Melbourne Cup 2025 Betting Odds - Al Riffa Surges Into Favouritism

Bets.com.au Staff

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Last updated: Mon 03 Nov 2025 08:26

Bets.com.au Staff 03 Nov 2025

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Al Riffa emerges as favorite for 2025 Melbourne Cup after Irish St Leger win
Purchased by Australian Bloodstock, brings strong European form to Australia
Key rivals include Half Yours, Valiant King, and Buckaroo

Expired

Al Riffa winning the 2025 Irish St. Leger. (Getty)

Al Riffa ($6.50) surged further into Melbourne Cup contention after a dominant victory in the Irish St Leger at The Curragh.

Melbourne Cup 2025 Betting Odds
Melbourne Cup Winners

The Irish entire, who had earlier claimed the Curragh Cup, was recently purchased by Australian Bloodstock in a multimillion-dollar deal while remaining under the care of Joseph O’Brien, already a two-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer.

Al Riffa brings proven European staying form and genuine class to the Australian spring and is the current favourite with PlayUp in the 2025 Melbourne Cup market.

Half Yours ($7.50) claimed a breakthrough Group 1 victory in the Caulfield Cup, confirming his rise among Australia’s top stayers for Tony & Calvin McEvoy.

The gelding had already impressed with a Naturalism Stakes win and a solid Turnbull performance leading in, and now heads to Flemington as one of the major local hopes for the Melbourne Cup.

Presage Nocturne ($8.50) finished fourth in the Caulfield Cup on his Australian debut — an excellent effort over a trip that's a little short of his best.

Trained by Alessandro Botti, the French galloper has already shown durability in European Group staying races and looks well suited stepping up in trip for the Melbourne Cup.

Valiant King ($9) has emerged as a key contender after finishing third in the Caulfield Cup on the back of his Bart Cummings victory, which earned him a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption.

Buckaroo ($10) looms as one of the stronger chances for the 2025 Melbourne Cup after running a close second in the Cox Plate.

Trained by Chris Waller, he’ll carry 57kg with Craig Williams aboard and brings genuine class into the two-mile test, with 3200m being the main query.

Meydaan ($21) was excellent without luck on Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup when set a big task, back, wide and chasing throughout.

He was entitled to tire late but still found the line for a midfield finish in that 2400m feature. With James McDonald taking over, he gets ideal conditions to improve sharply.

Melbourne Cup 2025 Betting Odds

Horse	Odds
Al Riffa	$6.50
Half Yours	$7.50
Presage Nocturne	$8.50
Valiant King	$9.00
Buckaroo	$10.00
River Of Stars	$14.00
Absurde	$19.00
Flatten The Curve	$20.00
Meydaan	$21.00
Vauban	$23.00
Royal Supremacy	$26.00
Furthur	$31.00
Onesmoothoperator	$31.00
Torranzino	$31.00
Chevalier Rose	$34.00
Arapaho	$41.00
Middle Earth	$41.00
More Felons	$41.00
Goodie Two Shoes	$41.00
Parchment Party	$51.00
Smokin' Romans	$61.00
Changingoftheguard	$61.00
Land Legend	$61.00
Athabascan	$81.00

Odds provided by PlayUp & correct at 7pm on 03/10/2025.

Melbourne Cup Winners

The Melbourne Cup is one of the world's most prestigious staying races and a highlight on the Australian sports calendar.

Being a 3200m handicap that attracts runners from across the globe, 'the race that stops a nation' is traditionally one of the toughest for punters, given the many different form lines.

Despite it being a challenging contest for all, the Melbourne Cup is the most popular betting race in Australia and one of the world's most famous sporting events.

Gold Trip (2022), Without A Fight (2023) and Knight's Choice (2024) have won the last three editions of the Melbourne Cup.