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Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours set to undergo Melbourne Cup scans

Trainer Calvin McEvoy is confident Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours has another big run left in him as the stable waits to get the all clear from vets to start in the Melbourne Cup.

Glenn McFarlane

Glenn McFarlane

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October 21, 2025 – 3:36PM

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Exciting Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours will have his mandatory Melbourne Cup scans on Wednesday but co-trainer Calvin McEvoy is confident the horse has bounced out of last Saturday’s emotional win with more left in the tank.

“At this stage we are all systems go towards the Melbourne Cup,” McEvoy said at The Valley’s Breakfast with the Best after watching his Vase and Derby chance Options work.

“He (Half Yours) is going down to get scanned at Werribee (on Wednesday). I think he will be there on the first Tuesday.

“He has pulled up as well after that run as he has (before). He lost a little bit of weight which is normal. It was quite a gruelling contest.”

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McEvoy said the stable was still basking in Half Yours’ victory and daring to dream he can extend his good form to Flemington in a fortnight.

He believes the five-year-old has another big run left in him this campaign, despite a solid workload across the past year.

“The horse has run every month for the last 10 months or something, he is a machine,” he said.

“If we were at all worried, if he had his head on the ground and was not eating and was tired, he wouldn’t be here.”

Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours will press on to the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Getty Images

Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours will press on to the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Getty Images

• ‘I rode a stupid race’: Zac Lloyd chasing Cox Plate redemption

McEvoy said the 2kg penalty for winning the Caulfield Cup would not be an issue, saying it was “a winning weight”.

“I had won five Group 1 races before this, and my old man (co-trainer Tony) has won (many) more than that. But even before the race we had more messages wishing us good luck than we had in winning big races.

“Australia was behind the horse. It was a good story. Everyone loves the internationals coming out but I also think everyone loves the Aussie battler.”

The unfashionably bred but freakish five-year-old was bought by the McEvoys for $305,000 in an Inglis online sale after being a part of the late Colin McKenna dispersal sale.

His original trainer Ciaron Maher was the underbidder, but McEvoy said the master trainer had been one of the first to offer his congratulations.

• Pagan back in Derby picture with Poor Ol’ Johny Ray

McEvoy said exciting Godolphin colt Options worked well on Tuesday morning, and would head to the Vase on Saturday before backing up in the $2m Victoria Derby on November 1.

“He galloped really well,” he said.

“Harry Coffey is riding him (on Saturday) but (he) and his wife Taylor had a baby (girl on Monday), so Ethan Brown rode him in his track gallop.

“I don’t think he (Options) will love the Valley, but he got around OK … so it is all systems go for Saturday and for the backup (in the Derby).”

Originally published as Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours set to undergo Melbourne Cup scans

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‘Let them down’: Miller heartbreak as local podium pair prove Aussie future is bright — Talking Pts

First Aussie to win Moto 2 at home!! | 02:06

Matt Clayton from Fox Sports

October 20th, 2025 7:14 am

Even when he’s not on the MotoGP grid – as he wasn’t this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix – Marc Marquez has a way of sucking the oxygen out of every room.

No matter the rider or their nationality, the seven-time MotoGP champion’s CV casts a heavy shadow. But if you’re a Spanish rider trying to make their name? That shadow is more like an eclipse.

Every MotoGP qualifying, practice and race LIVE and ad-break free from lights out to the chequered flag. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

Consider, then, the lot of Raul Fernandez, a rider whose world championship performances before he got to MotoGP justifiably earned him the tag of ‘next big thing’ among the armada of Spanish riders on the ladder to MotoGP, but one whose premier-class exploits had been so underwhelming that he was considered in some quarters to be fortunate to still be on the grid.

Sunday at Phillip Island shut those discussions down.

MORE MOTOGP NEWS

RACE REPORT Spaniard breaks through, Aussie suffers home heartbreak

SATURDAY TALKING POINTS Aussie’s late attack, winner’s apology, Ducati’s shocker

Yes, there was context behind Fernandez’s first win in his 76th MotoGP start, a career that began in 2022 after a 2021 Moto2 runner-up finish to Australian teammate Remy Gardner that netted him eight victories.

In three previous MotoGP seasons, he’d never finished better than 16th in the standings. After finishing second in Saturday’s Australian Grand Prix sprint, he rose to a position higher than he’d ever been before – 11th.

Before Sunday, Fernandez had never led a single lap in a Grand Prix. But as his impediments to a first victory vanished one by one, he was there to capitalise on what became the most open Phillip Island weekend in years.

Marquez was back home in Spain after right shoulder surgery following the Indonesian Grand Prix a fortnight earlier, which came one round after he’d sealed this year’s title in Japan.

The rider who crashed into the Ducati superstar to necessitate that surgery, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, had pace to burn at the Island, but had to serve two long-lap penalties in Sunday’s 27-lap race as punishment for clattering into Marquez.

