Melbourne Cup 2025: The Race That Stops a Nation

Race Details and Schedule

Melbourne Cup 2025 All Runners

What Time Is The Melbourne Cup?

The Melbourne Cup 2025 starts at 3:00 PM AEDT on November 4th, 2025.

Make sure you clear your schedule (if it isn’t already, we encourage you to set time aside for this landmark event).

Here is a list of start times for each state.

The main race will go for around 3 1/2 minutes give or take.

Flemington Melbourne Cup Timetable

The competition is fierce, and with the top 12 horses taking home cash, there’s no room for just showing up.

But here’s the thing: Winning this race? It’s not just about speed. Strategy plays a huge role: handicaps, placements, jockey tactics, it’s all critical. We’re talking months of planning, fine-tuning, and training. It’s a game of chess, and the board’s massive.

Prize Money

A Carnival of Fashion, Betting, and Horses

Here’s the funny thing about the Melbourne Cup. Some people couldn’t care less about the horses. For them, it’s all about the fashion. Flemington becomes a catwalk, ladies in stunning millinery, blokes in sharp suits, and everyone’s trying to outdo each other. And let’s not forget the marquees where the real high-rollers hang out. It’s not just about watching the race; it’s about being seen.

Maybe horse racing isn’t your thing. That’s cool. Melbourne Cup Day is just as much about the vibe as it is about the horses. Flemington’s overflowing with live music, food stalls offering gourmet bites, and enough fashion to fill a magazine. There’s something for everyone, whether you’re trackside or at home hosting your own Cup Day BBQ.

And if you’re in Victoria, lucky you, Cup Day is a public holiday. The rest of the country? They just kind of make it a holiday anyway.

The Build-Up: It’s More Than Just One Race

The Melbourne Cup isn’t just one race. It’s a 10-race day that features everything from sprints to endurance tests. It’s an entire day of high-stakes racing, and the buzz just builds as the hours tick by.

• The Lexus Melbourne Cup: The big one, of course. The 3200-metre behemoth that’s the highlight of the day.
• Darley Maribyrnong Plate (1000m), The Macca’s Run (2800m), and the Furphy Plate (1800m): These are just a few of the races that keep the energy alive leading up to the main event.

So Who’s Gonna Win?

If I knew the answer to that, I’d be a millionaire. As it stands, we won’t know the final field until a few days before the race. But one thing’s for sure: the winner will be remembered forever. Just look at Makybe Diva, who won three times! The stakes are high, and so is the prestige.

Melbourne Cup Betting

Melbourne Cup is one of Australia’s most significant betting events, and it’s not uncommon for work conversations and family banter to centre around who people are betting on. Unfortunately, as we don’t know the official field for the race yet, we can’t give any tips, but we can provide the best methods for selecting your tips. So check out our Tips page to find out more.

Melbourne Cup Sweep

If you’re looking for a cheap, fun way to experience the Melbourne Cup this year, look no further than participating in a Sweep! We provide all the information you need to organise your own Work Sweep. It’s simple and easy – so be sure to join in on the fun this year!

Download your FREE copy of the printable Melbourne Cup sweep kit below.

2025 Melbourne Cup Sweep Kit

Melbourne Cup Stats

There are various elements to consider when selecting the Melbourne Cup winner. With a probable field size of 24 horses, it’s often down to the jockey’s ride on the horse, so we look at the most successful Melbourne Cup jockeys, with Damien Oliver and Glen Boss having ridden three winners each.

About Flemington Racecourse

Since its inception in 1864, the Melbourne Cup has evolved from a local spectacle into an event of global importance. Over the years, the Cup has weathered world wars, economic depressions, and changing social dynamics, all while maintaining its status as the crown jewel of the Australian racing calendar.

Notably, the introduction of international competitors in the 1990s transformed the race, making it a truly global contest that reflects the sport’s worldwide appeal.

The racecourse’s circumference is 2,312 meters. There are 1.27 kilometres between the racecourse and various adjacent areas.

Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw

The Melbourne Cup barrier draw is held on Victoria Derby day, November 2 this year.

The Lexus Hotham Stakes is the final race on Derby day, and it’s when Melbourne Cup hopefuls can try to make it into the closing field. As a result, the barrier draw must start after this race has taken place.

The VRC announces the final Melbourne Cup Field and barriers at 5:30 PM sharp after the Hotham Stakes has concluded.

Melbourne Cup International Runners

The Melbourne Cup, the most watched horse race in Australia, is a 3200-meter race contested by three-year-old horses and above. The Melbourne Cup held on November 1 at Flemington Racecourse, has become known as “the race that stops a nation.” Throughout its lengthy history, which dates back to 1861, several foreign horses have prevailed in this prestigious event.

