Chris Waller Dominates 2025 Caulfield Cup Nominations
The nominations for the 2025 Caulfield Cup have been released, with a total of 146 horses vying for a spot in the prestigious race.
Last year’s runner-up Buckaroo (pictured winning the 2024 Underwood) is all-in favourite to go one better in the 2025 Caulfield Cup. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Master trainer Chris Waller has made a clear statement of intent for the spring, with a formidable 32 entries for the Group 1, $5 million feature.
Waller, who recently expanded his Victorian operations by taking over Godolphin’s Carbine Lodge stables, is seeking his third Caulfield Cup trophy after previous wins with Verry Elleegant (2020) and Durston (2022).
A Look at the Key Stats:
- Total Nominations: 146 (down from 173 in 2024).
- International Entries: 12 (down from 36 in 2024).
- Defending Champion: Duke De Sessa is priced at $26 to win back-to-back through Ladbrokes.
- Favourite: Last year’s runner-up, Buckaroo, is the current $11 favourite through Ladbrokes.
- Top Trainer: Chris Waller has 32 nominees, chasing his third win.
- Leading International: Al Riffa (Joseph O’Brien) and Absurde (Willie Mullins) are the shortest-priced internationals at $26.
Waller’s Powerhouse Stable
Waller’s 32 entries make up over 20% of the total nominations, a remarkable figure that highlights his stable’s depth.
Among his key contenders are last year’s runner-up Buckaroo, who is the current equal favourite at $11 to go one better. Waller also has last year’s third-place finisher, Land Legend, in the mix at longer odds.
Beyond his Caulfield Cup-specific entries, Waller also has 30 horses nominated for the Cox Plate, led by his champion mare Via Sistina. This dual focus on both spring majors underscores his ambition for a dominant carnival.
The International Challenge
The international contingent for the 2025 Caulfield Cup is smaller than last year but still boasts significant quality with 12 horses nominated.
- Ireland: Joseph O’Brien, a Cox Plate-winning trainer, leads the Irish charge with four entries, including the equal shortest-priced international, Al Riffa ($26). Willie Mullins has two entries, including Absurde ($26), who ran fifth in last year’s Melbourne Cup. Aidan O’Brien, Joseph’s legendary father, has one entry in Mount Kilimanjar ($26)
- Japan: Japan has three nominations.
The last overseas-trained winner was Japan’s Mer De Glace in 2019, and the international runners will be looking to break that streak.
Other Key Contenders
Ciaron Maher, who also has two Caulfield Cups to his name, has nominated 25 horses. This includes the reigning champion, Duke De Sessa. However, history is against the seven-year-old, as no horse has won back-to-back Caulfield Cups since Rising Fast in 1954-1955.
Maher’s more fancied contender is the promising import Middle Earth, an Australian Cup Prelude winner who sits on the second line of betting at $11.
Other notable names in the betting market include Waller’s ATC Derby winner Aeliana ($15), the French-bred Sir Delius now with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, and the incredibly consistent Treasurethe Moment ($15), who won the VRC Oaks and ATC Oaks double.
