Al Riffa and Via Sistina head weights for the 2025 Melbourne Cup

Australian Horse Of The Year Via Sistina and Irish St Leger winner Al Riffa have been confirmed as the topweights for the upcoming Melbourne Cup.

On Tuesday, Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper David Hegan unveiled the official weights for both the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 4 at Flemington and the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 18.

Both Via Sistina and Al Riffa will carry 59kg in the Melbourne Cup. Buckaroo and Light Infantry Man also share top billing at 59kg for the Caulfield Cup.

As neither Via Sistina nor Al Riffa are entered in the Caulfield Cup, a mandatory 2kg adjustment was required to satisfy the revised weight structure.

Hegan confirmed that after industry consultation, the initial topweight this year is set at 59kg, with the minimum bottom weight at 51kg. By acceptance stage, the topweight must sit at a minimum of 57kg, with all other weights adjusted accordingly.

Via Sistina’s emphatic Cox Plate win last year cemented her position as natural topweight, while Al Riffa’s recent Irish St Leger success justified his 59kg impost.

“Her class is indisputable. If I was weighting the Cup on one run, she would be outright topweight,” Hegan said of Via Sistina.

Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice rises to 55kg this spring, up from the 51.5kg carried to victory in 2024, representing a 2.5kg effective increase after recalibration.

Vauban, who finished 14th in 2023 and 11th in 2024, has been given 56.5kg, while Absurde, who ran seventh and fifth in the last two Cups, will carry 53.5kg once again.

Aeliana and Treasurethe Moment provided handicappers with tough calls. Aeliana has been assigned 53kg, while Treasurethe Moment will carry 54kg in the Melbourne Cup.

“As three-year-olds, Aeliana was the leading rated stayer in the country across the Australian Classifications Panel and internationally when it comes to performance ratings,” Hegan said.

“Since we’ve seen them resume this spring, Treasurethe Moment is clearly the more high-rated horse, but still very hard to assess against open age company and open age horses with 2400-metre and 3200-metre form.

Aeliana was too good for the boys winning by five lengths (ATC Australian Derby) and they’ve both got 2400-metre form and weight-for-age form which is rare for three-year-old fillies.

For a guide last year Zardozi had 51 kilos (when fourth last year), so Aeliana has 53 and Treasurethe Moment 54, which places them ahead of where Zardozi was last year.”

Already qualified for Cup starts are Parchment Party (52kg), Deakin (52kg), Revelare (51.5kg) and Basilinna (51kg), courtesy of their ‘win and you’re in’ races.

At the top of the Caulfield Cup weights sit Buckaroo and Light Infantry Man, with Buckaroo also set to carry 57kg in the Melbourne Cup.

International contenders allocated for the Caulfield Cup include Presage Nocturne (57.5kg), Meydaan (56kg), Absurde (55.5kg) and Golden Snap (53.5kg). Each will drop 2kg if lining up in the Melbourne Cup. They will arrive in Melbourne on September 28, joined by Onesmoothoperator (52kg), who is being aimed at the Geelong Cup as a path into the big race.

All international entrants must commence quarantine on September 28 before traveling to Melbourne on October 14 to prepare for the Melbourne Cup.

If you’re looking to have a punt on the Melbourne Cup, check out Australia’s leading betting sites for the best odds and markets available.