With the 2025 Melbourne Cup fast approaching, the jockey lineup is beginning to take shape for the ‘race that stops a nation’ at Flemington on Tuesday November 4.

The Melbourne Cup third acceptances on Monday left 40 remaining hopefuls and a few key withdrawals.

A mix of seasoned champions and rising stars are locked in for key rides, including triple Melbourne Cup winning hoop Kerrin McEvoy aboard Irish stayer Absurde and James McDonald partnering with UK raider Meydaan.

Jamie Melham continues her dream spring on Half Yours after becoming history’s first female Caulfield Cup winning jockey on the Tony & Calvin McEvoy trained champ.

The reigning Melbourne Cup winning jockey, Robbie Dolan, will get his shot at going back-to-back despite Knight’s Choice being ruled out when he partners Ciaron Maher‘s Group 1 The Metropolitan champ Royal Supremacy.

As final declarations for the $10 million, 3200m classic loom, these confirmed bookings offer early insight into how the race may unfold at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.

See below for the currently confirmed Melbourne Cup jockeys for 2025 and likely Melbourne Cup field.

Confirmed 2025 Melbourne Cup Jockeys

• Mark Zahra – Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien)
• Damian Lane – Chevalier Rose (Hisashi Shimizu)
• John Velazquez – Parchment Party (William Mott)
• Celine Gaudray – Torranzino (Paul Preusker)
• James McDonald – Meydaan (Simon & Ed Crisford)
• Rachel King – Arapaho (Bjorn Baker)
• Kerrin McEvoy – Absurde (Willie Mullins)
• Thore Hammer-Hansen – Flatten The Curve (Henk Grewe)
• Jamie Melham – Half Yours (Tony & Calvin McEvoy
• Stephane Pasquier – Presage Nocturne (Alessandro Botti)
• Blake Shinn – Vauban (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott)
• Ethan Brown – Middle Earth (Ciaron Maher)
• Tim Clark – Changingoftheguard (Kris Lees)
• Tommy Berry – More Felons (Chris Waller)
• Michale Dee – Furthur (Andrew Balding)
• Harry Coffey – Onesmoothoperator (Brian Ellison)
• Declan Bates – Athabascan (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton)
• Wayne Lordan – Goodie Two Shoes (Joseph O’Brien)
• Beau Mertens – River Of Stars (Chris Waller)
• Robbie Dolan – Royal Supremacy (Ciaron Maher)
• Jye McNeil – Valiant King (Chris Waller)
• Craig Williams – Buckaroo (Chris Waller)
• Ben Melham – Smokin’ Romans (Ciaron Maher)
• Joao Moreira – Land Legend (Chris Waller)

Mark Zahra to ride Al Riffa: Zahra has been locked in to ride the 59kg topweight, Irish raider Al Riffa, in his bid at a third Melbourne Cup trophy in four years. Zahra famously went back-to-back on Gold Trip (2022) and Without A Fight (2023) and gets a chance to partner one of the best in betting in 2025 with Joesph O’Brien’s galloper coming off a dominant four-length win in the Group 1 Irish St Leger to stamp his credentials as a genuine Cup contender.

John Velazuez to ride Parchment Party: American Hall of Fame jockey Velazuez will be down under for the historic ride on Parchment Party when William Mott’s Belmont Gold Cup winner becomes the first US trained horse to contest the Melbourne Cup.

Damian Lane to ride Chevalier Rose: Lane is set to partner Hisashi Shimizu’s Japanese raider in the Cup field with the veteran Deep Impact eight-year-old a proven Group 2 winner up to 3600m.

Celine Gaudray to ride Torranzino: Gaudry will make her Melbourne Cup debut aboard Torranzino after the duo combined to claim a golden ticket entry into the ‘race that stops a nation’ via a Ladbrokes Geelong Cup upset on October 23.

