2025 Melbourne Cup tips, Flemington best bets and what horses to back in this year’s Melbourne Cup field will all be available here at Ladbrokes ahead of the race on Tuesday the 4th of November!
| 14. Half Yours (8) J: Jamie Melham 53kg 15141T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | ||
| 20. Goodie Two Shoes (20) J: W M Lordan 51.5kg 1113xT: Joseph O'Brien | ||
| 7. Middle Earth (13) J: Ethan Brown 54.5kg 50903T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 21. River Of Stars (14) J: Beau Mertens 51.5kg x7802T: Chris Waller | ||
| 23. Torranzino (18) J: Celine Gaudray 51kg 80821T: Paul Preusker | ||
| 4. Vauban (2) J: Blake Shinn 56.5kg x3650T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 1. Al Riffa (19) J: Mark Zahra 59kg x4211T: Joseph O'Brien | ||
| 9. Absurde (4) J: Kerrin McEvoy 53.5kg 2x3x7T: Willie Mullins | ||
| 13. Changingoftheguard (24) J: Tim Clark 53kg 82106T: Kris Lees | ||
| 8. Meydaan (22) J: James McDonald 54kg 05239T: Simon & Ed Crisford | ||
| 17. Furthur (7) J: Michael Dee 52kg 52516T: Andrew Balding | ||
| 3. Arapaho (15) J: Rachel King 56.5kg 36408T: Bjorn Baker | ||
| 10. Flatten The Curve (17) J: Thore Hammer-Hansen 53.5kg 1411xT: Henk Grewe | ||
| 12. Smokin' Romans (11) J: Ben Melham 53.5kg 72948T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 22. Royal Supremacy (21) J: Robbie Dolan 51kg 11215T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 24. Valiant King (10) J: Jye McNeil 51kg 3x013T: Chris Waller | ||
| 15. More Felons (23) J: Tommy Berry 53kg x0944T: Chris Waller | ||
| 6. Presage Nocturne (9) J: Stephane Pasquier 55.5kg 13x34T: Alessandro Botti | ||
| 18. Parchment Party (3) J: John R Velazquez 52kg 2311xT: William I Mott | ||
| 19. Athabascan (1) J: Declan Bates 51.5kg x0002T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton | ||
| 11. Land Legend (16) J: Joao Moreira 53.5kg 39500T: Chris Waller | ||
| 5. Chevalier Rose (5) J: Damian Lane 55.5kg 70x0xT: Hisashi Shimizu | ||
| 2. Buckaroo (12) J: Craig Williams 57kg x3232T: Chris Waller |
Melbourne Cup tips on which horses in the field for the world’s richest handicap to back in Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on the first Tuesday of November are highly sought after.
Each year punters are keen to get the insider Melbourne Cup tips to sort the pretenders from the genuine contenders in the $10 million Group 1 showdown.
Melbourne Cup Tips 2025
Our insider Melbourne Cup betting tips including the horses to back for the Melbourne Cup Trifecta on the first Tuesday of November will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned.
Early Melbourne Cup Tips are to watch the international stayers contending Royal Ascot races over the winter and the lead-up spring racing form of horses that performed well over the autumn carnival.
Punters can lock in their Melbourne Cup race selections at juicy all-in prices online right now with Ladbrokes, with big Flemington odds on offer for horses tipped to run in the Melbourne Cup field.
To Win: No. 6 Presage Nocturne (9)
PRESAGE NOCTURNE (9) is my top pick to win the 2025 Melbourne Cup — and he’s giving off serious Americain vibes. This classy French grey, a son of the red-hot sire Wootton Bassett, arrives with proven staying credentials and the kind of profile that’s made for Flemington’s ultimate test.
He’s already won up to 3000m overseas, so the 3200m trip holds no fears, especially with a strong European base behind him. His Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup was eye-catching: settling well back in 13th, he surged late to finish just 1.8 lengths off Half Yours while carrying 57.5kg. That run earned praise from connections and signalled he’s building nicely this spring.