Phillip Island’s fastest man for the past three years, Jorge Martin, was home in Andorra rehabbing the latest injury in a world championship defence that never got out of the starting blocks.

Francesco Bagnaia, who Martin beat to the 2024 title, was having another all-too familiar 2025 weekend of woe at a track where he’d taken podiums for three straight years, finishing second-last in the sprint and crashing – out of 12th – in Sunday’s Grand Prix.

There was an open goal awaiting someone to slot a winner into it. Fernandez obliged.

How much of an outlier was this win? On Sunday, just seven other riders on the grid – three of them injury replacements for Marquez, Martin and KTM’s Maverick Vinales – had never won a premier-class Grand Prix before. Of the remaining four, Somkiat Chantra (Honda) and Ai Ogura (Aprilia) are 2025 rookies.

Unexpected doesn’t begin to describe it.

Until Indonesia two weeks ago, Fernandez had never finished on a podium in a sprint or Grand Prix. He had the pace to do both in Mandalika, but became embroiled in needless scraps in the Grand Prix with slower riders after finishing third in the sprint.

Second to Bezzecchi at Phillip Island on Saturday showed what might be possible, and when the Italian’s Indonesia penalties bit hard on Sunday, Fernandez capitalised.

Fernandez was one second behind Bezzecchi when the leader took his first penalty on lap five and dropped to third, and led by three-tenths of a second when Bezzecchi’s second penalty was served two laps later. Stuck in sixth, Bezzecchi’s speed was strangled by the rivals in front of him on a track where passing places are hard to come by, even with his superior pace. Fernandez took advantage.

Fernandez spent what he called a “super long” race at the front after he cleared away, which was precisely what he didn’t need. Last year in the sprint race in Catalunya, Fernandez took a shock lead, pushed too hard too soon, and crashed out. He beat himself up for his mistake, and wondered if it would ever come again. Before Sunday, he’d never ridden a single Grand Prix lap in a top-three place.

Trackhouse Aprilia team principal Davide Brivio described Fernandez as having “grown up” on Sunday, his team’s victory meaning all 11 MotoGP teams have now won a Grand Prix.

Fernandez, still processing his breakthrough, saw it similarly.

“I cannot believe, still,” Fernandez said, more than an hour after the race finished at Phillip Island, and as the rain that had threatened all afternoon finally began to tumble.

“I am thinking how many times, how much work we did to get here. The team never stopped to believe in me. In the difficult moments, you know that Aprilia support me even more.

“This morning when we have a meeting with the team, we thought to fight for the podium was an unrealistic position. I never thought we had the chance to get the victory. But when I overtook Pedro [Acosta] and had a very similar pace to Marco [Bezzecchi], I think ‘maybe today is the day’. The last five laps was super long for me.

“I tried to be focused on me, and not think a lot … but the last lap, the last sector, I start to cry inside my helmet in the last sector. This morning, I never thought this was the day to get this victory.“

When will Fernandez’s next win come? Will it owe itself more to speed than circumstances? Will Australia be seen as an anomaly, or a start to something bigger? For now, the Spaniard couldn’t care less.

Context and caveats could take a back seat, as Sunday’s travel plans to Kuala Lumpur for next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix were being hastily re-arranged for a victory celebration long in the waiting.

Fernandez’s boots – and most of the rest of his riding kit – went into the crowd as he celebrated his shock win with gusto. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Source: Getty Images

‘WARNINGS’ A SIGN OF EARLY EXIT FOR MILLER

Jack Miller’s best Saturday of the 2025 season turned into a sombre Sunday, with the Australian crashing out on lap five from sixth place a day after his run to fourth and a podium near-miss in the sprint race 24 hours earlier.

From third on the grid – his best qualifying since the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix and the first front-row MotoGP Phillip Island start for an Australian since Casey Stoner took pole position in 2012 – Miller was shuffled back to fifth place on the opening lap behind fellow Yamaha rider and pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo, but fell at Turn 6 after multiple “warnings” on the preceding laps, his outside shot at a podium punctured by quarter-race distance.

MORE MOTOGP NEWS

SPRINT REPORT Bezzecchi survives seagull scare to give rivals the bird

FRIDAY WRAP Italian smashes record as Aussie pipped at post

Miller’s succinct download of his day – “pretty deflated” – led to a more expansive assessment of a weekend where Yamaha showed promise, but then regressed to the mean in the race, Quartararo fading from pole to an 11th-place result, and 2022 Australian Grand Prix winner Alex Rins (seventh) the only Yamaha rider to finish inside the top 10.

“Obviously it’s not how we wanted today to end,” Miller said.

“It was a positive weekend all round and I felt decent at the start of the race, and I was in the front group but maybe struggling a little bit more than I had done all weekend.

