The Big Dance
Looking for this year’s The Big Dance betting odds, preview & tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race.
The Big Dance is a feature race run by Racing NSW at Royal Randwick Racecourse as one of the more lucrative events during the Sydney Spring Racing Carnival that officially gained Black-Type, Listed status in 2024.
Offering an impressive $2 million in prize money for its inauguration in 2022, the race has had stakes boosted to $3 million in 2023 ahead of the second edition.
The Big Dance race takes place on the first Tuesday of November, the same date as Flemington’s famous Melbourne Cup.
It was announced to run as the latest addition to the wider The Everest Carnival in Sydney along with the $2 million The Five Diamonds (1800m) which will take the Saturday after at Rosehill Gardens.
Contested over a mile, the quality handicap is open to horses aged three-years-old and above that become eligible via a run in 32 Country Cup races throughout the year.
The first and second placegetters out of The Big Dance Wild Card race held at Randwick on The Everest Day are also exempt from The Big Dance ballot.
The qualification process for the inaugural The Big Dance race in 2023 started with the Goulburn Cup on October 30, 2022.
The inaugural Big Dance winner was the Kris Lees-trained Rustic Steel ($12).
The second The Big Dancer winner was the Sara Ryan-trained Coffs Harbour Cup winner Attractable ($19).
The third The Big Dance winner was $5 shot Gringotts trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Tommy Berry.
The first 2025 The Big Dance qualifier took place on November 14, 2024, with the Snake Gully Cup.
The Big Dance 2025 – QUICK INFORMATION
- Race Day: Tuesday November 4, 2025
- Track: Royal Randwick Racecourse
- Surface: Turf
- Distance: 1600m
- Weight Class: Quality Handicap
- Qualification: Three-Years-Old & Upwards
- Conditions: Eligibility restricted to runners out of elected 32 Country Cups
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Listed
- Operator: Australian Turf Club
- Purse: $3,000,000
- Inaugural Race: 2022
- 2025 The Big Dance Winner: TBD
The Big Dance 2025 RESULTS
The official 2025 The Big Dance results will be available below once the race takes place on Tuesday November 4, 2025.
- TBD
- TBD
- TBD
The Big Dance Betting 2025
There are many different ways to bet on The Big Dance, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How To Place This Type Of Bet In This Year’s The Big Dance |
|---|---|
| How To Place This Type Of Bet In This Year’s The Big Dance | |
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s The Big Dance. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s The Big Dance. Pays less than a win bet, but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in The Big Dance, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend. |
| Quinella Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within The Big Dance, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within The Big Dance to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within The Big Dance to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd ,3rd and 4th in the correct order, within The Big Dance to win the First 4. |
| Quadrella Bet (Quaddie) | You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from The Big Dance, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How To Bet On The Big Dance In 2025
Login at neds.com.au
- Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
- Make sure to check out the form guide, once it’s released
- Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
WHICH HORSE WILL WIN The big dance in 2025?
Which horse will win the 2025 The Big Dance comes down to a number of key form factors including the barriers, form over the 1600m distance and their previous race experience in the specified Country Cup races throughout the year.
When selecting The Big Dance winner it is also important to consider:
- Sydney Stables: Horses from the premier Sydney stables dominate The Big Dance race results. Newcastle-trained Rustic Bay won the first edition in 2022. Attractable from the Wyong stables of Sara Ryan won the second edition in 2023. In 2024 trainer Ciaron Maher’s Warwick Farm stable prepared the winner Gringotts.
- Black-Type Performers: Proven Black-Type runners with previous winning form in Listed or Group status races are sure to do well in The Big Dance.
- The Big Dance Wild Card: The winner and runner-up out of The Big Dance Wild Card race held over the same track/distance on The Everest Day are key performers in the $3 million grand final.
The big dance FAVOURITES 2025
Favourites in The Big Dance betting for 2025 will be updated here shortly.
