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Master horseman Chris Waller has put a warning out that his recent acquisition of the Carbine Lodge stables of Godolphin at Flemington means he is in Melbourne and ready to dominate this spring including his imposing 32 entries among the 146 Caulfield Cup 2025 nominations.
Early entrants for both the Group 1 $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 25 as well as the first of the ‘Big 3’ – the Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2040m) on October 18 – were released by Racing Victoria on Tuesday, and Waller is dominating both of the majors numbers wise.
2025 Caulfield Cup Nominations: Quick Glance
- 146 total nominations taken
- Down from 173 in 2024
- 12 international nominees
- Defending champion Duke De Sessa at a current all-in price of $26 to go back-to-back through Ladbrokes.com.au
- Last year’s runner-up Buckaroo the current equal $11 favourite at Ladbrokes.com.au
- 32 for Chris Waller chasing his third trophy
- Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien) and Absurde (Willie Mullies) are the shortest priced of the internationals at $26
- Al Riffa one of four for Irish horseman and Joseph O’Brien
The master horseman has 30 in Cox Plate contention led by his eight-length winner in 2024, Via Sistina, while he has thrown the name of 32 into the ring for the Caulfield Cup which is the opening leg of the coveted ‘Spring Cups Double’.
Waller has won two previous editions of the 2400m handicap classic with the ill-fated Verry Elleegant (2020) and Durston (2022) and he is back with a powerhouse contingent this season.
While the total Caulfield Cup nominations were down notably from 173 last year, including the international entries (36 in 2024 to just 12 in 2025), there is still plenty of class within the ranks.
Sitting top of the updated all-in Caulfield Cup odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au is Waller’s runner-up from last spring, Buckaroo, who is currently paying $11 to go one better than his one-length second behind Duke De Sessa in 2024.
The party from Australia’s premier Group 1 winning trainer makes up over 20% of the official 2025 Caulfield Cup nominations, an imposing figure, and one that isn’t just there to make up the numbers.
As well as Buckaroo, Waller also had the third-placed Land Legend in last year’s Caulfield Cup trifecta and that French bred son of Galileo is also set for a return 12 months’ on – albeit at juicer odds of 50/1 at time of publish through Ladbrokes.com.au.
The international contingent meanwhile is far less than in 2024 but still remains strong with a dozen horses outside of Australasia look to become the seventh overseas trained Caulfield Cup winner since 1998 and the first since Japan’s Mer De Glace (2019).
2025 Caulfield Cup International Entries (12)
- Willie Mullins (Ireland): Absurde, Hipop de Loire
- Joseph O’Brien (Ireland): Al Riffa, Galen, Sons And Lovers, Trustinyourinstinct
- Aidan O’Brien (Ireland): Mount Kilamanjaro
- Katsunori Tanaka (Japan): Golden Snap
- Takahisa Tezuka (Japan): Meiner Chrysola
- Noriyuki Hori (Japan): Struve
- Alessandro Botti (France): Presage Nocturne
- Meydaan (England): Simon Crisford
Al Riffa, a lightly raced Irish trained galloper from the Cox Plate winning stables of Joseph O’Brien, is currently the equal shortest priced of the internationals at $26 along with Willie Mullins‘ Absurde who ran fifth in last year’s Melbourne Cup results.
O’Brien has four Caulfield Cup entries in total while his legendary father and fellow Cox Plate winning horseman Aidan O’Brien has just one in the mix with Mount Kilimanjaro ($26) after entering 19 last year.
Japan’s Warp Speed was the sole Caulfield Cup runner last year with the Noboru Takagi trained galloper running a flat 13th over 16 lengths beaten before atoning to place second at big odds going down a nostril flare to Knight’s Choice in the Melbourne Cup.
The leading trainer down under right now Ciaron Maher, like Waller, has two Caulfield Cup trophies in the cabinet and is chasing a third in 2025 entering 25 from his stable including the reigning champion Duke De Sessa ($26).
The stats are against the now seven-year-old son of Lope De Vega however with just seven thoroughbreds having won multiple editions of the Caulfield Cup and none since Ming Dynasty three years apart in 1977 and 1980.
The last horse to go back-to-back in the spring staying feature meanwhile was the great Rising Fast (1954-1955).
Far better fancied in the pre-field Caulfield Cup betting for Maher is his promising import and the autumn’s Australian Cup Prelude winner, Middle Earth, who occupies the second line of the markets at $11.
Other early standouts in the markets include Waller’s runaway ATC Derby winning filly Aeliana ($15) who is also in the Cox Plate nominations list, Frankle entire from France Sir Delius now with Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, and Matt Laurie’s incredibly consistent daughter of Alabama Express Treasurethe Moment who won eight on the trot last prep including the VRC Oaks – ATC Oaks double.
Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup first acceptances for 2025 are open until midday on Tuesday the 9th of September.