James McDonald to ride Meydaan: J-Mac has been confirmed as the new rider for UK raider Meydaan. Meydaan, a five-year-old by Frankel, was previously ridden by Andrea Atzeni in the Caulfield Cup, where he finished ninth after a tough run caught three-wide from barrier five. Despite missing Derby Day to ride Autumn Glow in the $10 million Golden Eagle, McDonald will be at Flemington for Cup week and now takes over the reins on Meydaan.

Rachel King to ride Arapaho: Rachel King has been confirmed to ride Arapaho in the 2025 Melbourne Cup. The experienced jockey reunites with the Bjorn Baker-trained stayer, who earned his spot in the Cup field after consistent performances this spring. Arapaho, known for his staying ability and toughness highlighted by his Sydney Cup win, will be looking to improve on his previous Cup effort when 11^th to Gold Trip in 2022, and King’s familiarity with the horse is a major asset heading into the big race.

Kerrin McEvoy to ride Absurde: McEvoy has been confirmed to ride Absurde, teaming up with the Willie Mullins-trained Irish stayer who’s back for his third crack at the race after finishing seventh in 2023 and fifth in 2024. McEvoy, a three-time Cup winner, was impressed with Absurde during trackwork at Werribee, noting the gelding’s sharpness and maturity. Absurde arrived off a strong third in the Irish St. Leger and comes in via a Caulfield Cup 7th.

Thore Hammer-Hansen to ride Flatten The Curve: Thore Hammer-Hansen has been confirmed to ride German raider Flatten The Curve in Cup. The Danish-born jockey, who’s been making waves in Australia, will partner the dour stayer trained by Henk Grewe. Flatten The Curve is proven up to 3700m overseas and recently won back-to-back races over two miles or further including a 3319m event by 5.5 lengths with 57kg back in August.

Jamie Melham to ride Half Yours: Jamie Melham is confirmed to ride Half Yours who is out to become just the 13^th horse in history to complete the Spring Cups double. The pairing comes off a historic win in the Caulfield Cup, where Melham became the first female jockey to claim victory in the prestigious 2400m spring major. Half Yours, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, surged late to win the Caulfield Cup and earned a 2kg penalty for the Melbourne Cup, lifting his weight from 51kg to 53kg. Despite the added impost, connections have declared it’s “all systems go” for the Cup, with Melham retaining the ride.

Stephane Pasquier to ride Presage Nocturne: Pasquier will continue his partnership with the French-trained stayer after a strong showing in the Caulfield Cup. Presage Nocturne, trained by Alessandro Botti, finished a credible fourth in the 2025 Caulfield Cup, and connections have expressed confidence in his progression heading into the Melbourne Cup. The grey son of Wootton Bassett has built a solid record in Europe and now looks to peak over two miles at Flemington. Pasquier, a seasoned international jockey, retains the ride after guiding the horse through his Australian campaign, and the pair will be looking to improve on their Caulfield effort with a strong staying test in the Cup.

Blake Shinn to ride Vauban: Shinn, who rode Viewed to victory in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, will partner Irish import Vauban in the 2025 race for the Waterhouse & Bott yard. Vauban has his third Melbourne Cup tilt after a 14^th in 2023 and 11^th last year when prepared by Willie Mullins.

Ethan Brown to ride Middle Earth: Brown partnered Ciaron Maher’s import Middle Earth to finish third in the Group 3 JRA Cup at Moonee Valley, reigniting the import’s Melbourne Cup ambitions. Brown sticks aboard for the two-mile classic with Middle Earth sure to appreciate a drop in weight from 60kg to 54.5kg.

Tim Clark to ride Changingoftheguard: Clark has been confirmed to ride Changingoftheguard for trainer Kris Lees, adding another seasoned Group 1 jockey to the lineup for this year’s race. Changingoftheguard, an Irish import formerly trained by Aidan O’Brien, has won just one of his starts in Australia to date in the Listed Tatt’s Cup over 2400m at Randwick in early September and was last seen crossing fourth with 60kg behind Torranzino in the Geelong Cup.