There was an upset in the opening edition of the multi-million dollar event with Rustic Steel winning the 2022 event at Big Dance odds of $12.
There was also an upset The Big Dance result in 2023 with Attractable jumping at $19.
Gringotts won the 2024 The Big Dance as the $5 second favourite.
The big dance 2025 FIELD
The official 2025 The Big Dance field of final acceptances is made public on the Friday prior to the event and will be published in full below.
The big dance 2025 qualifying races
To be eligible for a run in The Big Dance race field, horses must be the official winners or second placed horse in any of the below Country Cup races.
| VENUE | DATE | CLUB | RACE | DIST | 1st | 2nd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gundagai | 14-Nov-24 | Gundagai-Adelong Race Club | Snake Gully Cup | 1400m | Clever Art | Asgarda |
| Kembla Grange | 23-Nov-24 | Illawarra Turf Club | The Gong | 1600m | Gringotts | Suparazi |
| Armidale | 8-Dec-24 | Armidale Jockey Club | Armidale Cup | 1900m | Ring Ahoy | Point Counterpoint |
| Nowra | 15-Dec-24 | Shoalhaven City Turf Club | Nowra Cup | 1600m | Super Helpful | Hollywood Hero |
| Moruya | 6-Jan-25 | Moruya Jockey Club Inc | Moruya Cup | 1425m | Charlemagne | All Machiavellian |
| Ballina | 17-Jan-25 | Ballina Jockey Club | Ballina Cup | 1590m | Lord Of Biscay | Captain Fenkel |
| Sapphire Coast | 2-Feb-25 | Sapphire Coast Turf Club | Bega Cup | 1600m | Direct Fire | Louie’s Legacy |
| Albury | 17-April-25(Rescheduled Date after original meeting abandoned) | Albury Racing Club | Albury Gold Cup | 2000m | Matusalem | Beltoro |
| Muswellbrook | 28-Mar-25 | Muswellbrook Race Club | Muswellbrook Gold Cup | 1500m | Lavish Empire | Grebeni |
| Wellington | 31-Mar-25 | Wellington Race Club | Wellington Cup | 1700m | Aimpoint | Cliff House |
| Orange | 11-Apr-25 | Racing Orange Ltd | Orange Gold Cup | 2100m | Campaldino | Steel Blaze |
| Tamworth | 24-Apr-25 | Tamworth Jockey Club | Tamworth Cup | 1400m | Name Dropper | Green Shadows |
| Wagga | 2-May-25 | Murrumbidgee Turf Club | Wagga Wagga Gold Cup | 2000m | Flying Bandit | Bianco Vilano |
| Hawkesbury | 3-May-25 | Hawkesbury Race Club | Hawkesbury Cup | 1600m | Punch Lane | Osipenko |
| Gosford | 10-May-25 | Gosford Race Club | Gosford Cup | 2100m | Les Vampires | Etna Rosso |
| Scone | 16-May-25 | Scone Race Club | Scone Cup | 1600m | Tavi Time | Strait Acer |
| Gunnedah | 25-May-25 | Gunnedah Jockey Club | Gunnedah Cup | 1600m | Osman | Fiorsum Fred |
| Narrandera | 13-Jul-25 | Narrandera Race Club | Narrandera Cup | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
| Grafton | 13-Jul-25 | Clarence River Jockey Club | South Grafton Cup | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
| Coffs Harbour | 1-Aug-25 | Coffs Harbour Racing Club | Coffs Harbour Cup | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
| Forbes | 3-Aug-25 | Forbes Jockey Club | Forbes Cup | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
| Murwillumbah | 22-Aug-25 | Tweed River Jockey Club | Murwillumbah Cup | 1550m | TBD | TBD |
| Goulburn | 24-Aug-25 | Goulburn & District Racing Club | Goulburn Cup | 1400m | TBD | TBD |
| Wyong | 5-Sep-25 | Wyong Race Club | Wyong Cup | 2100m | TBD | TBD |
| Bathurst | 14-Sep-25 | Bathurst Turf Club | Bathurst Cup | 1800m | TBD | TBD |
| Newcastle | 19-Sep-25 | Newcastle Jockey Club | Cameron Hcp | 1500m | TBD | TBD |
| Lismore | 25-Sep-25 | Lismore Turf Club | Lismore Cup | 2100m | TBD | TBD |
