Getting Home
Departing Flemington Racecourse or Showgrounds:
1:36 PM - 8:59 PM Trains depart from Showgrounds or Flemington Racecourse Platform 1, stopping at North Melbourne and Southern Cross or Flinders Street.
Countdown to Lexus Melbourne Cup Day
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The Lexus Melbourne Cup: The Race That Stops a Nation.
On Tuesday, 4th November 2025, all eyes will be on the race that stops the nation, the $10 million Lexus Melbourne Cup.
This legendary event is the heart of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, bringing together the best of horse racing, fashion, food, and celebration. From the roar of the crowd as the horses thunder down the straight, to the stunning display of style and fashion that defines Cup Day, every aspect of this event is steeped in prestige and grandeur.
With a reimagined precinct, there’s truly something for everyone to enjoy this Cup Week. Families can connect with the horses in the dedicated family-friendly area in The Park, while world-class entertainment and live music take centre stage at The Elms. Plus, Fashions on the Field moving to the Front Lawn, will bring all the style and glamour of Flemington’s fashion right to the heart of the action.
Experience the energy of the Carnival, the spectacle of elite thoroughbreds, and the thrill of witnessing history unfold on the track this Lexus Melbourne Cup Day.
Tuesday 4 November, 2025
Feature race
Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m)
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Dressing the part for Lexus Melbourne Cup Day
Lexus Melbourne Cup Day is a day of celebration across Australia. The carnival atmosphere is reflected in the fashion of the day, which features bright beautiful colours and striking millinery to top it off.
Official flower: Yellow Rose
Members
Cup Day Cocktail
Make sure to try our celebratory Cup Day cocktail - a refreshing blend of vodka, mango purée, sugar syrup, lime juice, and fresh mint. Available at the Members Bar, Furlong Bar, The Atrium Trackside and Bart's Bar for only $15!
The Park
From thrilling music acts to the iconic Fashions on the Field, The Park has something for every racegoer and is the perfect place to meet friends.
The Park is located on The Hill adjacent to the train station and entry is FREE with your Melbourne Cup Carnival Ticket.
Sophie Ellis-Bextor (UK)
3:45pm
Pop icon Sophie Ellis-Bextor, known for 'Murder On The Dancefloor,' is set to rock Lexus Melbourne Cup Day. Join the crowd racing to The Park Live Stage to catch her live!
Empire of the Sun (DJ Set)
5:00pm
Homegrown Electronic music talent, known for their hit ‘Walking on a Dream’ light up The Park Live Stage on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day! Catch a vibrant DJ Set filled with iconic tracks.
Members
The Birdcage
Blaze a trail to the stylish surrounds of the world-famous Birdcage at the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival. Simply scan your VRC Membership card and enjoy The Birdbath Bar, the Birdcage Stage, the Pamper Lounge by Runway Room and Karaoke.
Pin & Win
Pin & Win has raised over $8 million for charities since 1995. This year, Ronald McDonald House Charities VIC & TAS aims to fund 3,500 nights of accommodation for families with seriously ill children. Purchase a pin on-course or online!
Fashions on the Field
The globally renowned fashion event, Fashions on the Field, has been a highlight of the Melbourne Cup Carnival since 1962. With a prize pool of over $370,000 this year, including more than $111,000 each for the Best Dressed and Best Suited categories, there's plenty to strive for in this year's Competition.
Members
Live Entertainment in The Roof Garden
Resident DJ John Course will keep the party going in The Roof Garden on all 4 days of Cup Week, spinning music from after the feature race and continuing long after the last!
The Club Lawn
Experience the high energy of the Club Lawn and grab a drink from the ever-popular Club Lawn Hotel. Mr Miyagi, 400 Gradi and Meat Frankie will be serving up a variety of Melbourne’s best takeaway options towards the east end of the Front Lawn.
The Elms
Head to the west end of Flemington Front Lawn for refreshing drinks and delicious bites from top food trucks like Mr Alejandro, Have a Slice Day, Sliders on Tyres, Twistto, the Furphy Pop-up Bar, and the Casamigos Truck.
Flemington $5 Faves
Check out our tasty value range at the $5 Flemington Faves outlet – great priced grab-and-go options during Cup Week!
Members
The Pamper Lounge
Visit The Pamper Lounge by Runway Rood this Cup Week. Enjoy complimentary make-up touch-ups, express lashes and hair to leave you glowing throughout the day in The Atrium of the Grandstand, and in The Birdcage!
TAB Saintly Place Sports Bar
Join the excitement at the TAB Saintly Place Sports Bar, the perfect spot for sports fans! Enjoy big-screen action, grab a refreshing drink, and indulge in delicious bites from our $5 Favourites menu for an unforgettable race day experience!