2025 Caulfield Cup Nomination List
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 41x5x3132x | ABSURDE (FR) | G | 8 | Willie Mullins | |
| 2 | 21x90x404x | ADELAIDE RIVER (IRE) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | 104 |
| 3 | 6112x3421x | AELIANA (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 4 | 211x22x | AL RIFFA (FR) | H | 6 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 5 | x122x1110x | ALALCANCE (GB) | M | 6 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 6 | 9x00x0590x | ALENQUER (FR) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 107 |
| 7 | 1x1x139x0x | ANISETTE (GB) | M | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 8 | 4x00x8002x | ANTRIM COAST (NZ) | G | 5 | Steve Richards | 94 |
| 9 | 451x55241x | ARAPAHO (FR) | G | 9 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 10 | 4x7x88594x | ARDAKAN (GB) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 92 |
| 11 | 7914x7650x | ASTERIX (NZ) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 12 | 01x782959x | ATHABASCAN (FR) | G | 7 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | |
| 13 | AUGUSTUS (GER) | H | 5 | Ciaron Maher | ||
| 14 | 21551x155x | AZTEC STATE | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 15 | 164211372x | BANKERS CHOICE (NZ) | G | 8 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 16 | 800x10221x | BASILINNA (NZ) | M | 5 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 99 |
| 17 | 22311567x | BELLE DETELLE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 18 | 84112x920x | BELVEDERE BOYS | G | 6 | Matthew Dunn | |
| 19 | 340x54248x | BERKSHIRE BREEZE (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | 98 |
| 20 | 6x0x42529x | BIRDMAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 21 | 6x07344x7x | BRAYDEN STAR (GB) | G | 7 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 22 | 11229x970x | BUCKAROO (GB) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 23 | x6231x721x | BUR DUBAI (GB) | G | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 78 |
| 24 | 33x742x82x | CHANGINGOFTHEGUARD (IRE) | G | 7 | Kris Lees | 102 |
| 25 | 361125123x | CHASE YOUR DREAMS (NZ) | M | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 26 | 8906x0450x | CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 27 | x00x80x48x | CLEVELAND (IRE) | G | 8 | Kris Lees | |
| 28 | 1x76500x0x | COCO SUN | M | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | |
| 29 | 21x52x9x | DALMANNDI (FR) | G | 6 | Kris Lees | |
| 30 | 275x71211x | DEAKIN (FR) | G | 6 | Phillip Stokes | 103 |
| 31 | x314x8024x | DESERT LIGHTNING (NZ) | G | 6 | Peter G Moody & Katherine Coleman | |
| 32 | 1x70x4541x | DON DIEGO DE VEGA (FR) | G | 6 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 33 | 4419x1220x | DUKE DE SESSA (IRE) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 34 | 3843x9414x | DURBAN HARBOUR | G | 5 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 35 | 6021x8370x | ENCODER | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | |
| 36 | 5x0698222x | ETNA ROSSO (IRE) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 98 |
| 37 | 116x8432x | FEDERER | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 72 |
| 38 | 630x06710x | FEMMINILE | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 39 | 4x5121213x | FERNAO (IRE) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 84 |
| 40 | 83x930810x | FIRST IMMORTAL | G | 6 | Mark & Levi Kavanagh | |
| 41 | 600x06135x | FLASH FEELING (NZ) | G | 7 | Dan O’Sullivan | 87 |
| 42 | 211x31417x | FLYING BANDIT | G | 5 | Kerry Parker | |
| 43 | 16x4117x4x | FULL COUNT FELICIA (USA) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 44 | 20145x750x | FUTURE HISTORY (GB) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 45 | GALEN (GB) | G | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | ||
| 46 | 5310x112x | GILDED WATER (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 81 |
