Howden Victoria Derby Day Howden Victoria Derby Day

Prizemoney: $2,000,000

3YO Set Weights. Apprentices cannot claim.

‘Australia’s Oldest Classic’

172nd of Series

Prizemoney: $2,000,000

3YO Set Weights. Apprentices cannot claim.

Registered name: Ascot Vale Stakes

57th of Series

Prizemoney: $1,000,000

3YO & Upwards Fillies & Mares Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.

41st of Series

Race History

EMPIRE ROSE (NZ) (Sir Tristram (IRE) – Summer Fleur (NZ))

The big New Zealand mare, daughter of Sir Tristram, had a Melbourne Cup record that few could better. She ran in four Cups for a fifth (1986), second (1987), first (1988) and fifteenth when favourite (1989). She won the 1987 New Zealand Cup and the 1988 Mackinnon Stakes. Trained at Cambridge, New Zealand by Laurie Laxon, she was often ridden in trackwork by the trainer’s then wife Sheila, who in 2001 in her own right trained the mare Ethereal to win the Caulfield–Melbourne Cup double, officially the first woman trainer to win the Melbourne Cup. The Empire Rose Stakes is a Group 1 race for fillies and mares.

Prizemoney: $500,000

Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.

Formerly Linlithgow Stakes

115th of Series

Race History

DAMIEN OLIVER

Damien Oliver, one of Australia’s most celebrated jockeys, retired in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that will be hard to match. Born into a racing family, Oliver navigated personal tragedy when he lost his brother Jason, also a jockey, to achieve extraordinary success in the saddle. His career spanned decades, amassing 3,189 wins, including a remarkable 129 Group 1 victories. His Melbourne Cup triumphs – aboard Doriemus in 1995, Media Puzzle in 2002, and Fiorente in 2013 – are etched in racing folklore. Oliver’s dominance was evident at Flemington, where he claimed an impressive seven VRC Oaks, six VRC Derbies, and a host of other prestigious races. Inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2008, Oliver was renowned for his dedication, sportsmanship, and an unwavering passion for racing. He concluded his career with a flourish, riding the final three winners at the Ascot meeting in Western Australia in December, a fitting farewell for a true legend of the turf.

Prizemoney: $300,000

3YO Fillies Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

97th of Series

Race History

WAKEFUL (Trenton (NZ) – Insomnia)

Wakeful has claims to be the greatest, certainly the most versatile, race mare ever to have competed in Australia. She won 25 feature races from the Oakleigh Plate (5½ furlongs), Newmarket Handicap, 6 furlongs, AJC Doncaster Handicap (1 mile) to the Sydney Cup (2 miles) and the Australian Champion Stakes (3 miles). Three times she won the VRC Melbourne (Mackinnon Stakes). Her bravest race was her close second place under 10 stone (63.5kg) to Lord Cardigan in the 1903 Melbourne Cup. At stud she produced an Oakleigh Plate winner, Blairgour, and the 1918 Melbourne Cup winner, Night Watch.

Prizemoney: $500,000

3YO Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

53rd of Series

Race History

CARBINE CLUB OF VICTORIA

Victoria’s Carbine Club began in 1961 with a small coterie of sportsmen creating a luncheon club. Meurig Davis, co-author with Maurice Cavanough of Cup Day: The story of the Melbourne Cup 1861–1960, was co-founder and suggested the name to honour the 1891 Cup winner and turf legend. The Carbine Club celebrates sporting endeavour, with a proud history of fellowship and support for community. It spawned associated clubs around Australia and internationally. Membership is a sporting honour, by invitation, but the goodwill is shared. Its famous Derby Eve luncheon began in 1963 and grew to a lunch for a thousand, an annual curtain-raiser to Melbourne Cup Carnival week.

Prizemoney: $200,000

3YO Fillies Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

41st of Series

Prizemoney: $200,000

4YO & Upwards Mares Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

Registered name: Begonia Belle Stakes

29th of Series

Race History

BEGONIA BELLE (Court Sentence (GB) - Near Belle)

The registered race name remembers the great sprinting mare Begonia Belle, winner of the 1967 Caulfield One Thousand Guineas and Sandown Guineas, the 1969 Moonee Valley Alister Clark Stakes and, at Flemington, the 1968 Lightning Stakes and 1969 Newmarket Handicap. She finished second to Sweet Embrace in the 1967 Golden Slipper at Rosehill, and third to Manihi in the 1968 Newmarket. She was bred and raced by Hilton Nicholas AM, OBE (1925–2918) who was Chairman of the VRC 1982–86 and Chairman of the TAB 1968–84. He stood the sire, Court Sentence, at his Shirley Park Stud, Macedon. 

Prizemoney: $200,000

Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.

Formerly Chatham Stakes

152nd of Series

Race History

RISING FAST (NZ) (Alonzo (GB) – Faster (NZ))

This New Zealand champion came so close to becoming the first horse ever to win the Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double twice in succession. He won the Caulfield Cup in 1954 and 1955 and the Melbourne Cup in 1954 before being beaten into second place, carrying 63.5 kg, by Toparoa in 1955. And Toparoa carried 15.4 kg less on his back. Today’s race previously honoured Chatham, champion miler and middle-distance horse of the 1930s, son of the 1925 Melbourne Cup winner Windbag. Chatham won two Epsoms and a Doncaster at Randwick, a Cox Plate, and at Flemington he twice won the Linlithgow Stakes.

Prizemoney: $80,000

Benchmark 79 Handicap. Apprentices can claim.

Prizemoney: $2,000,000

Trophies: $11,500

3YO Set Weights. Apprentices cannot claim.

