Lexus Melbourne Cup
Group 1 Handicap, Flemington 04:00 (UK time) A$ 10,000,000 3yo plus, 2m
Tweet Tuesday 4th November 2025

The Lexus Melbourne Cup picture has taken on fresh intrigue with Al Riffa, this year’s commanding Irish St Leger winner, handed joint top weight for Flemington on November 4. Joseph O’Brien’s charge, who streaked clear by four lengths over 14 furlongs, has been allotted 59 kilograms (9st 4lb)—a mark he shares with Chris Waller’s Via Sistina, the mare who’s now racked up nine Group One wins in Australia after first making her name in Britain under George Boughey.

Wow that was impressive! 😍

🐎🏆 Al Riffa wins the Irish St Leger at The Curragh!

pic.twitter.com/iKjg7KRFLj

— BETDAQ (@BETDAQ) September 14, 2025

O’Brien knows precisely what it takes to land “the race that stops a nation”—he’s done it twice already with Twilight Payment (2020) and Rekindling (2017)—and he’s also got Goodie Two Shoes lurking on 51.5 kg.

Aidan O’Brien has confirmed Scandinavia will not run and will be put away until next season, with the Gold Cup at Royal Ascot pencilled in as his primary objective.

The British and Irish challenge runs deep. Andrew Balding’s Furthur, sixth at Doncaster, is pencilled in on 52 kg. Willie Mullins’ ever-consistent Absurde, seventh and fifth in the last two Cups, has been set 53.5 kg, with stablemate Hipop De Loire on 52 kg. Add to that Epic Poet (54.5 kg), Tabletalk (54 kg), Meydaan (54 kg), Harbour Wind (53 kg) and Onesmoothoperator (52 kg) to complete a formidable northern-hemisphere cast.

Meydaan, trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, also holds a Caulfield Cup entry, and Racing Victoria handicapper David Hegan admitted he posed a puzzle:

“He comes with a high-performance rating but he doesn’t have the wins to back it up. He is probably similar in profile to the stablemate West Wind Blows, who came out here and was given 54 kg in the Caulfield Cup and was narrowly beaten by Without A Fight.

“The difference was West Wind Blows had dual Group Three wins and a Listed win – he was a proven winner – but while Meydaan comes with a similar rating but from running seconds and thirds in listed and Group Three races.

“The traditional Australian way of handicapping is to put more emphasis on wins rather than placings.

“So, there is a very slight discount there for Meydaan and his highest performance run comes off the synthetic surface last start, so whether he can reproduce that on the turf here we’ll have to find out.

“But he is definitely one that could improve his rating and race beyond expectation.”

Last year’s fairy-tale victor Knight’s Choice is back for John Symons and Sheila Laxon, this time saddled with 55 kg after carrying just 51.5 kg in 2024. And for American fans, Bill Mott’s Parchment Party (52 kg) will make the journey, ensuring the international flavour remains as rich as ever.

Lexus Melbourne Cup (Group 1 Handicap)
A$ 10,000,000
3yo plus, 2m (3200 Metres)
120 entries
Going:

Recent Melbourne Cup Winners