| 47 | 4x4632334x | GO DADDY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 48 | x14502346x | GOD’S WINDOW (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 49 | 332248377x | GOLDEN CENTURY (NZ) | G | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 50 | 11136x665x | GOLDEN PATH (NZ) | G | 6 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 51 | 2x2x | GOLDEN SNAP (JPN) | M | 6 | Katsunori Tanaka | |
| 52 | 684321253x | GRAND PIERRO | G | 6 | Jason Warren | |
| 53 | 1x18953x3x | HAARACAINE (IRE) | G | 6 | Nick Ryan | 77 |
| 54 | 117x21121x | HALF YOURS | G | 5 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | |
| 55 | 4x2347x25x | HIPOP DE LOIRE (FR) | G | 9 | Willie Mullins | |
| 56 | 01540x200x | HUETOR (FR) | G | 9 | Peter Snowden | |
| 57 | 5631131x0x | HUTCHENCE (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 58 | 086202763x | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | G | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 98 |
| 59 | 61442x314x | JENNIVAMOOSE (NZ) | M | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 73 |
| 60 | 91x6x2311x | JUJA KIBO (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 77 |
| 61 | 4x1x321x2x | JUSTADEEL | G | 5 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | 72 |
| 62 | 542111x70x | KADAVAR (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 63 | 2225x6350x | KINESIOLOGY (GB) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 64 | 122131210x | KINGS VALLEY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 81 |
| 65 | 4x95x1165x | KINGSWOOD (GB) | H | 6 | Gavin Bedggood | 99 |
| 66 | 2x525x804x | KITTY ROSE (GB) | M | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 67 | 234x90051x | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | G | 6 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 68 | 260x70331x | KOVALICA (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 109.5 |
| 69 | 21x212222x | LA CRIQUE (NZ) | M | 7 | Simon Alexander | |
| 70 | 032x826x9x | LADY IN PINK | M | 5 | Leon & Troy Corstens & Will Larkin | |
| 71 | 5x252x | LADY THINKABELL | M | 4 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | |
| 72 | 06138x768x | LAND LEGEND (FR) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 73 | 1x0x00670x | LASTOTCHKA (FR) | M | 7 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | |
| 74 | 12111114x | LEICA LUCY (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 75 | 7101x6310x | LIGHT INFANTRY MAN (FR) | G | 7 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 76 | 8x2332490x | LINDERMANN | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 77 | 51x56321x | LITZDEEL | M | 4 | Danny O’Brien | |
| 78 | 40x431231x | MARK TWAIN (NZ) | G | 6 | Roger James & Robert Wellwood | 99 |
| 79 | 1x | MEINER CHRYSOLA (JPN) | H | 7 | Takahisa Tezuka | |
| 80 | MEYDAAN (IRE) | G | 5 | Simon Crisford | ||
| 81 | 1x138x159x | MIDDLE EARTH (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 82 | 33x000546x | MILITARIZE (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 83 | 33x2121x0x | MOIRA (CAN) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 84 | 728x50x12x | MORE FELONS (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 85 | 3400x7621x | MORMONA (FR) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | 91 |
| 86 | MOUNT KILIMANJARO (FR) | H | 4 | Aidan O’Brien | ||
| 87 | 13x491534x | MOVIN OUT (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 88 | 16x423142x | MR MONACO (GB) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 77 |
| 89 | 813431223x | MUKTAMIL (IRE) | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 84 |
| 90 | x63646x47x | NAVAL COLLEGE (GB) | G | 7 | Annabel & Rob Archibald | |
| 91 | 3230111x7x | NEWLOOK (FR) | G | 5 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 88 |
| 92 | 6x341542x | NO RUMOURS | G | 5 | Paul Preusker | 60 |
| 93 | 0x80213x0x | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | H | 8 | Ciaron Maher | 104 |
| 94 | 0721x9275x | OSIPENKO (NZ) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | |
| 95 | 34x111140x | OUR ANCHORAGE (IRE) | G | 7 | Bjorn Baker | |
| 96 | 42x865839x | OUR GOLD HOPE | M | 5 | Robert & Luke Price | |