‘Australia’s Oldest Classic’

172nd of Series

Last Year's Winner - Goldrush Guru

Prizemoney: $2,000,000

Trophies: $5,645

3YO Set Weights. Apprentices cannot claim.

Registered name: Ascot Vale Stakes

57th of Series

Last Year's Winner - Switzerland

Prizemoney: $1,000,000

Trophies: $5,645

3YO & Upwards Fillies & Mares Weight-For-Age. Apprentices cannot claim.

41st of Series

Race History

ROSE OF KINGSTON (Claude (ITY) – Kingston Rose)

Victorian-bred, the versatile Rose of Kingston is one of only nine fillies to have won the AJC/ATC Derby at Randwick since its first running in 1861. In 26 starts she achieved 10 wins and 9 placings. Third in the 1981 Golden Slipper, winner of the Champagne Stakes (Randwick), VRC Craiglee Stakes and Oaks, and Australasian Oaks (Adelaide), she became Australian Horse of the Year at 3, and then champion older mare. As a broodmare she went to the USA and with the Triple Crown legend Secretariat produced 1990 Melbourne Cup winner Kingston Rule. 

Last Year's Winner - Atishu (NZ)

Prizemoney: $500,000

Trophies: $4,945

Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.

Formerly Linlithgow Stakes

115th of Series

Race History

DAMIEN OLIVER

Damien Oliver, one of Australia’s most celebrated jockeys, retired in 2023, leaving behind a legacy that will be hard to match. Born into a racing family, Oliver navigated personal tragedy when he lost his brother Jason, also a jockey, to achieve extraordinary success in the saddle. His career spanned decades, amassing 3,189 wins, including a remarkable 129 Group 1 victories. His Melbourne Cup triumphs – aboard Doriemus in 1995, Media Puzzle in 2002, and Fiorente in 2013 – are etched in racing folklore. Oliver’s dominance was evident at Flemington, where he claimed an impressive seven VRC Oaks, six VRC Derbies, and a host of other prestigious races. Inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2008, Oliver was renowned for his dedication, sportsmanship, and an unwavering passion for racing. He concluded his career with a flourish, riding the final three winners at the Ascot meeting in Western Australia in December, a fitting farewell for a true legend of the turf.

Prizemoney: $300,000

Trophies: $4,945

3YO Fillies Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

97th of Series

Race History

WAKEFUL (Trenton (NZ) – Insomnia)

Wakeful has claims to be the greatest, certainly the most versatile, race mare ever to have competed in Australia. She won 25 feature races from the Oakleigh Plate (5½ furlongs), Newmarket Handicap, 6 furlongs, AJC Doncaster Handicap (1 mile) to the Sydney Cup (2 miles) and the Australian Champion Stakes (3 miles). Three times she won the VRC Melbourne (Mackinnon Stakes). Her bravest race was her close second place under 10 stone (63.5kg) to Lord Cardigan in the 1903 Melbourne Cup. At stud she produced an Oakleigh Plate winner, Blairgour, and the 1918 Melbourne Cup winner, Night Watch.

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Prizemoney: $500,000

Trophies: $3,645

3YO Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

53rd of Series

Race History

CARBINE CLUB OF VICTORIA

Victoria’s Carbine Club began in 1961 with a small coterie of sportsmen creating a luncheon club. Meurig Davis, co-author with Maurice Cavanough of Cup Day: The story of the Melbourne Cup 1861–1960, was co-founder and suggested the name to honour the 1891 Cup winner and turf legend. The Carbine Club celebrates sporting endeavour, with a proud history of fellowship and support for community. It spawned associated clubs around Australia and internationally. Membership is a sporting honour, by invitation, but the goodwill is shared. Its famous Derby Eve luncheon began in 1963 and grew to a lunch for a thousand, an annual curtain-raiser to Melbourne Cup Carnival week.

Prizemoney: $240,000

Trophies: $3,645

3YO Fillies Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

41st of Series

Prizemoney: $240,000

Trophies: $3,645

4YO & Upwards Mares Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.

Registered name: Begonia Belle Stakes

29th of Series

Race History

BEGONIA BELLE (Court Sentence (GB) - Near Belle)

The registered race name remembers the great sprinting mare Begonia Belle, winner of the 1967 Caulfield One Thousand Guineas and Sandown Guineas, the 1969 Moonee Valley Alister Clark Stakes and, at Flemington, the 1968 Lightning Stakes and 1969 Newmarket Handicap. She finished second to Sweet Embrace in the 1967 Golden Slipper at Rosehill, and third to Manihi in the 1968 Newmarket. She was bred and raced by Hilton Nicholas AM, OBE (1925–2918) who was Chairman of the VRC 1982–86 and Chairman of the TAB 1968–84. He stood the sire, Court Sentence, at his Shirley Park Stud, Macedon. 

Prizemoney: $240,000

Trophies: $3,645

Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.

Formerly Chatham Stakes

152nd of Series

Race History

RISING FAST (NZ) (Alonzo (GB) – Faster (NZ))

This New Zealand champion came so close to becoming the first horse ever to win the Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double twice in succession. He won the Caulfield Cup in 1954 and 1955 and the Melbourne Cup in 1954 before being beaten into second place, carrying 63.5 kg, by Toparoa in 1955. And Toparoa carried 15.4 kg less on his back. Today’s race previously honoured Chatham, champion miler and middle-distance horse of the 1930s, son of the 1925 Melbourne Cup winner Windbag. Chatham won two Epsoms and a Doncaster at Randwick, a Cox Plate, and at Flemington he twice won the Linlithgow Stakes.