“At Turn 6, Turn 2 as well … I was having to force the bike a little bit more to make it turn. I had a couple of warnings going into Turn 6, just a little bit of vibration going in, and on the third time she finally said ‘no more’.

“I’m disappointed to let everybody down, let the team down, let the fans down. After all, it was a strong weekend, we showed great pace, so I’ll try to take the positives and learn from the negatives and understand what was the difference was today.”

The Australian Grand Prix has just one more year to run on its current contract at Phillip Island; the remote Victorian coastal track first hosted the world championship in 1989, and has held the Australian round of the series continuously since 1997, save for covid cancellations in 2020 and ’21.

With no guaranteed future beyond 2026, Miller said the race “needs to be on the calendar” going forward after race organisers announced that 91,245 fans attended the three-day weekend, the largest overall crowd figure since 2012.

“It’s a fantastic event,” Miller said.

“You look at the crowd out there today – we had five Aussies riding out there today – and for me that’s one of the best crowds we’ve had all year.

“We’re such an isolated country, such a vast country – people come from great distances to watch the race. You speak to people from Western Australia – it’s like going from the top end of Europe to the bottom to watch a race. They travel far and wide, it means a lot for them to have a home race on the calendar.

“Phillip Island is one of the most spectacular circuits on the calendar … it needs to be on the calendar, and I’m sure it will be.”

Miller hung with the frontrunners in the early stages before his lap five spill. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

Source: AFP

AUSSIE YOUNG GUNS HAVE PODIUM PARTY

Miller’s early exit elicited a groan from the 37,000-plus crowd who braved high winds and a threat of rain for Sunday’s trio of races, but the performances of compatriots Senna Agius and Joel Kelso in Moto2 and Moto3 respectively saw the majority of them head home happy.

Sydneysider Agius, went two better than his run to third in last year’s Moto2 race at Phillip Island, which was his first world championship podium.

Since then, the 20-year-old has won a Grand Prix – at Silverstone earlier this season – and came into Sunday’s race as the man to beat after his metronomic long-run practice pace, and led every lap – and by as much as six seconds – before settling for a dominant 3.684-second win.

“After five or six laps I was seeing that I started to have an advantage, and after that was just a long, lonely race – it was really hard just trying to keep concentration,” Agius said.

“It’s a huge moment to win at home. I could see the crowd and hear them on the last lap … I just was thinking ‘one corner at a time’. My first victory [at Silverstone] was just a fight to the end, but this one was quite lonely. I didn’t want it to end, but I wanted it to end.”

Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team’s Australian Moto2 rider Senna Agius celebrates winning the Moto2 race at the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix on Philip Island on October 19, 2025. (Photo by Paul Crock / AFP)

Source: AFP

Agius said a pre-event catch-up with two-time MotoGP champion and six-time Phillip Island winner Stoner gave him confidence he could make the most of a weekend where he embraced the extra pressure of performing in his own backyard.

“I saw Casey on Wednesday and I said ‘it’s not a normal weekend’, and he told me to treat it like a normal weekend,” Agius said.

“He kept telling me to keep present and keep calm, especially when things are not happening like you want in this weekend.

“Casey’s such a role model for us. He’s such an idol of mine, and being with him on Wednesday with a really nice thing to do from him.”

Kelso, meanwhile, had his own equal career-best moment in the lightweight Moto3 category, the Darwin 22-year-old finishing second on Sunday to Spanish world champion Jose Antonio Rueda to match his second place at the French Grand Prix at Le Mans earlier this year.

Rueda and Kelso were in a class of their own on Sunday – third-placed Alvaro Carpe was 12 seconds adrift after 21 laps – and while Kelso was just eight-tenths of a second from victory after starting from pole position, he was rapt with the performance.

“I tried my absolute best, I was saving the tyres … as soon as Rueda went to go in front, I said ‘go for it mate, I’m going to save the tyre’,” Kelso said.

“But Rueda, he’s too good, f**king hell … saving the tyre, he’s so good at it. The best we could do was second.”

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Fernandez Shocks MotoGP World at Phillip Island as Aussie Young Guns Shine

Raul Fernandez produced one of the most surprising victories in modern MotoGP history at Phillip Island, seizing his maiden premier-class win in just his 76th start. The Spaniard, who had never before led a single Grand Prix lap, capitalized on penalties, injuries, and crashes that reshaped the Australian Grand Prix field. Meanwhile, Australia’s own Senna Agius and Joel Kelso delivered landmark podium finishes in Moto2 and Moto3, sending local fans home with optimism for the nation’s racing future.

The weekend encapsulated everything MotoGP stands for: heartbreak, resilience, and breakthrough moments. For Jack Miller, Australia’s leading MotoGP star, the dream of a home podium dissolved in a Turn 6 crash. Yet, for Agius and Kelso, the day was historic, igniting belief that the next generation of Australian riders is ready to leave its mark on world motorsport.