2025 Caulfield Cup Nominations
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41x5x3132x | ABSURDE (FR) | G | 8 | Willie Mullins | |
| 2 | 21x90x404x | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 104 |
| 3 | 6112x3421x | AELIANA (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 4 | 211x22x | AL RIFFA (FR) | H | 6 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 5 | x122x1110x | ALALCANCE (GB) | M | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 6 | 9x00x0590x | ALENQUER (FR) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 107 |
| 7 | 1x1x139x0x | ANISETTE (GB) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 8 | 4x00x8002x | ANTRIM COAST (NZ) | G | 5 | Steve Richards | 94 |
| 9 | 451x55241x | ARAPAHO (FR) | G | 9 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 10 | 4x7x88594x | ARDAKAN (GB) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 92 |
| 11 | 7914x7650x | ASTERIX (NZ) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 12 | 01x782959x | ATHABASCAN (FR) | G | 7 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | |
| 13 | AUGUSTUS (GER) | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher | ||
| 14 | 21551x155x | AZTEC STATE | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 15 | 164211372x | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 16 | 800x10221x | BASILINNA (NZ) | M | 5 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 99 |
| 17 | 22311567x | BELLE DETELLE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 18 | 84112x920x | BELVEDERE BOYS | G | 6 | Matthew Dunn | |
| 19 | 340x54248x | BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 98 |
| 20 | 6x0x42529x | BIRDMAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 21 | 6x07344x7x | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | G | 7 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 22 | 11229x970x | BUCKAROO (GB) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 23 | x6231x721x | BUR DUBAI (GB) | G | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 78 |
| 24 | 33x742x82x | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 102 |
| 25 | 361125123x | CHASE YOUR DREAMS (NZ) | M | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 26 | 8906x0450x | CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 27 | x00x80x48x | CLEVELAND (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | |
| 28 | 1x76500x0x | COCO SUN | M | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | |
| 29 | 21x52x9x | DALMANNDI (FR) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | |
| 30 | 275x71211x | DEAKIN (FR) | G | 6 | Phillip Stokes | 103 |
| 31 | x314x8024x | DESERT LIGHTNING (NZ) | G | 6 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | |
| 32 | 1x70x4541x | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | G | 6 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 33 | 4419x1220x | DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 34 | 3843x9414x | DURBAN HARBOUR | G | 5 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 35 | 6021x8370x | ENCODER | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | |
| 36 | 5x0698222x | ETNA ROSSO (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 37 | 116x8432x | FEDERER | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 72 |
| 38 | 630x06710x | FEMMINILE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 39 | 4x5121213x | FERNAO (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 84 |
| 40 | 83x930810x | FIRST IMMORTAL | G | 6 | Mark & Levi Kavanagh | |
| 41 | 600x06135x | FLASH FEELING (NZ) | G | 7 | Dan O’Sullivan | 87 |
| 42 | 211x31417x | FLYING BANDIT | G | 5 | Kerry Parker | |
| 43 | 16x4117x4x | FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 44 | 20145x750x | FUTURE HISTORY (GB) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 45 | GALEN (GB) | G | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | ||
| 46 | 5310x112x | GILDED WATER (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 81 |
| 47 | 4x4632334x | GO DADDY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 48 | x14502346x | GOD’S WINDOW (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 49 | 332248377x | GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) | G | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 50 | 11136x665x | GOLDEN PATH (NZ) | G | 6 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 51 | 2x2x | GOLDEN SNAP (JPN) | M | 6 | Katsunori Tanaka | |
| 52 | 684321253x | GRAND PIERRO | G | 6 | Jason Warren | |
| 53 | 1x18953x3x | HAARACAINE (IRE) | G | 6 | Nick Ryan | 77 |
| 54 | 117x21121x | HALF YOURS | G | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | |
| 55 | 4x2347x25x | HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) | G | 9 | Willie Mullins | |
| 56 | 01540x200x | HUETOR (FR) | G | 9 | Peter Snowden | |
| 57 | 5631131x0x | HUTCHENCE (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 58 | 086202763x | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 98 |
| 59 | 61442x314x | JENNIVAMOOSE (NZ) | M | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 73 |
| 60 | 91x6x2311x | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 77 |
| 61 | 4x1x321x2x | JUSTADEEL | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 72 |
| 62 | 542111x70x | KADAVAR (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 63 | 2225x6350x | KINESIOLOGY (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 64 | 122131210x | KINGS VALLEY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 81 |
| 65 | 4x95x1165x | KINGSWOOD (GB) | H | 6 | Gavin Bedggood | 99 |
| 66 | 2x525x804x | KITTY ROSE (GB) | M | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 67 | 234x90051x | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | G | 6 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 68 | 260x70331x | KOVALICA (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 109.5 |
| 69 | 21x212222x | LA CRIQUE (NZ) | M | 7 | Simon Alexander | |
| 70 | 032x826x9x | LADY IN PINK | M | 5 | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | |
