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A title defence in the 2025 Caulfield Cup has been ruled out for Duke De Sessa with the Ciaron Maher trained stayer suffering a pre-spring campaign setback.
Early nominations for this year’s Group 1 $5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m), the opening leg of the Spring Cups double slated for October 18, were announced on Tuesday with 146 horses originally in the mix.
That figure is down to 145 with the Maher stable officially withdrawing the reigning champion on Friday morning as confirmed by Racing Victoria stewards with the only information released being that the horse had had a “minor setback in preparation”.
The imported Lope De Vega gelding improved out of sight on his ninth in the race to Without A Fight in 2023 to claim last year’s trophy as an $11 pop in betting with Harry Coffey aboard for the 1.25 length win over Buckaroo.
The best of his runs this autumn produced a Group 1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) second to Dubai Honour at Rosehill, while he was last seen finishing a disappointing 14th to Arapaho in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Randwick on April 12.
No horse has won multiple editions of the Caulfield Cup Ming Dynasty (1977, 1980), while the great Rising Fast (1954-1955) was the last to do so on back-to-back years.
Maher meanwhile remains in the hunt for a third success in the mile and a half classic having also claimed victory with his top mare Jamkea back in 2016.
The master trainer has 24 remaining Caulfield Cup nominees – view the complete list here – with European import Middle Earth currently ranked his best chance at $11 in all-in markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.
The Roaring Lion six-year-old won Flemington’s Australian Cup Prelude, beating Duke De Sessa by a quarter-length, fresh on March 8 in his debut run down under.
A fifth in the Australian Cup and distant ninth behind Chris Waller’s outstanding eight-length Cox Plate champion from last spring, Via Sistina, at 60/1 followed.
Among the other potential standout Caulfield Cup hopes for Maher are Gilded Water, Light Infantry Man, Royal Supremacy, Sayedaty Sadaty and last year’s fourth placed mare Zardozi – all currently priced at $26.
Late 2025 Caulfield Cup nominations are open until next Tuesday, August 12, followed by first acceptances on September 9.
CHANCES ARE YOU’RE ABOUT TO LOSE.
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
