BEST BETS (TOP 5) MELBOURNE CUP
HALF YOURS
Half Yours is a five-year-old gelding by St Jean out of the Desert King mare, La Gazelle. Sold to Belmont Bloodstock Pty Ltd/McEvoy Mitchell Racing for $305,000. He has been a quick “rags to riches” story as he won a lowly Benchmark 64 at Seymour over a mile back in April 2025.
The McEvoy Stable took him to Sydney where he won on a heavy track before enjoying some sun on the Sunshine Coast where he produced the first performance that made everyone stand up and take notice by destroying a Listed field in the Caloundra Cup.
His first Group win came at Caulfield in the Group 3 Naturalism when he was again outstanding before one of the better Caulfield Cup trials seen at weight-for-age in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes when he was 4th behind Sir Delius.
With only 52.5kgs on his back in the Caulfield Cup and an ideal barrier he was sent out a short priced favourite and after a peach of a ride from Jamie Melham he finished powerfully for an impressive win.
Most runners on the first Tuesday are a risk at the 3200m (2 miles) having not raced over that distance prior and that is the same with this gelding, but with no weight on his back and coming off a confidence boosting Caulfield Cup win he is the best hope for the locals.
AL RIFFA (FR)
Al Riffa (FR) is a French bred stallion by the Ill-fated sire Wootton Basset out of the dam Love on my Mind. Born in France and sold as a foal at the Arqana December Breeding Stock Sale in 2020 for 31,000 euros then on sold to the Joseph O’Brien stable for 150,000 guineas. He is the first winner for unraced Galileo mare who was a half-sister Mizzou who was second in a Group 1 Royal Ascot Gold Cup.
He comes to Australia with a stable that certainly knows what it takes to win the Melbourne Cup in Joseph O’Brien.
O’Brien has had a limited amount of runners in the Melbourne Cup but been successful on two occasions with Rekindling in 2017 and all the way winner Twilight Payment 2020.
Al Riffa (FR) looks to be arguably the best credentialed horse he has bought to Australian shores. He put the writing on the board when he demolished a talented staying field by 5 lengths winning the Group 2 Curragh Cup in Ireland.
He had a freshen-up before taking on Group 1 company in the Irish St Leger and again was dominant winning by 4 lengths.
Class runner of the 2025 Melbourne Cup and if he can bring his Irish form to Flemington he can take home the Cup.
MEYDAAN
Sheikh Al Maktoum brings his five-year-old gelding Meydaan (IRE) to Australia. By undefeated Champion Frankel (GB) out of Nezwaah (GB). He is a lightly raced gelding who is still learning the caper.
He stamped his Melbourne Cup credentials when he ran into a minor spot at Kempton Park (GB) two starts back behind two smart horses in Giavellotto (IRE) and Kalpana (GB) who bot showed their ability with competitive efforts in the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe recently.
The Simon and Ed Crisford finished close-up with West Wind Blows behind Without A Fight (ironically a horse than previously trained) when he finished second in the Caulfield Cup.
Meydaan (IRE) finished the race off solidly when midfield in the Caulfield Cup after doing plenty of work in the run. Hong Kong based Italian jockey Andrea Atzeni took the ride in the Caulfield Cup and if he sticks with him in the Melbourne Cup the wide Flemington spaces should suit him much better.
BUCKAROO
Buckaroo returns to the Melbourne Cup after a competitive 9th in last year’s race beaten just over 3 lengths. Now at his peak as a seven-year-old gelding by Fastnet Rock out of the Galileo (IRE) mare Roheryn (IRE).
He has been racing in super form this campaign all in Group 1 company. Ran on solidly to grab a placing in the Memsie Stakes over the unsuitable distance of 1400m first-up, then he was beaten less than a length behind the in-form Sir Delius in the Underwood before again placing in a leader dominated Might And Power Stakes.
He gets back to Flemington for a Melbourne Cup and he must be included in the major chances for Australia’s biggest race.
RIVER OF STARS
River Of Stars (IRE) is an Irish bred mare who gives Yu Long Investments their best chance to win a Melbourne Cup. This daughter of Sea The Stars (IRE) finished her European campaign with a Group 1 placing in the Prix de Royallieu (2800m) before joining the stable of Chris Waller earlier this year.
She is a mare who likes to race forward in her races and is only one of a few that is proven at the two miles after she was placed in a Sydney Cup back in April.
Her run in the Caulfield Cup was outstanding when she kept fighting and was taking ground off winner late in the race when close second.
Bigger track and extra ground is a bonus for this mare and she is a must for exotics.