The Melbourne Racing Club has announced 124 nominations for its premier race, the Caulfield Cup.
This Group 1 handicap, now valued at $6 million, is set to take place over 2400 metres on October 17.
From the 124 entries, 32 are international contenders, hailing from trainers in Ireland, England, and France.
While this year’s international nomination count is an increase from the 12 received by the MRC last year, the overall number of entries is down from 147 in the preceding year. In 2024, a total of 173 entries were received, with 36 coming from overseas.
The closing date for nominations this year was two weeks later than in the previous year.
Joseph O’Brien, a trainer with two Melbourne Cup victories, has the strongest international entry, comprising 15 of the 20 Irish nominations. His father, Aidan, has one nomination, while Willie Mullins has three, and Emmet Mullins has one.
Goodie Two Shoes, the horse that finished runner-up to Half Yours in last year’s Melbourne Cup, is among Joseph O’Brien’s entries for the Caulfield Cup.
Presage Nocturne, who finished fourth in last year’s race, has been entered once more for trainer Alessandro Botti. Furthur, who finished 11th in the Melbourne Cup last year, is one of three nominations for the Caulfield Cup for trainer Andrew Balding.
The sole international Group 1 winner among the nominations is the Joseph O’Brien-trained Tennessee Stud, a colt that triumphed in the Criterium De Saint Cloud, a race for two-year-olds, in October 2024.
Pleasingly, the top six horses to cross the line in last year’s Caulfield Cup have been nominated again, including the winner, Half Yours. This mare is one of three entries from the stable of Tony and Calvin McEvoy, though it is anticipated she will follow a path towards the Cox Plate.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable has put forward five entries, including Vauban and Sir Delius. These two, along with Half Yours, are expected to be prominent in the Caulfield Cup weights when they are released next month.
Chris Waller, as anticipated, has lodged the largest number of entries with 18, which include Aeliana, Autumn Boy, Buckaroo, Ohope Wins, and River Of Stars. Ciaron Maher follows with 15 entries, featuring Point Of Law, Light Infantry Man, Middle Earth, Juja Kibo, and King Of The Sea.
Bjorn Baker intends to emulate his father Murray, who achieved the Australian Derby – Caulfield Cup double with Mongolian Khan in 2015.
Green Spaces, the winner of the Derby earlier this year, is joined by So You Are and Thebudgiesmugla as entries in the Caulfield Cup.
Tanya Fullarton, the Chief Executive Officer of the MRC, stated that the quality and depth of the nominations reflect the significance of this milestone running of the race.
“The 150th Caulfield Cup is a significant milestone for the Melbourne Racing Club and Australian racing, and we are delighted with the quality and depth of horses nominated for this historic running,” Fullarton said.
“With 24 Group 1 winners among the nominations, including reigning Caulfield and Melbourne Cups champion Half Yours and an exciting group of emerging four-year-olds, there is enormous quality already building towards October.
“We have made this year’s Caulfield Cup the richest in the race’s history at $6 million, and the strong increase in international nominations adds another dimension to what is shaping as an outstanding 150th running of one of Australia’s great races.”
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