The highlight of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is the iconic Melbourne Cup race run on the first Tuesday of November. The 2025 Melbourne Cup date is set for Tuesday November 4, 2025, offering an unprecedented $10 million in total prize money!
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is Australia’s biggest and best racing festival, host to some of the world’s most iconic events including the $10 million Melbourne Cup. Racing takes place across the carnival at all of Victoria’s major racecourses including Flemington Racecourse, Caulfield Racecourse and Moonee Valley Racecourse.
2025 Melbourne Cup Betting
Early market betting odds on the 2025 Melbourne Cup will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.
The action gets underway in mid-August and goes through until November, giving punters four months of elite racing and betting action. Group 1 racing kicks off with Memsie Stakes Day in late August or early September at Caulfield and finishes-up in November when the coveted Melbourne Cup Carnival steals the show at Flemington.
The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is host to three majors with the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup among the most popular horse races in Australia. Of those the $10 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) is the most famous and runs over the two miles at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.
In 2022 Racing NSW launched The Big Dance (1600m) race that now runs at Royal Randwick on the same day as Victoria’s Melbourne Cup Day program and offers $3 million in prize money as of 2023.
Melbourne Cup Day is the second of four feature race meetings making up the Melbourne Cup Carnival along with Victoria Derby Day held the Saturday prior, VRC Oaks Day on the first Thursday of November, and Mackinnon Stakes Day – later renamed the VRC Champions Stakes Day – on the first or second Saturday of November.
After the Melbourne Cup Carnival races are run and won, the wider-spread Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival continues for one final race day at Sandown Racecourse in mid-November.
Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival: Feature Races
2025 Caulfield Guineas
The Group 1 $3 million Caulfield Guineas (1600m) in mid-October is a major target for three-year-olds over the spring offering big prize money.
- 2025 Caulfield Guineas Date: Saturday October 11, 2025
- Track: Caulfield
- Distance: 1600m
- Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $3 million
- First Prize: $1.8 million
- 2025 Sponsor: Sportsbet
- First Run: 1881
- Reigning Champion: Private Life (2024)
2025 Caulfield Cup
The first of the ‘Big 3’ spring majors the Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) is a genuine staying contest and forms the first leg of the Spring Cups double along with the iconic Melbourne Cup.
- 2025 Caulfield Cup Date: Saturday October 18, 2025
- Track: Caulfield
- Distance: 2400m
- Conditions: Open Handicap
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $5 million
- First Prize: $3 million
- 2025 Sponsor: Sportsbet
- First Run: 1879
- Reigning Champion: Duke De Sessa (2024)
2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is known as the race where champions are made and is Australasia’s weight-for-age championship. Cox Plate winners come via lead-up runs in races like the Caulfield Stakes and Turnbull Stakes and many greats of the turf have taken out the race including superstar mare Winx who famously won four consecutive Cox Plates from 2015-18. In 2025 the Ladbrokes Cox Plate prize money has been boosted to a record $6 million!
- 2025 Ladbrokes Cox Plate Date: Saturday October 25, 2025
- Track: Moonee Valley
- Distance: 2040m
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $6 million
- First Prize: $4 million
- 2025 Sponsor: Ladbrokes
- First Run: 1922
- Reigning Champion: Via Sistina (2024)
2025 Victoria Derby
The Victoria Derby is the feature race for 3YOs of the spring run at Flemington Racecourse on the Saturday before Melbourne Cup Day. The Moonee Valley Vase on Cox Plate Day is the key Victoria Derby form race. It is race dominated by upsets with plenty of value to be had betting against the favourite in Victoria Derby betting with only two favourites winning since 2006.
- 2025 Victoria Derby Date: Saturday November 1, 2025
- Track: Flemington
- Distance: 2500m
- Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $2 million
- First Prize: $1.2 million
- 2025 Sponsor: Penfolds
- First Run: 1855
- Reigning Champion: Goldrush Guru (2024)
2025 Melbourne Cup
The ‘race that stops a nation’ is the Group 1 $10 million Melbourne Cup contested over the two miles as Flemington Race 7 on the first Tuesday of November. A line-up of primarily European-bred stayers vie for the ‘Loving Trophy’ at around 3pm (local time). The iconic handicap features a capacity 24 starter field. Melbourne Cup betting is open all year round, but favourites have a poor record in the race with just one saluting since Makybe Diva (2005).
- 2025 Melbourne Cup Date: Tuesday November 4, 2025
- Track: Flemington
- Distance: 3200m
- Conditions: Handicap
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $10 million
- First Prize: $4.4 million
- 2025 Sponsor: Lexus
- First Run: 1861
- Reigning Champion: Knight’s Choice (2024)
2025 VRC Oaks
The Group 1 $1 million VRC Oaks (2500m) is the highlight of ‘Ladies Day’ and takes place on the Thursday after the Melbourne Cup. It is the feature race for three-year-old fillies and is traditionally won by young staying types out of the Wakeful Stakes contested on Derby Day the Saturday prior. Upsets are common in the VRC Oaks including in 2016 when $101 shot Lasqueti Spirit led all-the-way.