| Dubbo | 28-Sep-25 | City of Dubbo Turf Club | Dubbo Gold Cup | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
| Port Macquarie | 10-Oct-25 | Port Macquarie Race Club | Port Macquarie Cup | 2000m | TBD | TBD |
| Coonamble | 12-Oct-25 | Coonamble Jockey Club | Coonamble Cup | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
| Taree | 17-Oct-25 | Manning Valley Race Club | Taree Cup | 2000m | TBD | TBD |
| Randwick | 25-Oct-25 | Australian Turf Club | Big Dance Wild Card | 1600m | TBD | TBD |
The big dance 2025 Tips
Favourite: TBD
Best Bet: TBD
Best Roughie: TBD
Our insider tips on the 2025 The Big Dance will be detailed here the week of the lucrative feature and a full The Big Dance Day betting preview available on the Neds Blog.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2025 THE BIG DANCE DAY PREVIEW & TIPS
The Big dance 2025 RACE DAY
The fourth running of The Big Dance in 2025 is scheduled for Tuesday the 4th of November 2025.
The race takes place on the first Tuesday of November annually in Sydney to compliment that of Victoria’s iconic Melbourne Cup Day program at Flemington.
The big dance 2025 BARRIER DRAW
The official 2025 The Big Dance barrier draw takes place the week of the race and will be published in our above The Big Dance Field section.
The big dance 2025 Nominations
The Big Dance 2025 nominations will be published in full below once confirmed and automatically updated following the results of the qualifying races throughout the year.
The big dance 2025 WEIGHTS
The Big Dance is a quality handicap race with a maximum weight of 62kg. Weights on the final acceptors will be published in our above The Big Dance Field section.
2025 The Big Dance Topweight:
- TBD
The big dance 2025 ACCEPTANCES
The Big Dance final acceptances 2025 close the Friday ahead of the event and will be available in full in our above The Big Dance Field section.
The Big dance 2025 JOCKEYS
The Big Dance 2025 jockeys must be declared following acceptances and will be available in our above The Big Dance Field section.
The big dance 2025 SCRATCHINGS
The Big Dance 2025 scratchings must be declared by 7:30AM on race day morning, Tuesday the 4th of November 2025.
The big dance PRIZE MONEY 2025
The 2025 The Big Dance prize money has been boosted to $3 million with prize money paid down to 10th place.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $1,560,000 |
| 2nd | $600,000 |
| 3rd | $300,000 |
| 4th | $150,000 |
| 5th | $75,000 |
| 6th | $60,000 |
| 7th | $45,000 |
| 8th | $45,000 |
| 9th | $45,000 |
| 10th | $45,000 |
The big dance RACE NUMBER 2025
The 2025 The Big Dance race number is TBC for Tuesday the 4th of November 2025 at Randwick Racecourse with Flemington’s Melbourne Cup race jumping at 3:00pm (AEDT).
The big dance 2025 Form Guide
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2025 The Big Dance Form Guide following final acceptances.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2025 THE BIG DANCE FORM GUIDE
THE big dance LIVE 2025
You can watch or listen to the 2025 The Big Dance live, across the following mediums.
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Streaming: Racing NSW
the big dance Winners
Winners of The Big Dance going back to the race’s inauguration in 2022 are displayed in the table below.
| YEAR | WINNER | 2ND | 3RD | TIME |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2024 | Gringotts | Vivy Air | Suparazi | 1:34.43 |
| 2023 | Attractable | Cepheus | Super Helpful | 1:34.49 |
| 2022 | Rustic Steel | Cisco Bay | Sibaaq | 1:33.87 |