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The Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup is a Group 2 race on the Friday night before the Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day offering a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption!
Moonee Valley Gold Cup News
- Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2025 Field & Betting Update
- Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2024 Winner Okita Soushi Books Melbourne Cup Start
- 2024 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Field & Odds on Melbourne Cup Hopes
- Moonee Valley Cup Winner Cleveland into Melbourne Cup 2023 Field for Williams
- Lunar Flare Leads 2023 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Field & Odds
The Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup is the major distance event held at the Moonee Valley Racecourse during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival in late October. The 2500m event usually attracts a niche group of stayers that could be looking to back-up on the first Tuesday of November in the iconic $10 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) over the two miles at Flemington.
In 2025 the Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup officially became a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption race!
2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Results
Stay tuned for the official 2025 Moonee Valley Gold Cup results and finishing order revealing which horse gained the Melbourne Cup ballot exemption!
- 1st: No. 5 Onesmoothoperator ($4.20F)
- 2nd: No. 9 Athabascan
- 3rd: No. 13 Scary
Winning Margin: 0.75 lengths
Winning Time: 2:36.77
Brian Ellison’s UK raider Onesmoothoperator ($4.20F) stormed home to win the 2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup results on Friday night returning to form down under in style and booking his ticket to the $10 million Melbourne Cup with a powerful late burst under hoop of the hour Mark Zahra. He has subsequently firmed in from $34 to $13 through Ladbrokes.com.au to improve on his 12th in last year’s Melbourne Cup results.
Click here for the full story.
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2025 Results
|
1st
5. Onesmoothoperator (3)
J: Mark Zahra 56.5kg
T: Brian Ellison |
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2nd
9. Athabascan (7)
J: Daniel Stackhouse 55kg
T: John O'Shea & Tom Charlton |
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3rd
13. Scary (6)
J: Lachlan Neindorf 53kg
T: Emma-Lee & David Browne |
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4th
11. Berkshire Breeze (5)
J: Michael Dee 55kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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5th
8. Grand Pierro (2)
J: Zac Spain 56kg
T: Jason Warren |
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6th
10. Cleveland (4)
J: Jye McNeil 55kg
T: Kris Lees |
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7th
6. Post Impressionist (9)
J: Ethan Brown 56.5kg
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
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8th
3. Smokin' Romans (8)
J: Ben Melham 56.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
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9th
2. Trav (1)
J: Masahiro Hashizume 57kg
T: Raymond Connors |
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10th
1. Brayden Star (11)
J: Craig Williams 57kg
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
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11th
14. So You Are (10)
J: Cejay Graham 53kg
T: Stirling Osland |
The last Melbourne Cup winner to come off a Moonee Valley Gold Cup run was Prince Of Penzance (2nd in 2015) who won the ‘race that stops a nation’ at Melbourne Cup odds of $101! Prince Of Penzance earlier won the 2014 edition of the MV Cup further franking the form lines of the race. A few years before, French raider Americain won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in 2011 one year after claiming the Melbourne Cup (2010). Kingston Rule (1990) is the last horse to complete the Moonee Valley Gold Cup – Melbourne Cup double in the same year.
In 2021 the Moonee Valley Gold Cup form was franked with the runner-up Floating Artist running a next-up fourth in the Melbourne Cup results.
Currently worth $750,000, the set weights and penalties event is open to all horses aged four years and over.
In 2024 the Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner, Otaki Soushi, went on to place third in that year’s Melbourne Cup trifecta.
The October event takes place in 2025 on the Friday night before Cox Plate Day.
The 2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup ran on the Friday night before Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day offering the winner – Brian Ellison’s UK raider Onesmoothoperator ($4.20F) – a ballot exemption for the $10 million Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November.Â
| 2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Friday October 24, 2025 |
| Track: | Moonee Valley Racecourse |
| Distance: | 2500m |
| Race Type: | 4YO+ Set Weights & Penalties |
| Status: | Group 2 |
| Prize Money: | $750,000 |
2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Betting
The latest Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2025 betting odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au the week of the race for you to lock in your Moonee Valley Gold Cup tips at the right price this Cox Plate Day.
