Parchment Party is first U.S.-trained Melbourne Cup runner

History will be made on Monday night when the Bill Mott-trained Parchment Party and hall of fame jockey John Velazquez line up in the Group 1, US$6.5 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington. Post time is 11:00 p.m. EST, 8:00 p.m. PST, with live coverage on FanDuel TV and SkyRacingWorld.com.

No horse trained in the United States has ever contested the Melbourne Cup in its 164-year history. That changes this year, as Mott and Velazquez, two titans of American racing, bring their 4-year-old stayer across the Pacific in pursuit of the sport’s most coveted two-mile prize.

A cup steeped in legend

First run in 1861, the Melbourne Cup has grown from a colonial curiosity into an international institution. The two-mile handicap, known affectionately as “the race that stops a nation,” attracts the world’s best stayers to Australia each November. This year’s edition offers a record US$6.5 million purse, ensuring global interest and an elite field of 24 runners.

Parchment Party qualified for the Cup by winning the Belmont Gold Cup (G2) in June, a race shortened and switched to dirt due to heavy rain. That victory earned him a golden ticket into the Melbourne feature, and now a chance to etch America’s name into Cup history.

The American challenger

Trained by Bill Mott, whose résumé includes Cigar, Royal Delta and Kentucky Derby winners Sovereignty and Country House, Parchment Party has been a revelation on the U.S. staying scene. His partner, John Velazquez, a three-time Kentucky Derby winner, faces a tight turnaround between two of the world’s biggest racing stages.

Just 48 hours earlier, Velazquez was riding at the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar, before boarding a late-night flight from Los Angeles to Melbourne. He arrived in time to partner Parchment Party at Flemington, a remarkable turnaround for one of racing’s most seasoned globetrotters.

Mott acknowledges the challenge ahead. Parchment Party has raced almost exclusively on dirt, and Flemington’s sweeping grass circuit is unlike anything he has encountered before. Still, the connections are optimistic. “He’s tough, he stays, and he’s earned his chance,” Mott said earlier this week.

The market says…

As of Melbourne Cup weekend, bookmakers have Half Yours and Al Riffa vying for favoritism between $5.00 and $5.50. Valiant King sits close behind at $6.50, while Presage Nocturne is quoted near $8.50.

The American hope, Parchment Party, is priced at $34, reflecting both respect for his connections and uncertainty about how he’ll adapt to Australian conditions. The odds suggest an outsider’s chance , but in a two-mile handicap, stranger things have happened like in last year’s Melbourne Cup when Knight’s Choice won at odds of 100-1.

Global challenge, local pride

The 2025 Melbourne Cup once again boasts an extraordinary international lineup. Ireland’s Joseph O’Brien, already a two-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer, sends a formidable pair in Al Riffa and Goodie Two Shoes. Britain’s Andrew Balding saddles Furthur, while Japan and Germany contribute Chevalier Rose and Flatten The Curve respectively.

In total, 19 international runners were among the 120 original nominations, underscoring the Cup’s global reach and the prestige attached to its iconic gold trophy. For the home team, Half Yours represents the best local hope to keep the Cup in Australia.

Why this year matters

When Parchment Party takes his place in the Flemington starting gates, it will mark a significant shift in the Melbourne Cup’s international identity. American participation has long been viewed as improbable due to the country’s dirt-track bias, but success here could inspire future US campaigns.

Win or lose, Parchment Party and John Velazquez have already made history simply by being here, linking the Breeders’ Cup and Melbourne Cup in a single whirlwind weekend few jockeys could manage. The world will be watching.

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