2025 Melbourne Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw - Full line up for Flemington

Alex Marsh

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Last updated: 03 Nov 2025

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Alex Marsh 03 Nov 2025

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2025 Melbourne Cup field finalized with 24 contenders.
Half Yours and Al Riffa highlight the competitive lineup.
Barrier positions set, promising an exciting race day.

The barriers and final field have been confirmed for the 2025 Melbourne Cup. (Getty)

The final field has been confirmed for the 2025 Melbourne Cup on November 4. Lowdown on the barrier draw and 24 contenders.

Half Yours (barrier 8) claimed a breakthrough Group 1 victory in the Caulfield Cup, confirming his rise among Australia’s top stayers for Tony & Calvin McEvoy.

The gelding had already impressed with a Naturalism Stakes win and a solid Turnbull Stakes performance leading in, and now heads to Flemington as one of the major local hopes for the Melbourne Cup.

Valiant King (barrier 10) has emerged as a key contender after finishing third in the Caulfield Cup on the back of his Bart Cummings victory, which earned him a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption.

The progressive stayer continues to profile ideally for the two-mile classic.

Presage Nocturne (barrier 9) finished fourth in the Caulfield Cup on his Australian debut — an excellent effort over a trip that’s a little short of his best.

Trained by Alessandro Botti, the French galloper has already proven durable in European Group staying races and looks well suited stepping up in trip for the Melbourne Cup.

Buckaroo (barrier 12) looms as one of the stronger chances after running a close second in the Cox Plate.

Trained by Chris Waller, the entire will carry 57kg with Craig Williams aboard and brings genuine class into the two-mile test, with the 3200 m distance being the main query.

Al Riffa (barrier 19) surged further into Melbourne Cup contention following a dominant victory in the Irish St Leger at The Curragh.

The Irish entire, who earlier claimed the Curragh Cup, was recently purchased by Australian Bloodstock in a multimillion-dollar deal while remaining under the care of Joseph O’Brien, already a two-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer.

Meydaan (barrier 22) produced an excellent Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup when forced to cover ground throughout.

He was entitled to tire late but still found the line strongly in that 2400m feature, and with James McDonald taking over, he looks well placed to improve further at Flemington.

Melbourne Cup 2025 - Barriers & Final Field

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight
1	Al Riffa (FR)	Joseph O’Brien	Mark Zahra	19	59kg
2	Buckaroo (GB)	Chris Waller	Craig Williams	12	57kg
3	Arapaho (FR)	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	15	56.5kg
4	Vauban (FR)	G. Waterhouse & A. Bott	Blake Shinn	2	56.5kg
5	Chevalier Rose (JPN)	Hisashi Shimizu	Damian Lane	5	55.5kg
6	Presage Nocturne (IRE)	Alessandro Botti	Stéphane Pasquier	9	55.5kg
7	Middle Earth (GB)	Ciaron Maher	Ethan Brown	13	54.5kg
8	Meydaan (IRE)	Simon & Ed Crisford	James McDonald	22	54kg
9	Absurde (FR)	Willie Mullins	Kerrin McEvoy	4	53.5kg
10	Flatten The Curve (FR)	Henk Grewe	Thore Hammer Hansen	17	53.5kg
11	Land Legend (FR)	Chris Waller	Joao Moreira	16	53.5kg
12	Smokin’ Romans (NZ)	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	11	53.5kg
13	Changingoftheguard (IRE)	Kris Lees	Tim Clark	24	53kg
14	Half Yours	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	Jamie Melham	8	53kg
15	More Felons (IRE)	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	23	53kg
16	Onesmoothoperator (USA)	Brian Ellison	Harry Coffey	6	53kg
17	Furthur (IRE)	Andrew Balding	Michael Dee	7	52kg
18	Parchment Party (USA)	William Mott	John Velazquez	3	52kg
19	Athabascan (FR)	J. O’Shea & T. Charlton	Declan Bates	1	51.5kg
20	Goodie Two Shoes (IRE)	Joseph O’Brien	Wayne Lordan	20	51.5kg
21	River Of Stars (IRE)	Chris Waller	Beau Mertens	14	51.5kg
22	Royal Supremacy (IRE)	Ciaron Maher	Robbie Dolan	21	51kg
23	Torranzino (NZ)	Paul Preusker	Celine Gaudray	18	51kg
24	Valiant King (GB)	Chris Waller	Jye McNeil	10	51kg