kgs | 2:07.54 |
| 2004 | Beswinging | Louise Bonella | Dale Smith | 52.5 kgs | 2:12.82 |
| 2003 | General Booth | Tony Vasil | Damien Oliver | 55 kgs | 2:06.74 |
| 2002 | Cheverny | Guy Walter | Glen Boss | 52.5 kgs | 2:07.51 |
| 2001 | Rain Gauge | George Hanlon | Greg Childs | 53.5 kgs | 2:06.29 |
| 2000 | Prince Benbara | Tony Rosolini | Brett Prebble | 51.5 kgs | 2:07.38 |
FAQ
Who won the 2025 JRA Cup?
The 2025 JRA Cup was won by seven-year-old Galileo gelding Star Of India at $11 for trainer Chris Waller with jockey Jye McNeil aboard on 54.5kg from barrier 5 to win by 1.5 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 2:04.85.
Who won the 2024 JRA Cup?
The 2024 JRA Cup was won by the Ciaron Maher-trained Future History who saluted as the $3.250 favourite and was ridden by Mark Zahra.
When is the JRA Cup 2025?
Saturday October 25, 2025What is the prize money for the JRA Cup 2025?
$240,000
Where is the JRA Cup 2025?
Moonee Valley Racecourse, Feehan Ave, Moonee Ponds VIC 3039.
How do I bet on the 2025 JRA Cup?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android app with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you’ve created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods.
Next up, head to the racing page and find the runner that’s right for you.
Which horse will win the 2025 JRA Cup?
The best way to pick which horse will win the JRA Cup is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors).
Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.