The Big Dance on Cup Day at Royal Randwick on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, lived up to its billing with a spectacular ten-race card highlighted by the $3 million Big Dance, a contest that captured the energy and excitement of Sydney’s spring racing festival. The crowd witnessed a masterclass from N.C. Rawiller, whose treble on the day included victory in the feature event, underlining his dominance and class on one of Australia’s biggest racing stages.
The feature race, The Big Dance (2:20 PM, 1600m, $3,000,000), saw Gringotts deliver a spellbinding performance to take out the rich prize, surging clear late under N.C. Rawiller to secure the $3 million feature. Vivy Air (A. Adkins) and Lugh (R. Bayliss) fought bravely but had to settle for second and third respectively. It was a commanding and perfectly-timed ride by Rawiller, sealing his place among the day’s standout performers.
The day began with the Midway Handicap (11:45 AM, 1800m, $125,000), where Oceanfront, guided by D. Gibbons, produced a strong late surge to claim the opener in style. Speed took centre stage next in the TAB Highway Handicap (12:25 PM, 1000m, $125,000) as Petticoat, ridden by Ms A. Roper, burst clear from the field to win decisively — a sharp and impressive display over the short trip.
Momentum continued for Rawiller in the Alinta Energy Handicap (1:05 PM, 1200m, $125,000), where Carbonados stormed home powerfully to notch his first win of the day. He made it a quick double in the Quayclean Handicap (1:40 PM, 1300m, $125,000), steering Equerry to a smooth and confident victory.
After the excitement of The Big Dance, attention turned to the Barn Dance (3:30 PM, 1300m, $250,000), where So You Pence, under A.R.D. Morgan, held off all challengers in a gritty front-running display. The Little Dance (4:10 PM, 1600m, $750,000) saw Osipenko, guided by J. Parr, showcase superior class, striding clear late to add another highlight to the day’s festivities.
In the United Resource Management Choisir Handicap (4:50 PM, 1100m, $300,000), Estadio Mestalla, ridden by A. Hyeronimus, flashed home with an electric finish to secure victory. Magnatear, with A.R.D. Morgan up again, took the Agency Real Estate Handicap (5:30 PM, 1500m, $125,000) in convincing style before Ms A. Roper returned to the winner’s circle in the finale – the Toyota Forklifts Handicap (6:05 PM, 1000m, $125,000) – aboard Sunrise, sealing a memorable day for both jockey and connections.
From the first stride to the last, Randwick’s Cup Day was a thrilling exhibition of speed, stamina, and racing theatre. With N.C. Rawiller’s treble and the commanding performance of Gringotts in The Big Dance, the 2025 edition etched itself into Randwick’s rich racing story – a true celebration of Australian turf excellence.
Stay tuned with RaceBuzz for more updates from Sydney’s spring carnival and beyond.