- 2025 VRC Oaks Date: Thursday November 6, 2025
- Track: Flemington
- Distance: 2500m
- Conditions: 3YO Fillies – Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $1 million
- First Prize: $600,000
- 2025 Sponsor: Crown
- First Run: 1861
- Reigning Champion: Treasurethe Moment (2024)
2025 VRC Champions Sprint
The VRC Champions Sprint – formerly the VRC Sprint Classic – is the major spring race of the spring in Melbourne and takes place down the famous Flemington ‘Straight Six’ on VRC Champions Stakes Day – formerly known as Mackinnon Stakes Day on the Saturday after Melbourne Cup Day. The Manikato Stakes held at Moonee Valley the month before is the key VRC Sprint Classic form race to follow having produced three of the five winners from 2012-2016. Plenty of star sprinters have won the race including Black Caviar (2010-11), who was also the last favourite to salute until the success of Redzel (2017).
- 2025 VRC Champions Sprint Date: Saturday November 8, 2025
- Track: Flemington
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $3 million
- First Prize: $1.8 million
- 2025 Sponsor: TBD
- First Run: 1960
- Reigning Champion: Sunshine In Paris (2024)
2025 VRC Champions Stakes
The VRC Champions Stakes – formerly the Mackinnon Stakes – runs on the second Saturday of November as the feature race of the final Melbourne Cup Carnival race day. The event now offers $3 million in prize money and is a weight-for-age feature intended to keep international gallopers that may have travelled down under for the Ladbrokes Cox Plate an incentive to stay on in Victoria. The event is contested over 2000m.
- 2025 VRC Champions Stakes Date: Saturday November 8, 2025
- Track: Flemington
- Distance: 2000m
- Conditions: Weight-for-age
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $3 million
- First Prize: $1.8 million
- 2025 Sponsor: TBD
- First Run: 1869
- Reigning Champion: Via Sistina (2024)
2025 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival Betting
Early Group 1 spring racing odds for the Melbourne feature races like the Melbourne Cup are open months in advance of the race. Futures betting on the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival 2025 can be accessed above on some of the key spring events by following the market links in our “Feature Races” section above.
Betting on the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival gives race fans the chance to get behind not only Australia’s but the world’s best horses as international raiders make the trip down under chasing the lucrative prize money on offer. There’s also plenty of money for punters to make betting on classics like the Caulfield Cup and Ladbrokes Cox Plate run on successive Saturdays at the end of October.
Often checking out the earlier Sydney Spring Racing Carnival events as a guide to spring betting in Melbourne at the end of the year is a good idea with plenty of horses racing in both NSW and further south during the season.
Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival betting also features a host of excellent Group 1 doubles like the coveted ‘Spring Cup’ double of the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup.
Major Race Days
See below for the full details of the key Race Days contested in Victoria over the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival 2025.
PB Lawrence Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, August 16, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield
Feature Races:
PB Lawrence Stakes Day runs on a Saturday in mid-August and officially starts the Caulfield Spring Racing Carnival. An early run for staying types, the day’s headline race is the weight-for-age P.B. Lawrence Stakes won by star types including Whobegotyou (2011) and Apache Cat (2007). Early Guineas lead-ups begin for the three-year-olds on the day too with the Vain Stakes (colts and geldings) and Quezette Stakes (fillies).
Memsie Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, August 30, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield
Feature Races:
The first of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival Group 1 races is held at Caulfield in late August, the Memsie Stakes run at WFA and won by stars including So You Think (2010) and Weekend Hussler (2008). Three Group 3 races support the Memsie Stakes Day card including the three-year-old sprinters facing off in the McNeil Stakes.
Moir Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025
Racecourse: Moonee Valley
Feature Races:
- Group 1 $750,000 Moir Stakes (1000m)
- Listed $175,000 Chautauqua Stakes (1200m)
- Listed $175,000 Atlantic Jewel Stakes (1200m)
- Listed $175,000 McKenzie Stakes (1200m)
In 2024 the A.J. Moir Stakes moved from its later slot on the calendar to run in early September, where it remains in 2025, to kick off the Group 1 Melbourne sprints. The short distance stars facing off in the Moir Stakes over 1000m, which is a key lead-up to the VRC Champions Stakes during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Makybe Diva Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
Racecourse: Flemington
Feature Races:
Group 1 racing in Melbourne continues with Flemington Racecourse hosting the Makybe Diva Stakes for the milers, a race named in honour of three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva. Two Group 2 races also take place on the day including the Bobbie Lewis Quality for potential Sydney-bound The Everest hopefuls.
