MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 30: James McDonald riding Meydaan during a trackwork session at Werribee Racecourse on October 30, 2025 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images)
UPDATE: Champion jockey James McDonald has just confirmed that his mount, Meydaan, is primed for a strong performance in the upcoming Melbourne Cup on November 7, 2023. McDonald’s enthusiastic assessment follows a successful training session at Werribee on Thursday, where he rode the English stayer ahead of the race that stops a nation.
Replacing Hong Kong-based rider Andrea Atzeni, who previously rode Meydaan to a ninth-place finish in the recent Caulfield Cup, McDonald expressed immense confidence in his horse. “He’s going really well and I can’t wait to ride him in Tuesday’s cup,” he stated. “The horse can’t be any fitter and he couldn’t look any better,” he added.
Meydaan, a son of the legendary European racehorse Frankel, is currently listed at $11 in Melbourne Cup markets set by TAB fixed odds. McDonald’s glowing review of his recent trackwork is likely to drive this price lower as anticipation builds.
“I worked him over 1400m, let him bowl along, and he really finished it off powerfully,” McDonald noted, highlighting the horse’s remarkable condition. “He’s come through the Caulfield Cup extra well and is nicely weighted at 54kg for the Melbourne Cup,” he explained.
Co-trainer Ed Crisford also noted that Meydaan struggled with the tight track at Caulfield but will be much better suited to the expansive Flemington circuit, where the Melbourne Cup takes place. “He will be much better suited when stepping up to 3200m,” Crisford confirmed.
In a significant turn of events, New Zealand raider Mark Twain and Quietness have been scratched from the Melbourne Cup, reducing the field to 38 contenders. After running second and ninth in the Bendigo Cup, connections opted not to continue to the Melbourne Cup.
The recent scratchings have shifted the odds landscape for leading contenders. After winning the Bendigo Cup, Sayedaty Sadaty has jumped from 35th to 25th in the order of entry for the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field.
Current leading contenders and their odds include: $7 Half Yours, $8 Valiant King, $8 Buckaroo, and $8 Presage Nocturne. Meydaan’s odds at $11 position him as a strong contender as the race approaches.
With November 7 just around the corner, all eyes will be on McDonald and Meydaan as they aim for victory in this prestigious event. The excitement is palpable, and fans are eagerly awaiting the race that has captured the nation’s attention.
Stay tuned for further updates as the countdown to the Melbourne Cup continues!
