9 SEASON 2024-25 From a record-breaking Melbourne Cup Carnival to standout performances across the summer, autumn and winter, the 2024/25 season at Flemington delivered moments of brilliance and inspiration. With new stars emerging, familiar names shining once more, and several trainers and jockeys celebrating career-defining victories, the season offered a compelling picture of Australian racing at its best. 2024 MELBOURNE CUP CARNIVAL The 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival hosted the biggest crowds since the preCOVID era, with more than 285,000 fans soaking up the sunshine, fun, and world-class racing action across the famous four-day carnival. A new generation of racing fans enjoyed the excitement of Australia’s most famous racing carnival, with noticeably youthful crowds and more than 45% of general admission ticket sales bought by racegoers under 35. The $2 million Penfolds Victoria Derby (2500m) saw victory for South Australian colt Goldrush Guru, who claimed Australia’s oldest Classic race for trainer Andrew Gluyas, son-in-law of 2008 Victoria Derby winning trainer Leon McDonald. At the other end of the distance scale, Chris Waller, James McDonald and Coolmore celebrated success for the second time in four years in the $2 million Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) courtesy of brilliant colt Switzerland, a $1.5 million yearling now worth many multiples of that figure as an heir apparent to his champion sire Snitzel. Waller and McDonald were back in the winner’s circle again on Derby Day to celebrate victory in the $1 million Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) as ever-reliable seven-year-old mare Atishu dug deep to deny Amelia’s Jewel in a hard-fought photo finish. The 164th running of the $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) was run in front of more than 91,000 fans and was decided by the narrowest of margins as Queensland longshot Knight’s Choice held off Japanese visitor Warp Speed by a nose with Irish import Okita Soushi in third. Trained by John Symons and Sheila Laxon, the latter also the trainer of 2001 Melbourne Cup winner Ethereal, Knight’s Choice started at $91 to become the longest priced winner of the Cup since 2015 winner Prince Of Penzance. The result was a fairytale result for Irish-expat jockey Robbie Dolan who, incredibly, met Laxon while he performed as a singer on a Melbourne Cup cruise from Sydney to Melbourne just twelve months earlier. A new star was born in the $1 million Crown Oaks (2500m) when Mornington trainer Matt Laurie’s Treasurethe Moment completed the Wakeful Stakes–VRC Oaks double, becoming the 39th filly in history to do so. Owned by Chinesebacked powerhouse Yulong, Treasurethe Moment was declared a superstar in the making by globetrotting jockey Damian Lane. The $500,000 Melbourne Cup Carnival Country Final (1600m) was taken out by Electric Impulse for trainer Henry Dwyer, capping a memorable year for the trainer in which his star mare Asfoora delivered a memorable win in the King Charles III Stakes at Royal Ascot in June. Chris Waller and James McDonald finished Cup Week in the same winning way that it began, as they partnered with Cox Plate winner Via Sistina for a dominant victory in the $3 million TAB Champions Stakes (2000m). Waller’s Empire Rose Stakes winner Atishu was a brave second with 2023 Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup hero Without A Fight in third.
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