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The 2025 Ladbrokes Geelong Cup has been postponed after strong wind gusts saw Wednesday’s meeting abandoned. The rescheduled race will run on Thursday October 23 as Race 4 at 4:10PM (AEDT).
Ciaron Maher‘s Melbourne Cup hopeful Gilded Water is favourite to bounce back and earn a ballot exemption for the ‘race that stops a nation’ via a win in this year’s Ladbrokes Geelong Cup 2025.
The Group 3 $500,000 Ladbrokes Geelong Cup (2400m) has attracted a small but quality field of spring stayers eyeing their spot in the $10 million Melbourne Cup field on November 4.
French raiders Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011) both did the Geelong Cup – Melbourne Cup double, and there is sure to be money come for this year’s winner to head to Flemington and make themselves known in this year’s edition of the two-mile classic.
Favourite in Geelong Cup betting at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au is Gilded Water at $2.35 who is out to win back the love of the punters after a last start loss.
The Fastnet Rock five-year-old won two back at Caulfield over 2000m carrying plenty of weight to earn top billing in the markets for his next run in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2520m).
Despite dropping in weight, he could only manage to finish third behind the winner Valiant King when beaten over three lengths after fading the closing stages after going hard out in front under Jamie Melham.
He over-raced that day setting a tempo that was far too strong early. Despite that, his ability to hang on for third was exceptional.
In on the same kilos for this year’s feature, Gilded Water is being given another chance in a smaller field drawn barrier four with Declan Bates coming aboard for the ride.
If Bates can harness his energy and settle him early, he looks very hard to beat especially given that Valiant King franked The Bart Cummings third with an outstanding third at 25/1 behind Half Yours in last weekend’s Caulfield Cup.
Gilded Water is currently 42nd on the 2025 Melbourne Cup order of entry and so needs to win this week to secure a spot in the 24-horse field.
Outside of the well supported top elect it is an open market with a further four hopes under $10 in the Geelong Cup odds including $6 second fancy Whisky On The Hill.
The Glen Thompson trained six-year-old won a Black-Type at Mornington two back before a luckless third with excuses only a quarter-length off the winner Brayden Star in the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) on October 11.
Rising from 53.5kg there to 55kg he will need to lift, but his strike rate over the mile and a half is excellent (5:3-0-1) and he has Michael Dee coming aboard.
Carrying the 60kg topweight in this year’s Geelong Cup field is the Kris Lees trained Changingoftheguard who, despite the weight, is being kept safe in the markets at $7.
At his latest he failed to beat home any of his rivals crossing 18th to Royal Supremacy in Sydney’s Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m).
He failed to get into a rhythm that day with an unsuitable tempo and firm ground getting the better of him but is expected to improve out of sight with Ethan Brown sticking with.
The other runner currently at $7 is the Brian Ellison trained UK raider and defending champion Onesmoothoperator.
The Dialed In gelding won this event 12 months ago before running 12th just over five lengths off Knight’s Choice in the Melbourne Cup.
He has run top three in just one of his subsequent seven starts overseas, the latest of which was a disappointing 19th behind Ethical Diamond in the Ebor back in August but is a proven performer down under with credible first-up form (6:2-1-1).
Onesmoothoperator, to be ridden by Craig Williams from gate nine, carries 58kg which is 4kg more than his winning weight from 2024 and he’ll be out to break a notable hoodoo for returning winners in the race.
The Dan O’Sullivan trained Berkeley Square ($8) completes the single figure hopes and comes via strong form lines having placed sixth behind subsequent Caulfield Cup champ Half Yours in the Group 3 Naturalism and fourth in The Bart Cummings.
For value as the best placed out of The Bart Cummings heading to Geelong is Torranzino ($12).
He ran out of his skin for second that day at huge odds in a fast-paced affair and goes around at double figures again despite the eye-catching lead-up.
Ladbrokes Geelong Cup 2025 Results
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1st
4. Torranzino (2)
J: Celine Gaudray 56kg
T: Paul Preusker |
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2nd
7. Gilded Water (3)
J: Declan Bates 54kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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3rd
2. Berkeley Square (5)
J: Luke Nolen 58kg
T: Dan O'Sullivan |
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4th
10. Ferago (4)
J: Craig Newitt 54kg
T: Patrick F Ryan Jnr |
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5th
5. Whisky On The Hill (7)
J: Michael Dee 55kg
T: Glen Thompson |
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6th
1. Changingoftheguard (6)
J: Ethan Brown 60kg
T: Kris Lees |
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7th
8. Distrustful Award (8)
J: Anthony Darmanin 54kg
T: Peter Luttrell |
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8th
9. Fernao (1)
J: Jett Stanley 54kg
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
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