Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
The victory of Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {USA}) in Saturday’s G1 CF Orr Stakes at Caulfield marked the conclusion of a memorable Melbourne spring carnival - a spring packed with storylines, standout performances and significant achievements.
Jimmysstar collects the last Group 1 in Melbourne for 2026
Ciaron Maher drew level with Chris Waller as the standout trainer of the Melbourne spring at the top level, after Jimmysstar (NZ) (Per Incanto {NZ}) swept to victory in Saturday’s G1 CF Orr Stakes - the final Group 1 of the 2025 Eastern States season.
Jimmysstar’s dominant win delivered Maher his third elite success of the spring, following Pride Of Jenni’s (Pride Of Dubai) triumph in the G1 Empire Rose Stakes and Observer’s (Ghaiyyath {Ire}) victory in the G1 Victoria Derby.
Jimmysstar (NZ) | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Waller also finished the spring with three Group 1 wins from the 22 run in Melbourne over the period. Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) claimed the G1 Caulfield Guineas, while Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock {Ire}) again produced her trademark G1 Cox Plate and G1 Champion Stakes double, which she also achieved last year.
Three other stables collected multiple majors. Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott captured both the G1 Underwood Stakes and G1 Turnbull Stakes with Sir Delius (GB) (Frankel {GB}). Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr enjoyed success with Globe (NZ) (Charm Spirit {Ire}) in the G1 Might And Power Stakes and Charm Stone (I Am Invincible) in the G1 Manikato Stakes. Tony and Calvin McEvoy secured the coveted Group 1 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups double with Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}).
Gallery: Jockeys who closed out the G1 Calendar with four wins, images courtesy of the Image Is Everything
Among the jockeys, Mark Zahra and Craig Williams closed out the G1 calendar with four wins apiece. Zahra struck aboard Transatlantic (Snitzel) in the G1 Toorak Handicap, Tentyris (Street Boss {USA}) in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes, Observer in the Victoria Derby and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) in the Champion Sprint.
Williams guided Sir Delius to his two Group 1 victories and also claimed the G1 Makybe Diva Stakes on Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), and the G1 Sir Rupert Clarke Stakes on Sepals (Calyx {GB}).
| Mark Zahra | 4 |
| Craig Williams | 4 |
| Blake Shinn | 3 |
| Damian Lane | 2 |
| Jamie Melham | 2 |
| James McDonald | 2 |
Gallery: Amount of Group 1 win's through out the carnival - Jockeys
| Chris Waller | 3 |
| Ciaron Maher | 3 |
| Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott | 2 |
| Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr | 2 |
| Tony and Calvin McEvoy | 2 |
Gallery: Amount of Group 1 win's through out the carnival - Trainers
| Snitzel | 2 | 2 | Baraqiel, Transatlantic |
| Fastnet Rock | 1 | 2 | Via Sistina (Ire) |
| St Jean (Ire) | 1 | 2 | Half Yours |
| Frankel (GB) | 1 | 2 | Sir Delius (GB) |
| Per Incanto (USA) | 1 | 1 | Jimmysstar (NZ) |
| Alabama Express | 1 | 1 | Treasurethe Moment |
| Bullbars | 1 | 1 | Mr Brightside |
| Pride Of Dubai | 1 | 1 | Pride Of Jenni |
| Calyx (GB) | 1 | 1 | Sepals |
| I Am Invincible | 1 | 1 | Charm Stone |
| The Autumn Boy | 1 | 1 | The Autumn Sun |
| Charm Spirit (Ire) | 1 | 1 | Globe (NZ) |
| Ole Kirk | 1 | 1 | Ole Dancer |
| Ghaiyyath (Ire) | 1 | 1 | Observer |
| Street Boss (USA) | 1 | 1 | Tentyris |
| Grunt (NZ) | 1 | 1 | Strictly Business |
| Tavistock (NZ) | 1 | 1 | Ceolwulf (NZ) |
| Scissor Kick | 1 | 1 | Giga Kick |
Gallery: Sires by Group 1 winners in Melbourne from August 1
| I Am Invincible | 6 | 6 |
| Harry Angel (Ire) | 4 | 4 |
| Ghaiyaath (Ire) | 3 | 4 |
| Wootton Bassett (GB) | 3 | 3 |
| Snitzel | 3 | 3 |
| Too Darn Hot (GB) | 3 | 3 |
| Fastnet Rock | 2 | 3 |
| Street Boss (USA) | 2 | 3 |
Gallery: Sires by stakes winners in Melbourne from August 1
The Rise of Partnerships in the Melbourne Cup
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) became the second father-and-son duo to train a Melbourne Cup winner in partnership, following in the footsteps of Anthony and Sam Freedman, who prepared Without A Fight (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}) to win the Cup in 2023.
