Melbourne Cup 2025 Results: Winner, Placings, and Complete Finishing Order from Flemington Race

Melbourne Cup 2025: Half Yours Triumphs at Flemington as Jamie Melham Seals Historic Double
The nation has witnessed another unforgettable Melbourne Cup day at Flemington, as Half Yours, guided by jockey Jamie
Melham, surged to victory in the 2025 edition of Australia’s most prestigious horse race.
The triumph capped an incredible fortnight for Melham, who only weeks earlier claimed the Caulfield Cup aboard the same
horse. On Tuesday, she repeated her heroics with a perfectly timed ride, fending off a late charge from outsider Goodie Two
Shoes to capture the $10 million event.
A masterful ride on racing’s biggest stage
Half Yours entered the race as one of the pre-race favourites, and from the moment the gates opened, Melham positioned the
horse ideally. In the final stretch, she showed remarkable composure as Goodie Two Shoes loomed large on the outside, but
Half Yours found another gear to clinch victory in front of a roaring Flemington crowd.
“It’s been an incredible few weeks,” Melham said after the race. “Half Yours has such a big heart. We knew if we could find
a clear run down the straight, she’d give everything. This is a dream come true.”
For trainer duo Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the win marked one of their greatest achievements, sealing a major double
across Melbourne’s spring carnival.
Full 2025 Melbourne Cup results

1. Half Yours
2. Goodie Two Shoes
3. Middle Earth
4. River of Stars
5. Torranzino
6. Vauban
7. Al Riffa
8. Absurde
9. Changingoftheguard
10. Meydaan
11. Furthur
12. Araphao
13. Flatten the Curve
14. Smokin’ Romans
15. Royal Supremacy
16. Valiant King
17. Onesmoothoperator
18. More Felons
19. Presage Nocturne
20. Parchment Party
21. Athabascan
22. Land Legend
23. Chevalier Rose
24. Buckaroo
    Prize money: Record $10 million on offer
    The 2025 Melbourne Cup carried a record $10 million prize pool, up from $8 million in 2024.
    The connections of Half Yours took home a remarkable $4.5 million, while the runner-up received $1.11 million and third
    place earned $560,000.
    As is tradition, the winnings were divided among the horse’s owners (85 per cent), trainer (10 per cent), and jockey (5 per
    cent). In addition, the owner, trainer, and jockey each received their own miniature replica of the famous Melbourne Cup
    trophy.
    Prize money breakdown (AUD):
    Finish Prize Money
    1st $4,500,000
    2nd $1,110,000
    3rd $560,000
    4th $360,000
    5th $240,000
    6th–12th $160,000
    13th–24th $100,000
    Final field, barriers and betting odds
    Below is the full list of runners, their barriers, jockeys, trainers, and pre-race odds courtesy of Neds:
    Runner (Barrier) Jockey Trainer Odds
    Al Riffa (19) Mark Zahra Joseph O’Brien $5.50
    Buckaroo (12) Craig Williams Chris Waller $11
    Arapaho (15) Rachel King Bjorn Baker $41
    Vauban (2) Blake Shinn G. Waterhouse & A. Bott $23
    Chevalier Rose (5) Damian Lane Hisashi Shimizu $51
    Presage Nocturne (9) Stephane Pasquier Alessandro Botti $9
    Middle Earth (13) Ethan Brown Ciaron Maher $41
    Meydaan (22) James McDonald Simon & E. Crisford $21
    Absurde (4) Kerrin McEvoy Willie Mullins $16

Flatten The Curve (17) Thore Hammer Hansen Henk Grewe $21
Land Legend (16) Joao Moreira Chris Waller $61
Smokin’ Romans (11) Ben Melham Ciaron Maher $61
Changingoftheguard (24) Tim Clark Kris Lees $61
Half Yours (8) Jamie Melham Tony & C. McEvoy $7.50
More Felons (23) Tommy Berry Chris Waller $51
Onesmoothoperator (6) Harry Coffey Brian Ellison $344
Furthur (7) Michael Dee Andrew Balding $41
Parchment Party (3) John Velazquez William Mott $51
Athabascan (1) Declan Bates J. O’Shea & T. Charlton $61
Goodie Two Shoes (20) Wayne Lordan Joseph O’Brien $311
River of Stars (14) Beau Mertens Chris Waller $16
Royal Supremacy (21) Robbie Dolan Ciaron Maher $26
Torranzino (18) Celine Gaudray Paul Preusker $34
Valiant King (10) Jye McNeil Chris Waller $11
How the race unfolded
The 3,200-metre classic got off to a clean start, with Vauban and Absurde breaking well to set an even early tempo. Half
Yours sat mid-field with cover, conserving energy for the long Flemington straight.
At the 800-metre mark, River of Stars began to creep forward, while Goodie Two Shoes, the Irish stayer at odds of more
than $300, made steady ground around the outside. Turning for home, the field fanned wide as Middle Earth loomed large.
But Melham timed her run perfectly. Half Yours sprinted clear with 300 metres to go, holding off Goodie Two Shoes,
whose late burst fell just short. Middle Earth held on gamely for third, with River of Stars and Torranzino rounding out
the top five.
The winning time was 3 minutes 18.47 seconds, underlining the class of the field and the tactical brilliance of Melham’s
ride.
Reaction from the camp
Trainer Tony McEvoy hailed the win as “the result of patience and precision.”
“This mare has been building toward something special all season,” he said. “Jamie rode her with absolute confidence. To
win both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups in the same campaign is a rare feat — we’re beyond proud.”
For Melham, the victory further cements her reputation among the sport’s elite jockeys. She became only the second woman
in history to win both major Cups in the same spring.
The crowd and atmosphere
More than 95,000 spectators packed into Flemington Racecourse, with millions more watching live across the nation. The
stands erupted as Half Yours crossed the line, confirming another chapter in the race that stops the nation.

Despite a few showers in the morning, conditions improved for the feature race, and the turf held up well. The festive spirit
carried on through the afternoon as punters celebrated one of the most competitive Melbourne Cups in years.
The significance of the win
Half Yours’ triumph also marks the continuing international influence on the Melbourne Cup. The mare was bred in Ireland
before being transferred to the McEvoy stable in South Australia, combining European stamina with Australian training
finesse.
Her win reaffirms the global nature of the Cup, which continues to attract elite stayers and connections from around the
world.
Prize distribution and tradition
The Melbourne Cup trophy, known affectionately as “the Loving Cup,” remains one of the most coveted prizes in sport.
Crafted from solid 18-carat gold, it’s valued at around $275,000. Each of the winning connections — owner, trainer, and
jockey — receives a personalized version engraved with the horse’s name and year.
Recent Melbourne Cup winners
Year Winner
2025 Half Yours
2024 Knight’s Choice
2023 Without A Fight
2022 Gold Trip
2021 Verry Elleegant
2020 Twilight Payment
2019 Vow And Declare
2018 Cross Counter
2017 Rekindling
2016 Almandin
2015 Prince of Penzance
Looking ahead
With Half Yours now a dual-Cup champion, racing analysts are already speculating whether the McEvoy-trained mare will
travel overseas or attempt another Melbourne Cup defence in 2026.
The win also positions Jamie Melham as one of the sport’s brightest stars, inspiring a new generation of female jockeys.
As the celebrations continue, one thing is clear — the 2025 Melbourne Cup delivered everything Australian racing fans
could hope for: high drama, a heroic jockey performance, and a winner destined for racing folklore.