On Saturday, 1st November 2025, Victoria Derby Day launches a week of world-class racing at Flemington with a perfect blend of timeless style and equine brilliance.
Renowned for its black-and-white dress code, the day showcases the excitement of elite Group 1 racing alongside the glamour of the fashion stakes, creating an unforgettable experience for both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers. At the heart of the event lies remarkable horse racing, featuring the prestigious Victoria Derby, where the finest three-year-olds compete for glory.
The thunder of hooves on the track, combined with the artistry of jockeys and the power of champion thoroughbreds, creates a spectacle like no other. Whether you’re enjoying top-tier hospitality or witnessing history unfold on the track, Victoria Derby Day 2025 promises moments of awe and excitement. Register your interest now to immerse yourself in the tradition, style, and racing excellence of this iconic event.
Saturday 1 November, 2025
Feature races
Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m)
Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m)
Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m)
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.
4:25pm
Platinum-selling Dutch DJ and Producer, Sam Feldt, is one of the most iconic names in electronic music. Catch his feel-good, uplifting beats at The Park Live Stage on Penfolds Victoria Derby Day.
5:55pm
Powerhouse American singer-songwriter; Anastacia, is taking over The Park Live Stage for an unforgettable Penfolds Victoria Derby Day. Don’t miss this opportunity to singalong to her classic hit “I’m Outta Love”.
Black and white is the signature style for Penfolds Victoria Derby Day, celebrated by racing purists. Men should don a traditional morning suit—complete with a coat, waistcoat, trousers, and often a top hat—for an elegant and refined look.
Official Flower: Blue Cornflower
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 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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
Check out our tasty value range at the $5 Flemington Faves outlet – great priced grab-and-go options during Cup Week!
Visit The Pamper Lounge by Runway Room 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!
The Nursery will be bursting with kids activities on Penfolds Victoria Derby Day, including pickleball, lawn games and arts & crafts!
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!
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!
Adults $88pp
Get in early and gear up for another unforgettable week of racing, fashion, food and fun with your friends!
Adults $110pp
Join us for two super Saturdays across Victoria Derby Day and TAB Champions Stakes Day!
Adults $250pp
One ticket, four unforgettable days at the 2025 Melbourne Cup Carnival!
From $195pp
Secure your seat with prime views of the racing action, Winning Post, and the colour of The Front Lawn.
From $102pp*
Enjoy exclusivity and comfort from your own seat with enviable views of the Winning Post and across the track.
From $260pp
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.
ON SALE SOON
$550pp
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.
$1,105pp
Perched above the horse stalls and Pre-Parade Ring, this all-inclusive offering allows you to get close to the world’s best racehorses.
$1,055pp
Set high above Flemington, enjoy stunning panoramic views of the racecourse and Melbourne skyline as the horses thunder past below.
$1,365pp
Indulge in a five-course culinary masterpiece while soaking in the excitement of world-class racing.
$1,175pp
Immerse yourself in an exceptional race day experience where exclusive, intimate tables set the scene for a truly personal and unforgettable culinary adventure.
$865pp
Nestled in a prime, coveted location, this exclusive spot offers the perfect balance of accessibility and privacy.
$1,995pp
Sweeping vistas frame this spectacular dining room, delivering unforgettable race day memories in a refined and elegant space.
SOLD OUT
$650pp
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.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.
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