Added to the card in 2024, the Lexus Archer Stakes, previously held on Derby Day, offers the winner a coveted Melbourne Cup ballot exemption.
Underwood Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, September 20, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield
Feature Races:
Underwood Stakes Day returned to Caulfield Racecourse in 2023 with a field of spring stayers facing off in the Underwood Stakes over 1800m. Many Underwood Stakes graduates continue their way to a Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) bid later in the carnival.
In 2025 Underwood Stakes Day also features the Group 1 $1 million Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m), which was briefly conducted in November, to make this a dual Group 1 race card with that race again serving as a key Toorak Handicap lead-up.
The other Group races on the card are the Caulfield Guineas Prelude and Naturalism Stakes. The Naturalism Stakes is a lead-up to the Caulfield Cup and is always worth turning in for. The Naturalism Stakes winner is exempt from Caulfield Cup ballot and in 2016 Jameka did the double.
Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Night 2025
Date: Friday, September 26, 2025
Racecourse: Moonee Valley
Feature Races:
Held under the lights at Moonee Valley, Ladbrokes Manikato Stakes Night is headlined by the Champions Sprint-bound gallopers doing battle in the $2 million Manikato Stakes – previously held on Cox Plate Day but host to its own Friday night feature as of 2024.
The 2025 Manikato Night card also features the Group 2 Feehan Stakes for Cox Plate-bound gallopers.
Also on the Friday evening race card are the Stutt Stakes for three-year-old miler/stayers and the mares facing off in the Stocks Stakes.
Sandown Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, September 27, 2025
Racecourse: Sandown Hillside
Feature Races:
With the Underwood Stakes moved back to a Saturday time-slot at Caulfield since 2023 the Group 3 Sandown Stakes is now its own feature at Sandown Hillside.
In 2025 the meeting also features the Thousand Guineas Prelude for three-year-old fillies with the Group 1 Thousand Guineas moved from November to Caulfield Cup Day in October.
Turnbull Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, October 4, 2025
Racecourse: Flemington
Feature Races:
Flemington is host to the next Group 1 with the Turnbull Stakes heading this early October card. The set weights plus penalties clash has been won by plenty of nice stayers including Efficient (2009) who won the 2007 Melbourne Cup, superstar Zipping (2010), and Green Moon (2012) who went on to win that year’s edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’. The other most lucrative event on the program is the Group 3 The Bart Cummings which is another key lead-up into the Melbourne Cup for stayers further down the ballot for the world’s richest handicap.
Caulfield Guineas Day 2025
Date: Saturday, October 11, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield
Feature Races:
Caulfield Guineas Day boasts a bumper line-up including three Group 1 races. The three-year-old colts and geldings face off in the Caulfield Guineas field for $3 million in prize money. The Caulfield Stakes – currently known as the Might And Power Stakes – over 2000m attracts Cox Plate hopes and has been won by the likes of So You Think (2010), Atlantic Jewel (2013), Criterion (2015) and super mare Winx (2016) in recent years. The Toorak Handicap, a popular mile event, is the other Group 1 on the card.
Coongy Cup Day 2025
Date: Wednesday, October 15, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield
Feature Races:
- Group 3 $200,000 Coongy Cup (2000m)
- Listed $175,000 Magic Millions Debutant Stakes (1000m)
Midweek racing takes place on a Wednesday in mid-October at Caulfield with the Group 3 Coongy Cup now the feature event on the card for Caulfield Cup hopefuls chasing an eleventh hour start in the mile and a half classic.
Caulfield Cup Day 2025
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield
Feature Races:
The first of the three Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival majors runs on a Saturday in mid to late October, $5 million in prize money on offer in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m). The season’s best stayers take to the Caulfield track in the mile and a half classic won in recent years by Dunaden (2012), Mongolian Khan (2015), and Chris Waller’s outstanding mare Verry Elleegant (2020).
2025 Caulfield Cup Day will feature two Group 1 races with the Thousand Guineas for three-year-old fillies, formerly held in November, moved forward to join the line-up.
One of the day’s key support races is the Caulfield Classic for three-year-olds, formerly called the Norman Robinson Stakes, heading towards the VRC Derby.
Ladbrokes Geelong Cup Day 2025
Date: Wednesday, October 22, 2025
Racecourse: Geelong
Feature Races:
- Group 3 $500,000 Geelong Cup (2400m)
- Listed $200,000 Geelong Classic (2200m)
The first big Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival meeting held outside of the major city tracks is Geelong Cup Day where a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption is on offer to the winner of the Group 3 Geelong Cup (2400m). The form out of the Geelong Cup has stacked up in the Melbourne Cup results a number of times in recent years including the double being completed by French raiders Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011).
