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Sport Nation
Melbourne Cup increased to $10m, golden ticket races added
SENTrack • July 10th, 2025 9:18 am
Racing Victoria (RV) has made some significant changes to prizemoney for flagship races for the 2025/26 racing season.
Prizemoney for the Melbourne Cup has been increased to $10 million while the Cox Plate has been boosted to $6 million.
Additionally, two more golden ticket races for the Melbourne Cup have been added with the Geelong Cup and Moonee Valley Gold Cup now ballot exempt.
There has also been a $7 million injection to lower end races including an increase in prizemoney for country maiden races in a bid to boost grassroots racing.
See below the increase in prizemoney.
Flagship races:
- $10 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1, 3200m, Flemington, 4 November 2025) – up $1.34 million
- $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1, 2040m, The Valley, 25 October 2025) – up $1 million
- $5 million Sportsbet Caulfield Cup (G1, 2400m, Caulfield, 18 October 2025) – remains unchanged with other major prizemoney increases and program enhancements being delivered at Caulfield.
Other features:• Underwood Stakes (G1, 1800m, 20 September 2025) - $1 million (up $250,000)• Sportsbet C.F. Orr Stakes (G1, 1400m, 15 November 2025) - $1 million (up $250,000)• Thoroughbred Club Stakes (G3, 1200m, 15 November 2025) - $1 million (up $800,000)• Sportsbet Sandown Guineas (G2, 1600m, 15 November 2025) - $400,000 (up $100,000)
Maidens:
- Country Premier Maidens - $55,000 (up from $50,000)
- Country Premium Night Maidens - $45,000 (up from $40,000)
- Country Premium Day Maidens - $42,500 (up from $37,500)
- Country Standard Maidens - $32,000 (up from $27,000)
- Country SKY 2 Maidens - $25,000 (up from $20,000)
- Country Non-TAB Maidens - $20,000 (up from $15,000)