The Best Winners

Horses who win the Melbourne Cup are considered some of the best in history, especially those that have won multiple times. However, with increased weights and changing conditions, it takes an exceptional horse to achieve this; multiple winners typically go to extremes to ensure their horses are healthy and up for the challenge on race day.

Makybe Diva has won the Melbourne Cup three times, most recently in 2015, while Archer and arguably Australia’s most well-known horse Phar Lap have won the race twice each.

Previous Melbourne Cup Winners

In the past there have been droves of people flocking to Flemington racecourse to witness the race that stops a nation and we have ever single winner accounted for.

 Previous Melbourne Cup Winners

Getting to Flemington Racecourse

Whether you’re a local or coming from out of town, here’s what you absolutely need to know to navigate Flemington like a pro.

Driving? Don’t. Parking’s a nightmare, and you’ll regret it if you plan to enjoy the day. Instead:

• Park Early: If you must drive, aim for spots along Fisher Parade, or park in nearby suburbs like Footscray or Ascot Vale. But be warned, resident-only parking is everywhere.
• Public Transport: Your best bet. Bus 472 from Footscray runs every 20 minutes and drops you right at the racecourse. Trains run from Southern Cross directly to Flemington, just make sure you’ve got your ticket handy when you arrive.

Melbourne Cup 2025 Tickets

Buy in Advance: Head to the Melbourne Cup website or Ticketek to secure your tickets. It’s not just easier, you might even score a discount. Choose between physical tickets by post or e-tickets sent straight to your phone. Pro tip: Turn up your phone’s brightness when scanning your ticket at the gate.

Searching for Melbourne Cup Tickets? Easy done.

You can simply purchase tickets to the cup through the VRC.

How to watch the Melbourne Cup

Switch up? in a change of pace for this year’s running of the cup.

Channel 10 has taken over the broadcast from Channel 7 which will give viewers a new feel.

They have announced their broadcast team who will consist of…

Peter Moody, Michael Felgate, Caty Price, Francesca Cumani, David Gately, Brittany Taylor (what a great lineup)

This can be viewed on free-to-air television on Channel 10 and also online.

Live Streaming Of The Cup

Live streaming of the Melbourne Cup is easy, as the biggest racing event in Australia you can access it on normal television as well as Kayo, Sky Racing, and also if you are at work or not near a television you can also watch it on a number of betting sites such as Ladbrokes.

Betting On The Melbourne Cup

No need to worry; there are still plenty of ways to place a bet on the Melbourne Cup, and thanks to Ladbrokes, there is now a way to bet with mates that allows you to bet on the cup at home with friends and family, which can easily be found in their app under the function ‘Mates Mode‘. Additionally Neds also has ‘Group Betting‘ which essentially the same thing, essentially they have the same functionality but are a great way to have little bit of fun with your friends.

Horse Racing Tips

Keep up-to-date with all the best Horse Racing tips today.

Keep an eye out on the Melbourne Cup form, through our Cup watch reports, and also on this website.

Racing Statistics

Want to know the odds of your horse winning? take a look at the horse racing statistics.

Locally?

Australia goes all out. Across the country, race meetings build up to the big event at Flemington, usually around 3:00pm EST. And let’s not forget the BBQs, the music, and the unbeatable vibe, if the weather plays along, it’s the perfect day.

But the Melbourne Cup isn’t just about horse racing. It’s an industry. From betting websites to media, training facilities to stables, everyone’s gearing up for the 4-day carnival. And the fashion? A whole economy of fascinators, dresses, and outfits is gearing up for Cup Day.

Then there’s the hospitality sector, restaurants and pubs across Melbourne are about to have their busiest days of the year, thanks to the influx of out-of-towners who come down not just for the Cup but for the entire Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.

And of course, they’ll be playing our famous Melbourne Cup song on repeat.

Flemington Racecourse and Track Insights

Track Insights

The Course: Flemington’s track is just over 2300m. The Melbourne Cup starts halfway up the 1200m Straight Six. Expect a well-drained course, ideal for both horses and punters alike, usually rated between Good 4 and Dead 5.

Watch the Weather

Melbourne’s Weather: Unpredictable at best. Check the forecast a couple of days before the event. Trust the Australian Bureau of Meteorology for the latest updates, no one wants to be caught off-guard by a downpour.

The Handicappers’ Game

Weights Matter: VRC’s Handicapper, Greg Carpenter, assigns weights months in advance. This complex process considers age, previous wins, and more. The goal? Fair competition. Expect a weight spread between 58kg and 49kg across all entries.