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Night 2025
Date: Friday, October 24, 2025
Racecourse: Moonee Valley
Feature Races:
2023 saw a change to the Melbourne Spring Carnival line-up with the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup, for potential Melbourne Cup horses, now run on its own feature Friday Night race meeting at The Valley offering $750,000 in stakes.
In 2025 the Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup officially offers the winner a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption adding to the importance of this popular Friday night race meet.
Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day 2025
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2025
Racecourse: Moonee Valley
Feature Races:
The second Group 1 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival major runs on a Saturday in late October, Australasia’s weight-for-age championship the $6 million Group 1 Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) won by the likes of Makybe Diva (2005), So You Think (2009-10), and historic four-time champion Winx (2015-18) in recent years.
Key support acts include the Moonee Valley Fillies Classic attracting Empire Rose Stakes-bound fillies and the Moonee Valley Vase.
Bendigo Cup Day 2025
Date: Wednesday, October 29, 2025
Racecourse: Bendigo
Feature Race:
Melbourne Cup Carnival
Victoria Derby Day 2025
Date: Saturday, November 1, 2025
Racecourse: Flemington
Feature Races:
- Group 1 $2.17 million Victoria Derby (2500m)
- Group 1 $2 million Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m)
- Group 1 $1 million Empire Rose Stakes (1600m)
- Group 2 $500,000 The Damien Oliver (formerly the Linlithgow Stakes) (1200m)
- Group 2 $300,000 Wakeful Stakes (1200m)
- Group 3 $500,000 Carbine Club Stakes (1600m)
- Group 3 $200,000 The Vanity (1400m) – formerly held during the autumn
- Group 3 $200,000 Rising Fast Stakes (formerly the Chatham Stakes) (1200m)
- Group 3 $200,000 Furphy Sprint (formerly the Begonia Belle Stakes) (1100m)
The iconic four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival kicks off on the Saturday before Melbourne Cup Day with Victoria Derby Day host to three Group 1 races including the $2 million Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) for the season’s best three-year-old stayers.
The three-year-old sprinters get a chance to shine in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, while the fillies and mares do battle in the Empire Rose Stakes over the mile.
Melbourne Cup Day 2025
Date: Tuesday, November 4, 2025
Racecourse: Flemington
Feature Races:
Hands-down the biggest race day in Australia every year, Melbourne Cup Day punters spend more money predicting the winner of the ‘race that stops a nation’ than the rest of the carnival Group 1 races combined! The $10 million Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) runs over the two miles, is the richest race of its kind in the world and attracts the best local and international stayers. Favourites however have a poor record in the capacity 24-starter field and upsets are not uncommon, including in 2015 when 100/1 shot Prince Of Penzance got the job done for roughie backers.
VRC Oaks Day 2025
Date: Thursday, November 6, 2025
Racecourse: Flemington
Feature Races:
Held on the first Thursday in November, VRC Oaks Day is also known as ‘Ladies Day’ and runs two days after the classic Melbourne Cup. The three-year-old fillies proven over a decent distance face off in the VRC Oaks (2500m), which is the female equivalent of the VRC Derby.
VRC Champions Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, November 8, 2025
Racecourse: Flemington
Feature Races:
The fourth and final Melbourne Cup Carnival race day runs on the first Saturday in November annually and is headlined by the Group 1 VRC Champions Stakes (2000m) – a $3 million showdown also known as the Mackinnon Stakes – for the Cox Plate graduates and the Group 1 Champions Sprint (1200m) – formerly the VRC Sprint Classic – for the season’s star sprinters.
In 2022 the Kennedy Cantala Stakes was renamed as the Champions Mile and moved from Derby Day to Champions Stakes Day.
There’s also a consolation race for Melbourne Cup types that missed a run in the two mile classic a few days earlier in the form of the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m), currently run as the Queen’s Cup.
Orr Stakes Day 2025
Date: Saturday, November 15, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield Racecourse
Feature Races:
Group 1 racing during the spring carnival in Victoria continues right through until late November with the rescheduled CF Orr Stakes, formerly run in February during the autumn, now rounding out the spring elite levels in Melbourne.
The Sandown Guineas has also moved to the new-look Orr Stakes Day in 2025, while the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes prize money has been boosted to $1 million with the event pegged to eventually gain Group 1 status.
Zipping Classic Day 2025
Date: Saturday, November 29, 2025
Racecourse: Caulfield Racecourse
Feature Races:
Following the highs of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the wider Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is host to one last race meeting in late November or early December.
Zipping Classic Day takes place at Caulfield Racecourse in 2025, and the day’s support race is the Zipping Classic (formerly the Sandown Classic) in honour of four-time winner Zipping (2007-10).