| 71 | 5x252x | LADY THINKABELL | M | 4 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 72 | 06138x768x | LAND LEGEND (FR) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 73 | 1x0x00670x | LASTOTCHKA (FR) | M | 7 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 74 | 12111114x | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 75 | 7101x6310x | LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 76 | 8x2332490x | LINDERMANN | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 77 | 51x56321x | LITZDEEL | M | 4 | Danny O’Brien | |
| 78 | 40x431231x | MARK TWAIN (NZ) | G | 6 | Roger James & Robert Wellwood | 99 |
| 79 | 1x | MEINER CHRYSOLA (JPN) | H | 7 | Takahisa Tezuka | |
| 80 | MEYDAAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Simon Crisford | ||
| 81 | 1x138x159x | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 82 | 33x000546x | MILITARIZE (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 83 | 33x2121x0x | MOIRA (CAN) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 84 | 728x50x12x | MORE FELONS (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 85 | 3400x7621x | MORMONA (FR) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 91 |
| 86 | MOUNT KILIMANJARO (FR) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | ||
| 87 | 13x491534x | MOVIN OUT (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 88 | 16x423142x | MR MONACO (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 77 |
| 89 | 813431223x | MUKTAMIL (IRE) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 84 |
| 90 | x63646x47x | NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 91 | 3230111x7x | NEWLOOK (FR) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 88 |
| 92 | 6x341542x | NO RUMOURS | G | 5 | Paul Preusker | 60 |
| 93 | 0x80213x0x | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | H | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 104 |
| 94 | 0721x9275x | OSIPENKO (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 95 | 34x111140x | OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 96 | 42x865839x | OUR GOLD HOPE | M | 5 | Robert & Luke Price | |
| 97 | 3x9632155x | PALMETTO (NZ) | G | 7 | John Sargent | |
| 98 | 156x25463x | PLYMOUTH | G | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 99 | 8x4x8x112x | POINT KING (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 102 |
| 100 | 1780x6800x | POSITIVITY (NZ) | M | 5 | Andrew Forsman | |
| 101 | 8x460x8x8x | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 100 |
| 102 | 3x | PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE) | H | 6 | Alessandro Botti | |
| 103 | 12110x322x | QUIETNESS (GB) | M | 6 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | |
| 104 | 8131x7690x | REAL CLASS (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 105 | 0216x0057x | RED ACES | G | 4 | Nick Ryan | 78 |
| 106 | x31328x60x | RELENTLESS VOYAGER (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 103 |
| 107 | 41x211111x | REVELARE | G | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 89 |
| 108 | x31342x73x | RIVER OF STARS (IRE) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 109 | 13337x142x | ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR) | H | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 110 | x3232x001x | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 94 |
| 111 | x01133x93x | SALTCOATS (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 112 | 1x7758111x | SAV ON ICE | H | 4 | Darryl Carrison | 72 |
| 113 | x0x0x2311x | SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 98 |
| 114 | 0x0x30069x | SCARLET OAK | M | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 115 | 021352x05x | SCARY (NZ) | H | 4 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 94 |
| 116 | x111111x6x | SEA WHAT I SEE (IRE) | M | 6 | Danny O’Brien | 92 |
| 117 | x1441x1x0x | SHADIZI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 118 | 2x2113x18x | SHOCK ’EM OVA (NZ) | G | 7 | Alex Rae | |
| 119 | 1113x28x1x | SIR DELIUS (GB) | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 109 |
| 120 | 65360x015x | SIR LUCAN (IRE) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 121 | 2253140x1x | SKIPPERS CANYON (NZ) | G | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 70 |
| 122 | 24x560310x | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 106 |
| 123 | 321132x82x | SO YOU ARE | G | 4 | Stirling Osland | |
| 124 | 1x2x | SONS AND LOVERS (GB) | H | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 125 | 329x07696x | STAR VEGA (IRE) | G | 6 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 126 | 42x503120x | STATUARIO | G | 4 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | |
| 127 | 407210260x | STRAWBERRY ROCK (IRE) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 128 | 2x7x11x10x | STRUVE (JPN) | G | 7 | Noriyuki Hori | |
| 129 | x9190x091x | SUIZURO | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 99 |
| 130 | 42242220x | SWELTERING | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 131 | 245612417x | THE EUPHRATES (GB) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 132 | 2316120x | THEDOCTOROFLOVE | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 133 | 316584212x | TORRANZINO (NZ) | G | 6 | Paul Preusker | 98 |
| 134 | TRAV (NZ) | G | 6 | Raymond Connors | ||
| 135 | 1111x1111x | TREASURETHE MOMENT | M | 4 | Matt Laurie | 108 |
| 136 | TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | ||
| 137 | 1x221x | TRUSTYOURINSTINCT (IRE) | G | 6 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 138 | 0090x0693x | VALIANT KING (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 94 |
| 139 | 43120x130x | VAUBAN (FR) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 112 |
| 140 | x631103x8x | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | G | 6 | Glen Thompson | |
| 141 | 3111014x | WILLYDOIT (NZ) | G | 4 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 142 | 111212x75x | WOOTTON VERNI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 143 | 11117x908x | WYMARK (NZ) | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | |
| 144 | 15078x778x | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | G | 8 | Danny O’Brien | 98 |
| 145 | 454x83230x | ZARDOZI | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 146 | x11443133x | ZIRYAB (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 85 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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