Inside Run
Transform your racing experience this Melbourne Cup Carnival with Inside Run, your official race guide! It’s free and requires no sign-up, offering live streaming, instant replays, animated AI-powered predictor videos, expert tips, and race day news—keeping you connected to all the on-track action!
Lexus Melbourne Cup Trophy Ceremony
All eyes will be on the Mounting Yard for the traditional Lexus Melbourne Cup Trophy Ceremony, beginning at 2:23 pm.
The ceremony will open with a Welcome to Country by Uncle Colin Hunter Jnr. International star Ronan Keating will then perform When You Say Nothing At All before being joined by Ricki Lee for a duet.
Peter and Shane Patterson will ride in with the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup, presenting it to Olympians Ariarne Titmus, Shane Rose, Shenae Lowings, and Paralympian Alexa Leary.
VRC Chairman Neil Wilson will receive the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup before Greta Bradman performs the Australian National Anthem.
General Ticketing
Flemington Pass (General Admission)
Adults $120pp
Get in early and gear up for another unforgettable week of racing, fashion, food and fun with your friends!
Four Day Flemington Pass
Adults $250pp
One ticket, four unforgettable days at the 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival!
Hill Stand Reserved Seat
From $419pp
Secure your seat with prime views of the racing action, Winning Post, and the colour of The Front Lawn.
Lawn Stand Reserved Seat
From $247pp*
Enjoy exclusivity and comfort from your own seat with enviable views of the Winning Post and across the track.
SOLD OUT
Club Lawn Reserved
From $310pp
Trackside luxury at your own table of six. A Club Lawn Reserved table has it all - up close racing action, drinks on arrival and the inimitable atmosphere.
Hospitality & Dining Packages
Marmont in The Birdcage
$2,200pp
In partnership with international hospitality figure Grant Smillie and Crown Melbourne, Marmont brings its signature Californian-inspired vibe to the heart of The Birdcage.
TAB Clubhouse
$780pp
Introducing the TAB Clubhouse, a brand-new experience located in the Infield across from the Winning Post, designed for racing fans to be up close to all of the action.
The Rose Room
$2,135pp
Indulge in a five-course culinary masterpiece while soaking in the excitement of world-class racing.
SOLD OUT
Parade Lounge
$1,255pp
Perched above the horse stalls and Pre-Parade Ring, this all-inclusive offering allows you to get close to the world’s best racehorses.
SOLD OUT
Skyline Lounge
$1,375pp
Set high above Flemington, enjoy stunning panoramic views of the racecourse and Melbourne skyline as the horses thunder past below.
SOLD OUT
Skyline Dining
$1,495pp
Immerse yourself in an exceptional race day experience where exclusive, intimate tables set the scene for a truly personal and unforgettable culinary adventure.
SOLD OUT
Makybe Diva® Marquee
$1,315pp
Nestled in a prime, coveted location, this exclusive spot offers the perfect balance of accessibility and privacy.
SOLD OUT
Terrace Restaurant
$2,150pp
Sweeping vistas frame this spectacular dining room, delivering unforgettable race day memories in a refined and elegant space.
SOLD OUT
Kirin Ichiban Pavilion
$875pp
Welcome to Flemington’s Party Central - Kirin Ichiban Pavilion. Settle in for a day of unparalleled racing excitement and an all-inclusive food and drinks package.
Private Hospitality
Hill Stand Corporate Suites
Price on application
Welcome your guests into your own private suite with one of the best views at Flemington, located opposite the Winning Post.
The 350 Collective
Price on application
Introducing The 350 Collective - a brand-new private venue located on the coveted east end of the Front Lawn.
Members Dining
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Parade Social
From $800pp
Perched above the horse stalls and Pre-Parade Ring, The Parade Social is an all-inclusive experience exclusive to VRC Members and their guests.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Dining Room
From $645pp
Soak up the atmosphere and tradition of Flemington in The Dining Room. Every race is on show as you enjoy a seasonal three-course à la carte menu and premium beverages.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Byerley
From $850pp
The Byerley invites you to experience Flemington at its most refined, where elegance, tradition and fine dining come together.
Members
Straight Six
From $325pp
Straight Six brings a relaxed, Italian-inspired dining experience to your race day, curated by Johnny Di Francesco of 400 Gradi.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Atrium Flat
From $475pp
Step into the light-filled Atrium and experience Cup Week in style.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Atrium Tiered
From $699pp
Dining on the tiered section of The Atrium provides shared dining with a front row view of the track and crowd below.