In fact, Half Yours’ victory marked the fourth consecutive Melbourne Cup winner to be prepared by a training partnership - a remarkable shift in the race’s long history. Before 2022, no Melbourne Cup winner had been trained by a partnership, but the tide has clearly turned.
The trend began with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace in 2022, who guided Gold Trip (Fr) to victory, followed by Without A Fight in 2023, and Knight’s Choice (Extreme Choice) last year for the John Symons and Sheila Laxon team.
Calvin and Tony McEvoy | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Over the past decade, training partnerships have become increasingly influential in the Australian racing landscape. What began as a relatively novel idea has now evolved into a defining feature of modern racing success. The concept was first officially introduced in Victoria in 2005 and later adopted in New South Wales in 2008. While initially slow to take hold, the system has since flourished, offering trainers the chance to combine complementary skill sets, share workloads, and strengthen their operations - particularly when family or long-time professional relationships are involved.
Even as recently as the 2014–15 season, shared training responsibilities were still emerging. Only three of the top 25 stables at that time were partnerships, including pioneering father-and-son teams Troy and Leon Corstens and Team Hawkes, made up of John Hawkes and his sons Michael and Wayne.
John, Michael and Wayne Hawkes | Image courtesy of Hawkes Racing
Fast forward to today, and partnerships have become not only commonplace but often the preferred model. They provide structure, support, and balance in a demanding industry that requires constant management across multiple training centres, owners, and racing jurisdictions.
The recent Melbourne Cup results highlight this evolution - a new era where teamwork and collaboration at the top level are rewriting the traditional solo trainer narrative. As the McEvoys’ success with Half Yours shows, combining experience with emerging energy can be a winning formula in racing’s toughest test.
Melham makes history as first female to claim Caulfield–Melbourne Cups double
Superstar jockey Jamie Melham has etched her name into racing history, becoming the first female jockey to complete the Caulfield–Melbourne Cups double, guiding Half Yours (St Jean {Ire}) to a stirring victory in the race that stops a nation - just weeks after their G1 Caulfield Cup triumph on October 18 at Caulfield.
A decade after close friend Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, Melham matched the feat in stunning fashion aboard the same horse for Ballarat-based father-and-son training duo Tony and Calvin McEvoy, becoming just the second female jockey ever to claim the famous trophy.
“It's been long enough, 10 years. I had to do it sooner or later,” Melham told media after the historic win.
“It's been long enough, 10 years. I had to do it sooner or later.” - Jamie Melham
“All week I've been thinking about it, been excited, but no feeling can describe what I felt just then – what I'm still feeling.”
The victory also saw the son of bargain-priced sire St Jean (Ire) become only the 13th horse in history to complete the Caulfield–Melbourne Cups double in the Cup’s 149-year history - cementing both horse and rider in the annals of Australian racing.
Jamie Melham | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Melham’s relationship with the McEvoys stretches back more than 15 years, to her early days as an up-and-coming apprentice in Adelaide - then known as Jamie Kah. Over that time, both Melham’s career and the McEvoys’ stable have flourished, with this victory serving as the ultimate reward for a long-standing partnership built on mutual respect, trust, and belief.
“I wouldn't want to do this for anybody else in this industry,” Melham said, glancing at the McEvoys. “They’ve been with me from the start, and to share this moment with them makes it even more special.”