Francesco Guardi ($3.30 in 2022) and Onesmoothoperator ($4.20 in 2025) are the last favourites in Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting to salute for the punters.
2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Form Guide
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 MOONEE VALLEY GOLD CUP FORM GUIDE
2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Tips
Stay tuned for our exclusive Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2025 Tips on the Cox Plate Carnival event this spring.
To Win: No. 5 Onesmoothoperator
ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (4) is my top value pick in the Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup. With the current favourite GILDED WATER set to contest the rescheduled Ladbrokes Geelong Cup on Thursday I think he’ll be scratched from Friday’s feature which opens things up for Brian Ellison’s UK raider. Onesmoothoperator won last year’s Geelong Cup but has been scratched from his title defence in favour of a run at The Valley and that is a good sign of the stable’s confidence in the eight-year-old. He is winless since his Group 3 win down under but has been competitive in plenty over the past 12 months. Two back he was eye-catching running fourth at big odds in York’s Group 3 Silver Cup (2816m) before a tough loss at the same track and trip in the Ebor when carting a hefty 61kg which found him out. Back in Oz and he drops weight but will be ridden over the allocation on 57kg with the flying Mark Zahra coming aboard in a plus. Drawn favourably in barrier four, he’s got winning form up to 3319m so the 2500m first-up looks spot on for this dour stayer who has a strong place rate over the distance (8:1-4-0). His first go at Moonee Valley which is always a query, but he’s got the class at his best and I’ll be having a little go at him at a nice price.
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1st
5. Onesmoothoperator (3)
J: Mark Zahra 56.5kg
T: Brian Ellison |
2025 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Field
The Moonee Valley Gold Cup field attracts a quality line-up of spring stayers, many eyeing a run in the Melbourne Cup field at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.
Good lead-up races into the Moonee Valley Gold Cup field include Sydney’s St Leger (2600m) race at Randwick and even the previous weekend’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).
The 2025 Moonee Valley Gold Cup field and barrier draw are released on the Wednesday of race week and will be provided in full below once announced.
The Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2025 final field features 14 potential Melbourne Cup bound hopefuls led in betting by UK raider Onesmoothoperator who won the Geelong Cup in Victoria last year and is back down under on his way to the ‘race that stops a nation’.
Click here to read more on the key runners in the 2025 Moonee Valley Gold Cup field and betting markets.
| No | Last 10 | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Probable Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 07344×7451 | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Craig Williams | 13 | 57kg | Â | Â | 99 |
| 2 | 059417×440 | TRAV (NZ) | Raymond Connors | Masa Hashizume | 1 | 57kg | Â | Â | 94 |
| 3 | 60310×7294 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 10 | 56.5kg |  |  | 105 |
| 4 | x7726540x4 | HEZASHOCKA (NZ) | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | Damian Lane | 14 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 99 |
| 5 | 05735x840x | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | Brian Ellison | Mark Zahra | 4 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 102 |
| 6 | x460x8x866 | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Ethan Brown | 11 | 56.5kg | Â | Â | 97 |
| Â | Â | 106 | |||||||
| 8 | 21253×0838 | GRAND PIERRO | Jason Warren | Zac Spain | 3 | 56kg | Â | Â | 95 |
| 9 | 782959×000 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | Daniel Stackhouse | 9 | 55kg | Â | Â | 98 |
| 10 | 0x80x48x47 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | Kris Lees | Jye McNeil | 5 | 55kg | Â | Â | 97 |
| 11 | x54248x626 | BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Michael Dee | 6 | 55kg | Â | Â | 97 |
| Â | Â | 92 | |||||||
| 13 | 52x05x0027 | SCARY (NZ) | Emma-Lee & David Browne | Lachlan Neindorf | 8 | 53kg | Â | Â | 91 |
| 14 | 32×8233512 | SO YOU ARE | Stirling Osland | Ms Cejay Graham | 12 | 53kg | Â | Â | 84 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
2025 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Nominations
Nominations on the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in 2025 close the Monday of race week and will be published for the punters in full below.
