Geelong Cup 2025 program to be rescheduled to Thursday

Wild weather wreaked havoc on Wednesday’s Geelong Cup meeting, with gale-force winds forcing the abandonment of the program after only three races. The feature event, along with the remaining six races, will now be run on Thursday under clearer conditions.

Officials from Racing Victoria made the call after sustained wind gusts of up to 76km/h were recorded at the course, prompting safety concerns among jockeys and stewards. The decision came following multiple inspections of the track and consultations with race-day participants.

“The safety of riders and horses is paramount,” Racing Victoria steward Cory Waller said. “The winds were extremely strong and were forecast to persist into the late afternoon. There was too much uncertainty to continue racing.”

Racing Victoria’s Head of Racing, Paul Bloodworth, confirmed the races would be transferred to Thursday in the same running order, with the first race scheduled for 2.25pm and the last at 5.30pm.

“Thursday’s forecast looks far more promising with lighter winds and no rain,” Bloodworth said. “We’ve made some minor scheduling changes with Mornington to accommodate jockeys who were booked for both meetings, but we’re pleased that both the Geelong Cup and Geelong Classic will still be run.”

The Geelong Cup (2400m) carries significant importance on the spring calendar, offering the winner automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup (3200m) on November 4. Meanwhile, the Geelong Classic (2200m) acts as a key lead-up for three-year-olds heading towards the Victoria Derby at Flemington.

“It’s disappointing we couldn’t proceed today, but we’re making the best of the situation,” Bloodworth added. “These are important races for spring and we’re committed to seeing them through safely.”

Before the postponement, Gilded Water, trained by Ciaron Maher and owned by His Majesty The King, was the clear favourite for the Geelong Cup. He is expected to line up on Thursday as the leading contender once the meeting resumes.