Now dropping to 53kg and stepping up in distance, he looks primed to peak. Barrier 9 hasn’t produced a winner since Efficient in 2007, but tactically it suits this visitor well. He’ll again be partnered by accomplished French jockey Stéphane Pasquier, who’s been with him throughout the campaign and knows how to time his run.
He brings consistency to the table too — only four times out of the top three in 17 starts. Before arriving in Australia, he ran a cracking third in the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay over 3000m, beaten just a quarter-length while lugging 59kg. That race has historically stacked up well for Melbourne Cup form.
With rain forecast in the lead-up, he’ll relish any give in the ground. All signs point to a huge run — and at the price, he’s a serious winning hope.
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6. Presage Nocturne (9)
J: Stephane Pasquier 55.5kg
13×34T: Alessandro Botti
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To Challenge: No. 14 Half Yours (8)
HALF YOURS (8) has had me weighing up his chances of pulling off the Spring Cups double — and in the end, he’s simply going too well to leave out of the finish.
Only 12 horses have completed the Caulfield–Melbourne Cup double, but this progressive St. Jean gelding from Team McEvoy could be lucky number 13. His rise through the ranks has been impressive, starting with a dominant win in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) on a Soft 5 track, where he cruised home with 54kg in effortless fashion and stamped himself as a genuine spring contender.
He truly entered Cup calculations with a commanding 3.5-length win in the Group 3 Naturalism Stakes (2000m), then bounced back from a fourth in the Turnbull Stakes to claim the Caulfield Cup — a race where Jamie Melham made history as the first female jockey to win the traditional lead-up. She’s back aboard for the big one, and her confidence in the horse stepping up to 3200m is encouraging.
Now a five-year-old, Half Yours rises slightly in weight to 53kg after carrying 52.5kg in the Caulfield Cup, but still looks well in. While he’s had a smooth run into the race, it’s hard to knock the form of this year’s Melbourne Cup favourite.
With Vow And Declare (2019) and Knight’s Choice (2024) the most recent Aussie-bred winners, Half Yours stands as the sole locally foaled hope in Tuesday’s field. Drawn in barrier 8 — the same gate Viewed won from in 2008 — and with rain forecast, conditions could play right into his hands.
A genuine Each Way chance.
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14. Half Yours (8)
J: Jamie Melham 53kg
15141T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy
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To Feature: No. 1 Al Riffa (19)
AL RIFFA (19) was long-time favourite for the 2025 Melbourne Cup but has drifted to $8 at time of writing, after drawing wide in barrier 19 and being assigned topweight of 59kg.
Despite those challenges, he remains the standout international in the field — and history shows the Europeans thrive in this race, especially when the track is rain-affected, which looks likely this year. Whether the wet ground offsets the weight burden over 3200m is the key question.
Trained by Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien, who’s already produced two Melbourne Cup winners, Al Riffa arrives with serious credentials and a chance to make history under a hefty impost. He’ll be ridden by Mark Zahra, who is chasing his third Cup win in four years and comes off a dominant Derby Day, where he landed four winners including Group 1 victories in the Coolmore and Derby. He’s the rider you want in form on the big stage.
Barrier 19 isn’t ideal, but it’s not a deal-breaker — Cross Counter won from the same gate in 2018. And Al Riffa’s European form is elite: he crushed rivals in the Group 2 Curragh Cup (2816m) carrying 62kg, then backed it up with a four-length demolition in the Group 1 Irish St Leger under 61.5kg.
He hasn’t raced since September, which raises some fitness queries, but reports suggest he’s been working well since arriving in Australia. There are a few hurdles to clear, but if he brings his best, Al Riffa could stamp himself as a global star in Race 7 on Tuesday.
Keep him very safe.
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1. Al Riffa (19)
J: Mark Zahra 59kg
x4211T: Joseph O’Brien
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The Danger: No. 24 Valiant King (10)
VALIANT KING (10) has been firmly on the radar in the lead-up to his second crack at the nation’s most iconic race — and with good reason.
He finished 13th in last year’s Melbourne Cup at long odds (80/1), beaten just over five lengths by surprise winner Knight’s Choice, but had to contend with a horror draw in barrier 21. This time, he’s fared far better with gate 10 — the same alley Protectionist jumped from to win in 2014.