Her triumph aboard Half Yours not only makes her the first female jockey to complete the Caulfield–Melbourne Cups double, but also just the second woman ever to win the Melbourne Cup. It’s a milestone that underlines how far female jockeys have come - once battling for limited opportunities, they are now firmly entrenched at the elite level of Australian racing.
Half Yours | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Grand old gallopers captivate the crowds
There’s no denying the enduring appeal of seasoned campaigners who continue to perform against the very best, year after year. Horses like Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock), Mr Brightside (NZ) (Bullbars), Pride Of Jenni (Pride Of Dubai) and Giga Kick (Scissor Kick) command the admiration of fans every time they step onto the track.
Punters love them not just for their class, but for their consistency - the sense of familiarity and reliability that comes with seeing them perform at Weight-for-age level against top-tier opposition. Few sights stir a Flemington crowd more than these stars fighting out a finish.
Whether it was Pride Of Jenni tearing away from her rivals in the G1 Empire Rose Stakes, Via Sistina charging down the outside on a rain-sodden Flemington track to win the G1 Champion Stakes, or Giga Kick - who, though still only a 6-year-old, feels like a veteran after his Everest heroics as a 3-year-old — defying Magic Time (Hellbent) in the shadows of the post, these moments lit up the carnival. The scenes of trainer Clayton Douglas celebrating in the Birdcage under torrential rain only added to the theatre.
Flemington’s Melbourne Cup Carnival consistently draws the best horses from across Australasia, alongside a handful of international raiders from Japan and Europe chasing Cox Plate or Cup glory.
Champions Day now adds an extra layer of excitement - giving racegoers the chance to see many of these stars once more, whether they’ve come via the G1 Cox Plate, The G1 Everest, or the G1 King Charles III Stakes.
And while this year’s crowd battled through relentless rain and testing conditions, the energy never wavered. The roars echoed around the grandstand as the champions of the turf returned victorious, none louder than the heartfelt chants of “Via! Via! Via!” as the mare returned to scale — completing a remarkable double of the G1 Cox Plate and G1 Champion Stakes for the second consecutive year.
The last of the amphitheatre: ‘The Valley’ as we know it
The 2025 Cox Plate marked the final running of Moonee Valley turf as we know it. The iconic track is set to be completely rebuilt, with a modern course and facilities scheduled to open in Spring 2027. In the meantime, next year’s Cox Plate will temporarily move to Flemington.
It was a fitting finale that a current champion, Via Sistina (Ire) (Fastnet Rock) in the hands of Champion jockey James McDonald, claimed the last Cox Plate on the historic surface, securing her second consecutive win in front of a packed and raucous crowd. The victory was a perfect send-off for a track that has been a central part of Australian racing for more than 140 years.
After the race card concluded, fans were allowed onto the turf for one final farewell, and chaos quickly followed. Sections of running rail were hauled away, patches of the famous Valley turf were dug up, roses plucked, and even bricks lifted as souvenirs. The public’s passion turned the hallowed ground into an impromptu treasure trove of racing memorabilia.
Now, the remnants of Moonee Valley are being stripped and cleared to make way for the new track. When it reopens, it will mark a bold, modern chapter in the venue’s storied history. But for now, the echoes of champions and the footprints of fans remain—a final reminder of the amphitheatre that was, and a nod to the era yet to come.
Racing’s popularity is booming
Racing’s appeal is clearly strong, with attendance numbers up and wagering figures soaring, particularly on Melbourne Cup Day. The Cup remains a central event in Australian life, and it continues to “stop the nation.”
A record $247.4 million was wagered on the Melbourne Cup, contributing to a total of $382.5 million across Cup Day. According to the Herald Sun, these figures represent an 11 per cent increase on 2024’s total day turnover and a 16 per cent rise for the Cup itself.
The 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival drew a total of 286,746 attendees over the four-day festival, including 86,112 on Victoria Derby Day and 84,374 on Melbourne Cup Day, according to Victoria Racing Club (VRC) figures, underlining the enduring public enthusiasm for the sport.