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Ballot | Weight | True Weight | Penalty | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 17425x9x00 | HERMAN HESSE (GB) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 1 | 57kg | 100 | ||
| 2 | 07344×7451 | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | G | 7 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 2 | 57kg | 99 | ||
| 3 | 12x75x8541 | WOOTTON VERNI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | 3 | 57kg | 97 | ||
| 4 | 059417×440 | TRAV (NZ) | G | 6 | Raymond Connors | 4 | 57kg | 94 | ||
| 5 | 8x159x5090 | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 5 | 56.5kg | 107 | ||
| 6 | 60310×7294 | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 6 | 56.5kg | 105 | ||
| 7 | 05735x840x | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | G | 8 | Brian Ellison | 7 | 56.5kg | 102 | ||
| 8 | x7726540x4 | HEZASHOCKA (NZ) | G | 8 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 8 | 56.5kg | 99 | ||
| 9 | 84212×8082 | TORRANZINO (NZ) | G | 6 | Paul Preusker | 9 | 56.5kg | 98 | ||
| 10 | x460x8x866 | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 10 | 56.5kg | 97 | ||
| 11 | 3x742x8210 | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 11 | 56kg | 106 | ||
| 12 | 1103×85913 | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | G | 6 | Glen Thompson | 12 | 56kg | 96 | ||
| 13 | 21253×0838 | GRAND PIERRO | G | 6 | Jason Warren | 13 | 56kg | 95 | ||
| 14 | 782959×000 | ATHABASCAN (FR) | G | 7 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | 14 | 55kg | 98 | ||
| 15 | x0x2311330 | SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 15 | 55kg | 97 | ||
| 16 | x54248x626 | BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 16 | 55kg | 97 | ||
| 17 | 202763×070 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 17 | 55kg | 97 | ||
| 18 | 0x80x48x47 | CLEVELAND (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | 18 | 55kg | 97 | ||
| 19 | 0x0000x806 | STAR OF INDIA (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 19 | 55kg | 95 | ||
| 20 | 10x112x313 | GILDED WATER (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 20 | 55kg | 92 | ||
| 21 | 0x1x28x000 | EARL OF TYRONE (IRE) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 21 | 55kg | 92 | ||
| 22 | 52x05x0027 | SCARY (NZ) | H | 4 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 22 | 53kg | 91 | ||
| 23 | 70x5585x09 | DASHING DUCHESS (NZ) | M | 6 | Symon Wilde | 23 | 53kg | 91 | ||
| 24 | 7x500x5036 | CADMUS (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 24 | 55kg | 88 | ||
| 25 | 121213×775 | FERNAO (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 25 | 55kg | 86 | ||
| 26 | 32×8233512 | SO YOU ARE | G | 4 | Stirling Osland | 26 | 53kg | 84 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
Moonee Valley Gold Cup History
First held in 1883, the Moonee Valley Gold Cup was originally an eight-furlong event when it was won by Castaway. Over the years the event has changed its distance over six times ranging from eight, six and seven furlongs to eleven, twelve, ten, thirteen furlongs. Eventually it became a 2600m race before it was reduced down to 2500m.
Originally a Principal race, the Moonee Valley Gold Cup became a Group 3 race in 1979 and was then elevated to Group 2 status in 1980. Also known as the Cathay Pacific Gold Cup, Grosby Gold Cup and Governors’ Stakes, the event has had several double winners including Little Bob (1891-92), Gladwyn (1914-15), Gilltown (1939-40), and Valcurl (1945-46).
Kingston Rule went on to win the Melbourne Cup after winning the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in 1990, but the Cox Plate Day race has produced a number of other Melbourne Cup winners and placegetters since including in 2015 when Prince Of Penzance improved on his second to win the ‘race that stops a nation’ at 100/1 odds.