Now under the care of master trainer Chris Waller for a full 12 months, Valiant King looks to have turned the corner. He broke through for his first Australian win in style, booking his Cup ticket with a commanding 2.75-length victory in the Group 3 Bart Cummings at Flemington on October 4, defeating subsequent Geelong Cup winner Torranzino.
But it was his Caulfield Cup run that truly stamped him as a live chance. Sent out at 25/1, he was near last with 400m to go before unleashing a powerful late surge to finish third, less than 1.5 lengths off the winner. If you’re following form out of that race, he’s the one to watch.
With just 51kg on his back and Jye McNeil — who famously piloted Twilight Payment to victory in 2020 — retaining the ride, he’s well weighted and in the right hands. The distance is the lingering question, but with the right conditions and a soft track likely, he gets every chance to prove he can stay the trip.
A genuine lightweight with upside and a strong case for exotics.
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24. Valiant King (10)
J: Jye McNeil 51kg
3×013T: Chris Waller
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To Surprise: No. 21 River Of Stars (14)
RIVER OF STARS (14) shapes as one of the most compelling double-figure chances in the 2025 Melbourne Cup and looks capable of outrunning her odds.
Part of Chris Waller’s powerful five-horse Cup squad, this Sea The Stars mare was imported from Ralph Beckett’s French yard earlier in the year and has steadily found her rhythm in Australia. While she’s yet to break through locally and hasn’t won since June last year, that helps explain her current price rather than detract from her genuine claims.
She was well beaten in both the Naturalism Stakes (8th) and Turnbull Stakes (12th), but her Caulfield Cup effort was a revelation. At massive odds, she stormed home from the back to finish just half a length off the winner, carrying 53.5kg — giving weight to Half Yours, whom she now meets better at the weights.
Beau Mertens sticks with her from barrier 14, which hasn’t produced a winner since Makybe Diva in 2005 — but that was a mare too, and the parallel is hard to ignore. She’s proven over longer trips, with winning form up to 2800/2900m overseas and a strong third in the Group 1 Sydney Cup over two miles in the autumn, so the distance holds no fears.
She’ll need to elevate again to win, but there’s a sense of timing about her and Waller has been bullish. A smart inclusion for exotics.
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21. River Of Stars (14)
J: Beau Mertens 51.5kg
x7802T: Chris Waller
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2025 Melbourne Cup Same Race Multi Selections ($81 at time of publish)
- Top 2 – No. 6 Presage Nocturne
- Top 3 – No. 21 River Of Stars
- Top 4 – No. 14 Half Yours
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14. Half Yours (8)
J: Jamie Melham 53kg
15141T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy
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21. River Of Stars (14)
J: Beau Mertens 51.5kg
x7802T: Chris Waller
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6. Presage Nocturne (9)
J: Stephane Pasquier 55.5kg
13×34T: Alessandro Botti
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Statistical Melbourne Cup Tips
Weight Matters: Horses carrying between 51–54.5kg have the best strike rate.
Barrier Draw: Historically, barriers 5, 10, and 11 have produced the most winners.
Lead-Up Races to Watch:
Favourites Don’t Always Win: Only about 20% of favourites have won the Cup in its history.
International Horses: Have won more than half of the last 11 Cups.
Looking for Melbourne Cup tips on which horse will win the race this November?
The Melbourne Cup is a handicap race, meaning horses carry different weights based on their past performance, aiming to equalise their chances. This makes Melbourne Cup form analysis crucial.
Key indicators often include a horse’s proven stamina over similar distances, with successful contenders typically demonstrating strong finishes in their lead-up races.
Look for horses that have had a progressive campaign, building fitness towards the Cup, as trainers often “train to the minute” for this event.
Important lead-up races include the Caulfield Cup, the Geelong Cup, and various European staying races, some of which offer ballot exemptions directly into the Cup.
Statistical trends can also offer insights: historically, four and five-year-old geldings tend to have a strong record, and while international horses have become increasingly dominant, local knowledge of Flemington’s unique characteristics and the specific demands of the 3200m distance remains valuable.
