Irish raider Al Riffa has been by far the best-backed horse to win the 2025 Melbourne Cup following a series of stunning six-figure bets at the annual Call of the Card at the Crown Palladium Ballroom.
In front of an enthusiastic Monday afternoon crowd, the largest single bet was an eye-watering $500,000 placed on Al Riffa at $8.
Bookmaker Chris Lester took on the entire liability for the monster wager which will return a cool $3.5 million profit should the 59kg topweight emerge victorious in Tuesday afternoon’s race at Flemington.
The big swings on Al Riffa didn’t stop there, mind you.
MORE: Your complete 2025 Melbourne Cup betting guide
In fact, by the end of betting four of the afternoon’s biggest wagers had all been placed on the Joseph O’Brien-trained six-year-old stallion who will be ridden by champion jockey Mark Zahra.
After the Call of the Card, bookmaker Chris Lester told Racing.com his ‘head was spinning’ after accepting the half-million dollar bet.
“It is a big bloody bet, the amount of money, I have never seen it,” Lester said.
“It (Al Riffa) is clearly the best horse in the race, but weights are clearly against it.”
Several other contenders from the 24-horse Cup field were also backed to win over $1 million including Japanese hope Chevalier Rose, Meydaan and Royal Supremacy.