Trainer Chris Waller prepared the Moonee Valley Gold Cup quinella in both 2016 and 2017, Who Shot Thebarman improving on his second in 2016 to win the 2017 edition over stablemate Libran on way to his fourth Melbourne Cup.
Moonee Valley Gold Cup results, winners and winning times since 2000 are listed below.
Recent Moonee Valley Gold Cup Winners
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Onesmoothoperator | 2 minutes 36.77 seconds |
| 2nd | Athabascan | ||
| 3rd | Scary | ||
| 2024 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Okita Soushi | 2 minutes 34.77 seconds |
| 2nd | Serpentine | ||
| 3rd | Sharp ‘N’ Smart | ||
| 2023 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Cleveland | 2 minutes 35.20 seconds |
| 2nd | Vow And Declare | ||
| 3rd | Future History | ||
| 2022 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Francesco Guardi | 2 minutes 39.38 seconds |
| 2nd | Lunar Flare | ||
| 3rd | Persan | ||
| 2021 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Lunar Flare | 2 minutes 40.12 seconds |
| 2nd | Floating Artist | ||
| 3rd | Sound | ||
| 2020 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Miami Bound | 2 minutes 39.66 seconds |
| 2nd | Shared Ambition | ||
| 3rd | Oceanex | ||
| 2019 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Hunting Horn | 2 minutes 39.48 seconds |
| 2nd | Mr Quickie | ||
| 3rd | Downdraft | ||
| 2018 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Ventura Storm | 2 minutes 34.34 seconds (R) |
| 2nd | Trap For Fools | ||
| 3rd | Libran | ||
| 2017 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Who Shot Thebarman | 2 minutes 37.38 seconds |
| 2nd | Libran | ||
| 3rd | Cismontane | ||
| 2016 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Grand Marshal | 2 minutes 41.42 seconds |
| 2nd | Who Shot Thebarman | ||
| 3rd | Pentathlon | ||
| 2015 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | The United States | 2 minutes 34.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Prince Of Penzance | ||
| 3rd | Bohemian Lily | ||
| 2014 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Prince Of Penzance | 2 minutes 36.0 seconds |
| 2nd | Le Roi | ||
| 3rd | Au Revoir | ||
| 2013 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Precedence | 2 minutes 36.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Shoreham | ||
| 3rd | Gotta Take Care | ||
| 2012 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Vatuvei | 2 minutes 35.73 seconds |
| 2nd | Reuben Percival | ||
| 3rd | Ironstein | ||
| 2011 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Americain | 2 minutes 36.41 seconds |
| 2nd | Tullamore | ||
| 3rd | Illo | ||
| 2010 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Precedence | 2 minutes 38.94 seconds |
| 2nd | Above Average | ||
| 3rd | Capecover | ||
| 2009 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | The Sportsman | 2 minutes 37.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Irazu | ||
| 3rd | Think Money | ||
| 2008 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Gallopin | 2 minutes 36.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Baughurst | ||
| 3rd | Ice Chariot | ||
| 2007 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Gallic | 2 minutes 36.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Lazer Sharp | ||
| 3rd | Jukebox Johnny | ||
| 2006 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Zipping | 2 minutes 38.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Show Barry | ||
| 3rd | Gallic | ||
| 2005 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Umbula | 2 minutes 45.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Bazelle | ||
| 3rd | Kindjhal | ||
| 2004 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Another Warrior | 2 minutes 37.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Rizon | ||
| 3rd | Hard To Get | ||
| 2003 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Frightening | 2 minutes 38.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Legible | ||
| 3rd | County Tyrone | ||
| 2002 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Thong Classic | 2 minutes 40.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Rain Gauge | ||
| 3rd | Mr Prudent | ||
| 2001 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Rain Gauge | 2 minutes 37.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Spirit Of Westbury | ||
| 3rd | Big Pat | ||
| 2000 Moonee Valley Gold Cup | 1st | Yippyio | 2 minutes 41.3 seconds |
| 2nd | Brew | ||
| 3rd | Cronus | ||
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