Last year’s winner to miss the 2025 Caulfield Cup
Ciaron Maher’s hopes of a back-to-back Caulfield Cup win with Duke De Sessa have taken a hit, with the stayer removed from contention following a minor training issue.
On Friday, Racing Victoria stewards confirmed that last year's Cup winner had been withdrawn from the 2025 renewal, which is set to be run over 2400 metres at Caulfield on October 18.
Duke De Sessa gave Maher a memorable victory in the Caulfield Cup last year when ridden to perfection by Harry Coffey. The pair had been expected to reunite this spring, but the horse’s preparation has hit a snag.
The Maher camp had a large representation among the nominations, with 25 entries lodged before Tuesday’s deadline. Despite Duke De Sessa’s absence, 145 nominations remain live for the feature.
Late entries will be accepted until Tuesday, August 12, with final fields and weights to be determined in the coming months.
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