Tommy Berry to ride More Felons: Berry has been booked to continue associations with More Felons having ridden the import for his three latest starts this prep. Trained by Chris Waller, More Felons has been steadily building toward the two-mile test at Flemington having shown promise since arriving in Australia including a strong finish in the Group 1 The Metrop (4^th) only 1.34 lengths beaten and fourth again in the Group 3 St Leger over 2600m at Randwick on October 18.

Michael Dee to ride Furthur: Dee has been confirmed to ride Furthur for British trainer Andrew Balding. The Group 3 winning grey, who races as a four-year-old down under, is one of the emerging international contenders targeting the 3200m Flemington feature. The young horse has shown solid staying form in Europe and arrives in Australia with a progressive profile suited to the Cup’s testing distance. Dee, a Caulfield Cup and Victoria Derby-winning rider, brings tactical versatility and big-race experience to the partnership.

Harry Coffey to ride Onesmoothoperator: Onesmoothoperator, trained in the UK by Brian Ellison, secured his place in the Melbourne Cup field with a dominant win in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Cox Plate eve. Mark Zahra guided the gelding to victory with a cold ride from the back, slicing through the field to win eased down — a performance that earned the horse a 1kg penalty, lifting his Cup weight to 53kg, but it is Coffey who will be aboard for the 3200m feature.

Declan Bates to ride Athabascan: Bates has been confirmed to ride OTI Racing’s Athabascan in Cup, securing a key booking for the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained stayer. Athabascan earned his place in the Cup field with his strong run for second behind Onesmoothoperator in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup atoning for his three previous unplaced spring performances.

Wayne Lordan to ride Goodie Two Shoes: Lordan has been confirmed to ride Goodie Two Shoes teaming up with trainer Joseph O’Brien for another tilt at Australia’s greatest race. Fastnet Rock mare Goodie Two Shoes, one of two Cup runners for O’Brien alongside current race favourite Al Riffa, arrives in Melbourne as an outsider in the market but with solid European staying form. Lordan’s booking adds experience with the Irish jockey having previously ridden in major races across the globe. While Al Riffa is the stable’s headline act, Goodie Two Shoes has been working well at Werribee quarantine and is expected to relish the step up to 3200m at Flemington as she’s proven up to 3419m in Europe.

Beau Mertens to ride River Of Stars: Mertens is locked in to partner Chris Waller’s Sea the Stars mare continuing his association with the seven-year-old import after partnering her huge Caulfield Cup second earlier this spring when only a half-length beaten as a 90/1 outsider. River Of Stars has emerged as a genuine staying prospect this campaign and produced a bold front-running effort in the 2025 Caulfield Cup, leading into the first turn under Mertens before being overhauled late by Half Yours. Despite finishing second, the performance was full of merit and earned her a spot in the Melbourne Cup field.

Robbie Dolan to ride Royal Supremacy: Dolan is confirmed to ride Royal Supremacy in stepping in after his original mount, Knight’s Choice, was ruled out due to a stable illness. Dolan, who famously won the 2024 Melbourne Cup aboard Knight’s Choice at odds of $91, will now partner Royal Supremacy, the Group 1 The Metropolitan winner in Sydney. Maher’s Irish-bred stayer surged into Cup contention with a powerful win at Randwick, showcasing a sharp turn of foot and strong staying ability over 2400m before a credible Caulfield Cup fifth.

Jye McNeil to ride Valiant King: McNeil will partner the flying Chris Waller trained Valiant King, continuing his association with the in-form stayer after guiding him to victory in The Bart Cummings. The Roaring Lion grey secured his place in the Melbourne Cup field with a dominant win in the Group 3 Bart Cummings (2520m) at Flemington, where McNeil produced a perfectly timed ride to storm home from off the pace and win by 2¾ lengths. That victory granted the five-year-old a ballot exemption, locking in his spot for the 3200m feature on Tuesday. McNeil, who famously won the 2020 Melbourne Cup aboard Twilight Payment, brings proven Cup-winning credentials and a calm tactical style that suits Valiant King’s strong-finishing profile. The pair will be aiming to replicate their Flemington success on the biggest stage of all. Valiant King went on to run the ideal lead-up when third in the Caulfield Cup.