| 97 | 3x9632155x | PALMETTO (NZ) | G | 7 | John Sargent | |
| 98 | 156x25463x | PLYMOUTH | G | 4 | Ben, Will & JD Hayes | |
| 99 | 8x4x8x112x | POINT KING (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 102 |
| 100 | 1780x6800x | POSITIVITY (NZ) | M | 5 | Andrew Forsman | |
| 101 | 8x460x8x8x | POST IMPRESSIONIST (IRE) | G | 7 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 100 |
| 102 | 3x | PRESAGE NOCTURNE (IRE) | H | 6 | Alessandro Botti | |
| 103 | 12110x322x | QUIETNESS (GB) | M | 6 | John O’Shea & Tom Charlton | |
| 104 | 8131x7690x | REAL CLASS (NZ) | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 105 | 0216x0057x | RED ACES | G | 4 | Nick Ryan | 78 |
| 106 | x31328x60x | RELENTLESS VOYAGER (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 103 |
| 107 | 41x211111x | REVELARE | G | 5 | Robert Hickmott | 89 |
| 108 | x31342x73x | RIVER OF STARS (IRE) | M | 7 | Chris Waller | |
| 109 | 13337x142x | ROYAL PATRONAGE (FR) | H | 7 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 110 | x3232x001x | ROYAL SUPREMACY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 94 |
| 111 | x01133x93x | SALTCOATS (NZ) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 112 | 1x7758111x | SAV ON ICE | H | 4 | Darryl Carrison | 72 |
| 113 | x0x0x2311x | SAYEDATY SADATY (IRE) | G | 5 | Ciaron Maher | 98 |
| 114 | 0x0x30069x | SCARLET OAK | M | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 115 | 021352x05x | SCARY (NZ) | H | 4 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | 94 |
| 116 | x111111x6x | SEA WHAT I SEE (IRE) | M | 6 | Danny O’Brien | 92 |
| 117 | x1441x1x0x | SHADIZI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 118 | 2x2113x18x | SHOCK ’EM OVA (NZ) | G | 7 | Alex Rae | |
| 119 | 1113x28x1x | SIR DELIUS (GB) | H | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 109 |
| 120 | 65360x015x | SIR LUCAN (IRE) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 121 | 2253140x1x | SKIPPERS CANYON (NZ) | G | 4 | Phillip Stokes | 70 |
| 122 | 24x560310x | SMOKIN’ ROMANS (NZ) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | 106 |
| 123 | 321132x82x | SO YOU ARE | G | 4 | Stirling Osland | |
| 124 | 1x2x | SONS AND LOVERS (GB) | H | 5 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 125 | 329x07696x | STAR VEGA (IRE) | G | 6 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | |
| 126 | 42x503120x | STATUARIO | G | 4 | Emma-Lee & David Browne | |
| 127 | 407210260x | STRAWBERRY ROCK (IRE) | G | 9 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 128 | 2x7x11x10x | STRUVE (JPN) | G | 7 | Noriyuki Hori | |
| 129 | x9190x091x | SUIZURO | G | 6 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | 99 |
| 130 | 42242220x | SWELTERING | M | 4 | Chris Waller | |
| 131 | 245612417x | THE EUPHRATES (GB) | G | 5 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | |
| 132 | 2316120x | THEDOCTOROFLOVE | G | 4 | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | |
| 133 | 316584212x | TORRANZINO (NZ) | G | 6 | Paul Preusker | 98 |
| 134 | TRAV (NZ) | G | 6 | Raymond Connors | ||
| 135 | 1111x1111x | TREASURETHE MOMENT | M | 4 | Matt Laurie | 108 |
| 136 | TRINITY COLLEGE (IRE) | H | 4 | Chris Waller | ||
| 137 | 1x221x | TRUSTYOURINSTINCT (IRE) | G | 6 | Joseph O’Brien | |
| 138 | 0090x0693x | VALIANT KING (GB) | G | 6 | Chris Waller | 94 |
| 139 | 43120x130x | VAUBAN (FR) | G | 8 | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | 112 |
| 140 | x631103x8x | WHISKY ON THE HILL (GB) | G | 6 | Glen Thompson | |
| 141 | 3111014x | WILLYDOIT (NZ) | G | 4 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 142 | 111212x75x | WOOTTON VERNI (FR) | G | 5 | Chris Waller | |
| 143 | 11117x908x | WYMARK (NZ) | G | 5 | Michael Freedman | |
| 144 | 15078x778x | YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) | G | 8 | Danny O’Brien | 98 |
| 145 | 454x83230x | ZARDOZI | M | 5 | Ciaron Maher | |
| 146 | x11443133x | ZIRYAB (GB) | G | 6 | Ciaron Maher | 85 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
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