The 2025 Melbourne Cup has been won by Half Yours — and barely any of the experts saw it coming.
Before the race, we compiled nearly 30 verdicts, largely from experts and Melbourne Cup legends.
Of those, only two tipped the winner — Nine’s Eddie McGuire, and Danny Russell of The Age.
Half Yours was, however, a popular pick among the experts to place. Another eleven experts predicted Half Yours to finish second or third.
Scroll down to see who everyone backed!
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FINISHING ORDER: Where every horse ran
ALL EXPERT TIPS
JIM CASSIDY (foxsports.com.au)
1. MEYDAAN
2. Onesmoothoperator
3. Presage Nocturne
4. Al Riffa
TREVOR MARSHALLSEA (foxsports.com.au)
1. PRESAGE NOCTURNE
2. Meydaan
3. Flatten The Curve
4. Valiant King
2025 Melbourne Cup barrier draw | 00:32
DANIEL NUTTALL (foxsports.com.au)
1. BUCKAROO
2. Absurde
3. Goodie Two Shoes
4. River of Stars
DAMIEN OLIVER (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)
1.VALIANT KING
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Half Yours
MICHELLE PAYNE (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)
1. ABSURDE
2. Half Yours
3. Flatten The Curve
4. Torranzino
CLINTON PAYNE (Racenet)
1. MORE FELONS
2. Valiant King
3. Half Yours
4. Presage Nocturne
FRANCESCA CUMANI (Channel 9)
1. PRESAGE NOCTURNE
2. Goodie Two Shoes
3. Absurde
4. Half Yours
RYAN PAPENHUYZEN (Former Melbourne Storm star)
1. ABSURDE
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Vauban
4. Parchment Party
DARREN LOCKYER (NRL legend)
1. AL RIFFA
2. Absurde
3. Torranzino
4. Valiant King
EXPERT FORM GUIDE: Runner-by-runner guide and predictions
Photo finish decides 2024 Melbourne Cup! | 01:12
ARIARNE TITMUS (legend Olympian)
1. ABSURDE
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Vauban
4. Half Yours
JAMES LAMB (Punters.com)
1. VALIANT KING
2. Buckaroo
3. Al Riffa
4. Meydann
SIMON O’DONNELL (Channel 9)
1. VALIANT KING
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Half Yours
4. AL Riffa
RYAN COOK (Ladbrokes)
1. VALIANT KING
2. River Of Stars
3. Absurde
4. Torranzino
DAVID TAGGART (SEN)
1. PRESAGE NOCTURNE
2. Valiant King
3. Half Yours
MICK GANNON (SEN)
1. VALIANT KING
2. Half Yours
3. River Of Stars
4. Flatten The Curve
TRAV NOONAN (RSN)
1. FLATTEN THE CURVE
2. Al Riffa
3. Half Yours
4. Absurde
RAY THOMAS (Racenet)
1. VALIANT KING
2. Half Yours
3. Absurde
4. More Felons
MITCH LEWIS (Betfair)
1. PRESAGE NOCTURNE
2. Buckaroo
3. Half Yours
4. River Of Stars
GLEN BOSS (Melbourne Cup winning jockey)
1. BUCKAROO
BILLY SLATER (NRL legend)
1. FLATTEN THE CURVE
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Valiant King
BRAD FITTLER (NRL legend)
1. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR
2. Buckaroo
3. Goddie Two Shoes
4. More Felons
DARYL CUYRNOW (Gobet)
1. VALIANT KING
DANIEL SANKEY (News Corp)
1. PRESAGE NOCTURNE
2. Meydaan
3. Valiant King
ALLY MOSLEY (TAB)
1. VAUBAN
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Absurde
4. Arapaho
TRACKED: Knight’s Choice insane Cup run | 01:07
EDDIE MCGUIRE (Channel 9)
1. HALF YOURS
2. Goodie Two Shoes
3. Al Riffa
4. Onesmoothoperator
DANNY RUSSELL (The Age)
1. HALF YOURS
2. Torranzino
3. Presage Nocturne
4. Buckaroo
BREANN HARRINGTON (Carlton footballer)
1. VALIANT KING
2. Buckaroo
3. Half Yours
4. Torranzino
DAVID GATELY (racing expert)
1. BUCKAROO
2. Presage Nocturne
3. Half Yours
4. Valiant King
WHO HAS EARNED THE MOST TIPS TO WIN?
VALIANT KING — 8
PRESAGE NOCTURNE — 5
BUCKAROO — 4
ABSURDE — 3
HALF YOURS, FLATTEN THE CURVE — 2
MEYDAAN, MORE FELONS, VAUBAN, AL RIFFA, ONESMOOTHOPERATOR — 1
MORE TO COME
