• Home
  • Racing
  • Group One & Feature Races
  • Epsom Handicap

Epsom Handicap 2025 - Barrier Draw & Final Field

Editor
Last updated: Tue 30 Sep 2025 02:36

The 2025 Epsom Handicap at Royal Randwick on October 4 features a standout field, headlined by Autumn Glow, the unbeaten favourite from Chris Waller’s stable. Challengers include previous winner Ceolwulf, in-form Pericles, and New Zealand Group 1 champion Pier. The Epsom Handicap remains one of Australia’s most prestigious mile races, steeped in over 150 years of tradition and consistently attracting elite milers. Recent winners like Winx and Ceolwulf highlight its ongoing reputation for showcasing stars. All eyes are on Autumn Glow to see if she can etch her name alongside racing legends.

Bets.com.au Staff 30 Sep 2025
Share this article
Or copy link
  • Final field for 2025 Epsom Handicap announced for October 4 at Royal Randwick
  • Autumn Glow is the early favourite, unbeaten, and stepping up to 1600m
  • Race boasts rich 150-year history, with stars like Winx & Ceolwulf among past winners
  • Barriers and field are detailed below
Epsom Handicap Barriers
Autumn Glow has drawn barrier 14 in the 2025 Epsom Handicap. (Getty)
   

14 runners make up the final field for the 2025 Epsom Handicap, which headlines a bumper program from Royal Randwick on Saturday, October 4.
  • Epsom Handicap 2025 - Barriers & Final Field
  • Epsom Handicap Winners

Chris Waller is in the box seat to claim a sixth Epsom Handicap, with the champion trainer preparing Autumn Glow (barrier 14), who has opened as an odds-on favourite in early markets.

While untested at 1600m, the four-year-old is expected to relish the step up in distance as she looks to extend her unbeaten record to seven. She resumed with a win on a Heavy 10 over an unsuitable 1100m before producing a sharp 1300m victory at Rosehill last start.

Ceolwulf (barrier 9) hasn’t quite reached the same heights as last spring, but the Joe Pride-trained galloper has remained competitive in three runs this campaign. He captured last year’s Epsom Handicap fourth-up before adding the King Charles III Stakes, underlining his ability to peak deeper into a preparation.

Pericles (barrier 5) was a comfortable Tramway Stakes winner on September 6, with that Group 2 triumph coming at his first start for the Bjorn Baker stable. The son of Street Boss boasts a strong second-up record, with three wins and two seconds from six attempts.

Pier (barrier 13) is a New Zealand Group 1 winner over 1600m and was successful again at the trip during the Brisbane Carnival in June. He was solid late when resuming over 1300m and looks set to improve with the rise in distance.

Epsom Handicap 2025 - Barriers & Final Field

                                                                                                                            
No. Horse Trainer Jockey Barrier Weight
1 Ceolwulf (NZ) Joseph Pride Chad Schofield 9 58kg
2 Pericles Bjorn Baker Josh Parr 5 57kg
3 Yellow Brick Tony & Maddysen Sears Andrew Mallyon 11 55.5kg
4 Autumn Glow Chris Waller Kerrin McEvoy 14 54.5kg
5 Pier Darryn & Briar Weatherley Ethan Brown 13 53.5kg
6 Willydoit (NZ) Ciaron Maher Tommy Berry 2 53kg
7 Encap Gary Portelli Reece Jones 6 52kg
8 El Castello Joseph Pride Andrew Adkins 1 51kg
9 Depth Of Character Annabel & Rob Archibald Rachel King 7 50kg
10 Swiftfalcon Michael, John & Wayne Hawkes Alysha Collett 4 50kg
11 Fully Lit Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott Winona Costin 8 50kg
12 Verona Rose Gary Portelli Ben Thompson 3 50kg
13 Magnatear Richard & Will Freedman Jay Ford 12 50kg
14 Lord Penman (NZ) Chris Waller Zac Lloyd 10 50kg

Epsom Handicap Winners


The Epsom Handicap is one of the cornerstones of Sydney’s spring carnival, a time-honoured mile run at Randwick since 1865. While there was a brief stretch where it was contested over 1800m, the race has almost always been held at 1600m, cementing its reputation as Australia’s premier test for top-class milers.

Named after the famous Epsom Downs racecourse in England, the race carries more than 150 years of tradition and has consistently drawn the best of the best. Its honour roll features champions across generations, from Nightmarch in 1930 to Sky High and Imposing, through to modern-day legends like Super Impose, who won back-to-back editions in 1990 and 1991, and Winx, who launched her remarkable winning streak with Epsom glory in 2015.

The race has continued to provide drama and history in recent years. The 2022 running produced a rare dead-heat between Ellsberg and Top Ranked, while Rediener made his breakthrough at Group 1 level in 2023. In 2024, Ceolwulf added his name to the honour roll with a win, continuing the race’s tradition of showcasing emerging stars.
 

Top Betting Sites

Betting offers

Upcoming Events

Hear more from bets.com.au