Members Reserved Tables
Members
ON SALE SOON
Members Lawn
From $130pp
Reserve a table on the Members Lawn, giving you the freedom to come and go as you please while still being at the centre of all the action.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Birdcage
From $130pp
Members and their guests can enjoy the buzz of The Birdcage with the comfort and convenience of a reserved bar table for the day.
Members
ON SALE SOON
Furlong Bar
From $130pp
With its laid-back atmosphere and prime location, the always-popular Furlong Bar is an ideal spot to watch the racing action in comfort.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Forum
From $130pp
Reserving a table in The Forum guarantees you and your guests a reserved spot for the day, giving you the flexibility to enjoy the day your way.
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Peak
From $150pp
With sweeping view of the Flemington straight, Winning Post and city skyline, and access to the popular VRC Punters Club, The Peak is the place to be for punting enthusiasts this Cup Week.
Members Car Parks
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Rails Promenade
$845 per site
The Rails Promenade delivers an unmatched vantage point from within The Birdcage – so close to the track you’ll feel a part of the action.
Members Guest Ticketing
Members
ON SALE SOON
Members Enclosure Daily Guest
$395pp
Share your Cup Week experience with friends and family by purchasing a Members Enclosure Daily Guest Ticket.
Members
ON SALE SOON
Birdcage Pedestrian Pass
$199pp
Rendezvous in The Birdcage with friends and family this Cup Week by purchasing a Birdcage Pedestrian Pass.
Members Reserved Seating
Members
ON SALE SOON
The Grandstand Reserved Seat
FROM $45pp
Reserve a grandstand-style seat for any Carnival race day and enjoy an uninterrupted view of all the day's racing.
Prizemoney: $8,660,000
Open Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
‘The race that stops a nation®’
Race first run: Thursday, 7th November, 1861
165th of Series
Prizemoney: $200,000
2YO Set Weights. Apprentices cannot claim.
155th of Series
Prizemoney: $200,000
4YO & Upwards Mares Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Maybe Mahal Stakes
48th of Series
Prizemoney: $175,000
3YO Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: VRC Springtime Stakes
Race History
AMANDA ELLIOTT
Amanda Elliott served on the Victoria Racing Board, formerly the Committee, for eighteen years. The second woman ever elected to the Committee, she became the first to hold office as VRC Vice Chairman, and the first to serve as Chairman of the VRC, from 2017 until her retirement at the end of 2020. Her love of horses derived from her childhood at Chatsworth Park, near Nagambie, a property once owned by VRC Chairman, L.K.S. Mackinnon. Amanda Elliott’s father, Ian Bayles DFC, had served thirteen years on the committee, three years as Vice Chairman in the 1970s. The VRC’s Club Stand, opened in the spring of 2018, is very much a testament to Amanda Elliott’s vision.
Prizemoney: $175,000
Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Melbourne Cup Day Plate
Prizemoney: $175,000
3YO Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.
Registered name: Batman Stakes
Race History
BATMAN STAKES
In 1916, in the midst of the First World War with a new sense of Australian patriotism, the Victoria Racing Club renamed its traditional Spring Stakes for three-year-olds. It became the Batman Stakes commemorating John Batman who, with John Pascoe Fawkner, was widely recognised as the founder of Melbourne as a city. The Spring Stakes as a middle-distance race for three-year-olds traces its origins back to 1894. Earlier races called the Spring Stakes or Spring Handicap had been open-age events. The best recent winner of the race was Vow And Declare in 2018, a year before he won the Melbourne Cup.
Prizemoney: $250,000
Benchmark 96 Handicap. Apprentices cannot claim.
Prizemoney: $150,000
3YO Set Weights plus Penalties. Apprentices cannot claim.
Prizemoney: $150,000
Benchmark 90 Handicap (Grey horses only). Apprentices cannot claim.
SUBZERO (Kala Dancer (GB) – Wiley Trade (USA))
The Australian-bred grey gelding Subzero (by Kala Dancer), trained by Lee Freedman, won the South Australian Derby and Adelaide Cup before triumphing in the Melbourne Cup on a wet track in 1992, ridden by Greg Hall. Lasting fame for ‘Subbie’ came post-retirement, first as a Clerk of the Course horse at Flemington, later as a four-legged racing ambassador visiting schools, country towns, retirement homes and shopping centres with mentor Graham Salisbury. The story of this duo, who died within two months of each other in 2020, became part of modern Australian racing folklore.
Your one-stop for a luxury Carnival experience
With premium accommodation, fine dining, exclusive experiences and ticket options – experience an elevated Melbourne Cup Carnival, curated just for you.
Explore packages created by the experts or build your own Melbourne Cup Carnival experience.
2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival
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