Craig Williams to ride Buckaroo: Williams is confirmed to ride Buckaroo taking the reins of the Cox Plate runner-up for trainer Chris Waller. Buckaroo surged into Melbourne Cup contention after a gallant second-place finish behind Via Sistina in the Ladbrokes Cox Plate, prompting part-owner Ozzie Kheir to push for a Cup campaign. With his form peaking and a strong spring preparation that includes placings in the Underwood Stakes (2^nd) and Might And Power (3^rd), Buckaroo now shapes as a serious threat over 3200m at Flemington. Williams, a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey aboard Vow And Declare in 2019, will ride Buckaroo on 57kg.

Ben Melham to ride Smokin’ Romans: Melham is confirmed to ride Smokin’ Romans in reuniting with the Ciaron Maher-trained stayer for another crack at the two-mile classic. Smokin’ Romans, a seasoned campaigner and former Group 1 Turnbull Stakes winner from 2022, has earned his place in the Cup field following consistent performances throughout the spring. Most recently, he contested the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, where Melham partnered him over 2500m, finishing eighth behind Onesmoothoperator.

Joao Moreira to ride Land Legend: Brazilian star Moreira will partner Land Legend for Chris Waller in the 2025 Melbourne Cup, continuing his association with the lightly weighted stayer who is out to atone for back-to-back last place efforts in the Turnbull (14th) and Caulfield Cup (18th).

Likely 2025 Melbourne Cup Field

No.	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Jockey	Weight
1	AL RIFFA (FR)	H	6	Joseph O’Brien	Mark Zahra	59kg
2	BUCKAROO (GB)	G	7	Chris Waller	Craig Williams	57kg
3	ARAPAHO (FR)	G	8	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	56.5kg
4	VAUBAN (FR)	G	8	Waterhouse & Bott	Blake Shinn	56.5kg
5	CHEVALIER ROSE (JPN)	H	8	Hisashi Shimizu	Damian Lane	55.5kg
6	PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE)	H	6	Alessandro Botti	Stephane Pasquier	55.5kg
7	MIDDLE EARTH (GB)	G	6	Ciaron Maher	Ethan Brown	54.5kg
8	MEYDAAN (IRE)	G	5	Simon & Ed Crisford	James McDonald	54kg
9	ABSURDE (FR)	G	8	Willie Mullins	Kerrin McEvoy	53.5kg
10	FLATTEN THE CURVE (FR)	G	7	Henk Grewe	Thore Hammer-Hansen	53.5kg
11	LAND LEGEND (FR)	G	6	Chris Waller	Joao Moreira	53.5kg
12	SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ)	G	9	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	53.5kg
13	CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE)	G	7	Kris Lees	Tim Clark	53kg
14	HALF YOURS	G	5	Tony & Calvin McEvoy	Jamie Melham	53kg (incl. 2kg pen)
15	MORE FELONS (IRE)	G	7	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	53kg
16	ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA)	G	8	Brian Ellison	Harry Coffey	53kg (incl. 1kg pen)
17	FURTHUR (IRE)	H	4	Andrew Balding	Michael Dee	52kg
18	PARCHMENT PARTY (USA)	H	5	William Mott	John Velazquez	52kg
19	ATHABASCAN (FR)	G	7	O’Shea & Charlton	Declan Bates	51.5kg
20	GOODIE TWO SHOES (IRE)	M	7	Joseph O’Brien	Wayne Lordan	51.5kg
21	RIVER OF STARS (IRE)	M	7	Chris Waller	Beau Mertens	51.5kg
22	ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE)	G	5	Ciaron Maher	Robbie Dolan	51kg
23	TORRANZINO (NZ)	G	6	Paul Preusker	Ms Celine Gaudray	51kg
24	VALIANT KING (GB)	G	6	Chris Waller	Jye McNeil	51kg

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