The combination of a high-class horse with a top-tier jockey and an experienced trainer who understands how to prepare a stayer for a grand final can be a powerful factor in deciding who to lock into your Melbourne Cup tips.
What are the best 2025 Melbourne Cup Tips?
General Melbourne Cup betting tips include looking for international performers, proven two-mile horses and gallopers coming off a top four run last start.
From 2009 – 2024 all but three of the Melbourne Cup winners finished first four in their lead-up run including four coming off a victory. In 2022 Gold Trip improved on a lead-up ninth in the Cox Plate to win the 162nd Melbourne Cup, while in 2024 Knight’s Choice came via a 5th in the Bendigo Cup.
In 2023 Without A Fight won the Melbourne Cup off a lead-up victory in the Caulfield Cup the month before making him the last horse to do the coveted Spring Cups Double.
Melbourne Cup tips can be found everywhere in the lead-up to the race, but the big field, handicap conditions and distance of the race make it very difficult to back the winner. The presence of a number of international horses and a variety of different form lines makes it even more difficult to back the winner of the Melbourne Cup, which his why upsets Melbourne Cup results are not uncommon.
Another tip for Melbourne Cup punters is to look at several key lead up races that are considered good guides for Melbourne Cup performance.
Pay attention to strong runs in races like the Cox Plate and the Caulfield Cup.
Fiorente (2013) followed by Verry Elleegant (2021) and Gold Trip (2022) are the latest Melbourne Cup winners to back-up off a Cox Plate having run 3rd, 3rd and 9th.
Gold Trip ran 2nd in the 2022 Caulfield Cup before his Melbourne Cup victory with the Cox Plate run in between, while in 2023 Without A Fight did the Melbourne Cup – Caulfield Cup double for the first time since 2001.
Another tip for people who are looking to have some fun with different bets on the day need not fear the exotics. Picking the Melbourne Cup trifecta pays extremely well along with other exotic bets including the quinella and first four. For instance, this year there is plenty of value in horses that have genuine chances at double figure odds.
This page and the written content within it were partially generated using AI or automated technology and edited and verified by our editorial team.
What are the best 2025 Melbourne Cup Tips?
General Melbourne Cup betting tips include looking for international performers, proven two mile horses and gallopers coming off a top four run last start.
From 2009 – 2024 all but three of the Melbourne Cup winners finished first four in their lead-up run including four coming off a victory. In 2022 Gold Trip improved on a lead-up ninth in the Cox Plate to win the 162nd Melbourne Cup, while in 2024 Knight's Choice came via a 5th in the Bendigo Cup.
In 2023 Without A Fight won the Melbourne Cup off a lead-up victory in the Caulfield Cup the month before.
Melbourne Cup tips can be found everywhere in the lead-up to the race, but the big field, handicap conditions and distance of the race make it very difficult to back the winner. The presence of a number of international horses and a variety of different form lines makes it even more difficult to back the winner of the Melbourne Cup, which his why upsets Melbourne Cup results are not uncommon.
Other tips for Melbourne Cup punters is to look at several key lead up races that are considered good guides for Melbourne Cup performance.
Pay attention to strong runs in races like the Cox Plate and the Caulfield Cup.
Fiorente (2013) followed by Verry Elleegant (2021) and Gold Trip (2022) are the latest Melbourne Cup winners to back-up off a Cox Plate having run 3rd, 3rd and 9th.
Gold Trip ran 2nd in the 2022 Caulfield Cup before his Melbourne Cup victory with the Cox Plate run in between, while in 2023 Without A Fight did the Melbourne Cup – Caulfield Cup double for the first time since 2001.
Another tip for people who are looking to have some fun with different bets on the day need not fear the exotics. Picking the Melbourne Cup trifecta pays extremely well along with other exotic bets including the quinella and first four. For instance, this year there is plenty of value in horses that have genuine chances at double figure odds.
How do I bet on my 2025 Melbourne Cup Tips?
Bet on your 2025 Melbourne Cup tips online or via the latest iOS/Android apps 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 race and runner that's right for you.