Half Yours wins the Melbourne Cup 2025 over Goodie Two Shoes and Middle Earth—see results, final odds, replay info and exotics betting.
Half Yours wins the 2025 Melbourne Cup
Half Yours stormed to Melbourne Cup glory at Flemington, handing Jamie Melham a landmark victory and confirming her status as one of the sport’s elite big-race riders. On rain-softened ground beneath a blanket of grey, the Tony and Calvin McEvoy mare travelled sweetly, angled out at the 200m, and put the race away in a handful of powerful strides before a crowd in the vicinity of 80,000.
The winning margin was emphatic—two lengths—over the game Goodie Two Shoes, with Middle Earth staying on for third. It was the kind of Cup that rewards patience and nerve: Melham hugged economical ground for much of the trip, waited for daylight, then asked Half Yours to quicken when it mattered most. The response was immediate and decisive.
With the win, Melham becomes only the second woman to lift the Cup, a full decade after Michelle Payne’s trailblazing success. Payne was on course in a broadcasting role and offered warm congratulations, a passing of the torch that underlined how far the sport has moved—and how high the next generation aims.
The Cup caps a whirlwind year for Melham—marriage, major-race milestones, and a spring to remember. She already made history last month as the first female jockey to take out the Caulfield Cup; now she adds Australia’s greatest staying prize to the same season, completing an unrivalled double. The day carried a personal edge as well: Melham has ridden through the recent loss of her grandfather, a long-time supporter, dedicating the moment to his memory.
Tactically, the race unfolded at an honest clip on the soft track. Half Yours relaxed in midfield, conserved energy through the back straight, and tracked the right backs into the home bend. When the run appeared near the inside approaching the clock tower, Melham committed. Half Yours switched gears, lengthened, and was strong through the line—no late ambushes, no doubt.
Beyond the silverware, the financial rewards are significant. From the $4.5 million winner’s purse, connections receive roughly $3.8 million, the training partnership earns about $450,000, and Melham’s share as the winning jockey is approximately $225,000—figures that reflect both the prestige of the race and the standard required to win it.
2025 Melbourne Cup finishing order
| Place | No. | Colours | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Odds | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 14 |  | Half Yours | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Jamie Melham | $9.00 | – |
| 2nd | 20 |  | Goodie Two Shoes (IRE) | J.P.O’Brien | W.M.Lordan | $41.00 | 2.75L |
| 3rd | 7 |  | Middle Earth (GB) | C.Maher | E.P.Brown | $26.00 | 4.25L |
| 4th | 21 |  | River Of Stars (IRE) | C.J.Waller | B.Mertens | $19.00 | 6.75L |
| 5th | 23 |  | Torranzino (NZ) | P.A.Preusker | C.G.Gaudray | $31.00 | 8L |
| 6th | 4 |  | Vauban (FR) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | B.A.Shinn | $21.00 | 9.25L |
| 7th | 1 |  | Al Riffa (FR) | J.P.O’Brien | M.Zahra | $8.00 | 9.35L |
| 8th | 9 |  | Absurde (FR) | W.P.Mullins | K.McEvoy | $19.00 | 9.55L |
| 9th | 13 |  | Changingoftheguard (IRE) | K.A.Lees | T.Clark | $61.00 | 9.85L |
| 10th | 8 |  | Meydaan (IRE) | Simon & Ed Crisford | J.B.McDonald | $26.00 | 10.15L |
| 11th | 17 |  | Furthur (IRE) | A.Balding | M.J.Dee | $41.00 | 11.15L |
| 12th | 3 |  | Arapaho (FR) | B.Baker | R.King | $31.00 | 11.9L |
| 13th | 10 |  | Flatten The Curve (FR) | H.Grewe | T.H.Hansen | $21.00 | 11.96L |
| 14th | 12 |  | Smokin’ Romans (NZ) | C.Maher | B.J.Melham | $61.00 | 12.71L |
| 15th | 22 |  | Royal Supremacy (IRE) | C.Maher | R.D.Dolan | $31.00 | 13.01L |
| 16th | 16 |  | Onesmoothoperator (USA) | B.Ellison | H.T.Coffey | $41.00 | 14.01L |
| 16th | 24 |  | Valiant King (GB) | C.J.Waller | J.McNeil | $9.00 | 14.01L |
| 18th | 15 |  | More Felons (IRE) | C.J.Waller | T.Berry | $41.00 | 16.51L |
| 19th | 6 |  | Presage Nocturne (IRE) | A.Botti | S.Pasquier | $5.50 | 18.01L |
| 20th | 18 |  | Parchment Party (USA) | W.Mott | J.R.Velazquez | $61.00 | 19.76L |
| 21st | 19 |  | Athabascan (FR) | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | D.Bates | $71.00 | 21.01L |
| 22nd | 11 |  | Land Legend (FR) | C.J.Waller | J.Moreira | $61.00 | 23.76L |
| 23rd | 5 |  | Chevalier Rose (JPN) | H.Shimizu | D.M.Lane | $51.00 | 28.01L |
| 24th | 2 |  | Buckaroo (GB) | C.J.Waller | C.Williams | $14.00 | 99L |