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Chief handicapper names the biggest Melbourne Cup threat
Connor Scanlon • September 17th, 2025 1:11 pm
The Melbourne Cup weights have been released and overseas stayer Al Riffa has taken the top weight at 59kg.
Al Riffa is the current favourite for the Melbourne Cup at $6 (on Sportsbet) and rightly so.
The Joseph O’Brien trained stallion is coming off an impressive first-up Group 1 Irish St. Leger victory (2816m), proving he has what it takes to win the Cup.
However, Racing Victoria's chief handicapper David Hegan believes there is one horse who can outdo the current favourite – Sir Delius.
The reason why?
Because the Gai Waterhouse bay, who will be carrying 55kg, has very similar form to the 2022 Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip.
“I was actually gonna mention Sir Delius,” Hegan told SENTrack and RSN’s Giddy Up.
“He ran third in the Grand Prix (2400m) – the same race that Gold Trip placed in – and then obviously ran in the l’Arc (2400m).
“He didn’t quite run to the same levels that Gold Trip did, but he was eighth in the l’Arc and run about a kilo and a half below where he was in the Grand Prix and the Group 2 Niel – they were both over 2400m.”
Sir Delius even beat Al Riffa in the Group 1 l’Arc, despite the five-year-old not even running to his best.
“Beats home Al Riffa in the l’Arc definitely, but Al Riffa posed a number well below where he had previously established himself,” Hegan revealed.
“So, you can’t really bank on Al Riffa in that run, but you can say Sir Delius didn’t run to his best and still ran eight in the l’Arc.”
Since the Great British import made the move over to Australia, he has impressed in both his runs – winning the Group 3 Chairman’s Handicap (2000m) and finishing second in the Group 2 Chelmsford (1600m).
Hegan admitted that this unbelievable form surprised him and believes Sir Delius has plenty of upside heading into the Melbourne Cup at 55kg.
“He then comes here and first-up in the Chelmsford, following his win in the Chairman’s – he carried 60kg in the Chairman’s and won easily, and then in the Chelmsford at 1600m he surprised me,” Hegan admitted.
“Now we’ve got a profile. We’ve got four runs, but the tricky part is that he’s so lightly raced, I don’t know how much upside there is.
“I think there’s a bit to come. They’re obviously gonna avoid the Caulfield Cup (2400m), go to the Cox Plate (2040m).
“So, he may well be under the guard, but I can’t handicap him on what I think might be there and what may be to come. I can only handicap him on the figures, weights and ratings I’ve seen.
“I think he could be one that could emerge as a real threat to Al Riffa.”
Sir Delius races this Saturday in the 1800m Group 1 Underwood Stakes at Caulfield.
Odds correct when published on Septemeber 17 at 11:10am.
