The 2025 Melbourne Cup was run with 24 horses in the final field, which is the standard maximum field size for the race.

Quick Scoop

  • The official 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup field consisted of 24 runners at Flemington.
  • Coverage of the race and betting previews repeatedly describe “the 24 horses in the 2025 Melbourne Cup field.”
  • This 24‑horse limit matches the long‑standing modern field size for the Melbourne Cup.

Extra context

  • The Victoria Racing Club sets a maximum field size of 24 for safety and logistics, and 2025 followed that usual cap.
  • In the lead‑up there were more than 40 horses nominated, but ballots and withdrawals reduced it to the final 24 starters on Cup day.

So if you’re checking form guides, replaying the race, or talking on forums about “how many horses in Melbourne Cup 2025”, the correct number is 24 starters.

TL;DR: The 2025 Melbourne Cup had 24 horses in the final field.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.