Fernandez’s Breakthrough and the Context Behind It

For Raul Fernandez, Sunday was more than just a race. It was redemption. Since his Moto2 runner-up finish in 2021, the Spaniard’s MotoGP career had been marked by frustration and underwhelming results. He had endured three seasons without a single podium, raising questions about his future. But at Phillip Island, circumstances aligned.

Marc Marquez was absent after shoulder surgery. Jorge Martin was sidelined by injury. Francesco Bagnaia crashed out after another weekend of struggles. Marco Bezzecchi, despite blistering pace, was slowed by two costly long-lap penalties. Fernandez, often overlooked in the elite class, seized the opportunity. By lap seven, he was in control, and despite the pressure, held his nerve to the chequered flag.

The victory was historic for his Trackhouse Aprilia team, ensuring that all 11 MotoGP outfits on the 2025 grid now have a premier-class win. Team principal Davide Brivio hailed Fernandez as a rider who had “finally grown up,” while Fernandez himself was overwhelmed with emotion, admitting he cried inside his helmet on the final lap.

Before Sunday, Fernandez had never scored a podium in a full-length MotoGP race.

He had finished no higher than 16th in the championship standings across three seasons.

His Phillip Island win makes him one of just a handful of riders to break through in 2025 amid a season dominated by Marquez.

Fernandez may still have much to prove, but Phillip Island showed that persistence, timing, and opportunity can redefine a rider’s career.

Miller’s Heartbreak and the Fight for Phillip Island’s Future

While Fernandez celebrated, Jack Miller endured yet another bitter home disappointment. Starting from the front row, the Queenslander was in podium contention before crashing out on lap five. Miller later admitted he had received “multiple warnings” from his Yamaha before Turn 6 finally ended his race.

The emotional toll was clear. “I’m disappointed to let everybody down, let the team down, let the fans down,” Miller said afterward. Despite his frustration, he acknowledged the positives of a weekend where Yamaha showed flashes of competitiveness.

Beyond Miller’s crash, Phillip Island itself became a talking point. With just one year left on its current MotoGP contract, uncertainty lingers over the Australian Grand Prix’s long-term place on the calendar. The event drew over 91,000 fans across three days, the largest crowd since 2012. Miller urged MotoGP organizers to retain the iconic circuit, calling it “one of the most spectacular tracks on the calendar.”

Why Phillip Island Matters

Historic legacy: Host of the Australian GP since 1989, with breaks only for the pandemic.

Crowd pull: More than 37,000 fans attended on race day alone.

Local talent: With five Australians on the grid across categories, the demand for a home race is stronger than ever.

Tourism boost: Fans traveled from across Australia, underscoring the event’s economic and cultural significance.

The pressure is now on both MotoGP and local authorities to ensure the event’s survival beyond 2026.

Performance Table: MotoGP Australian Grand Prix 2025

Rider

Category

Result

Notable Detail

Raul Fernandez

MotoGP

1st place

First career MotoGP win in 76 starts

Jack Miller

MotoGP

DNF

Crashed out on lap 5 from sixth place

Senna Agius

Moto2

1st place

First Aussie Moto2 win at home; led every lap

Joel Kelso

Moto3

2nd place

Equal career-best finish, just 0.8s off leader

Jose Antonio Rueda

Moto3

1st place

Defending world champion, controlled the race

Agius and Kelso Deliver for Australia

For Australian fans, the highlight of the weekend came not from Miller but from the country’s rising stars. In Moto2, 20-year-old Senna Agius produced a flawless ride to claim victory at home. After winning earlier this season at Silverstone, Agius confirmed his reputation as one of the brightest prospects in the sport. He credited advice from Casey Stoner, who encouraged him to “stay present” and manage the pressure of racing at home.

Joel Kelso, meanwhile, gave Darwin its first Moto3 hero. Starting from pole position, the 22-year-old fought hard against world champion Jose Antonio Rueda, finishing second in a two-man battle far ahead of the rest of the field. Though Kelso admitted he “tried everything” to conserve tyres and challenge Rueda, he left Phillip Island with confidence and pride.

Together, Agius and Kelso offered a glimpse of Australia’s future in world motorcycling. With both riders now proven podium contenders, the prospect of an Australian champion in the next decade no longer feels unrealistic.

The Bigger Picture

The Australian Grand Prix of 2025 will be remembered for three defining stories: Fernandez’s breakthrough, Miller’s heartbreak, and the emergence of Agius and Kelso as genuine global talents. For MotoGP, it highlighted both the unpredictability of the sport and its ability to inspire new narratives. For Australia, it underlined the importance of keeping Phillip Island on the calendar.

As Fernandez heads to Malaysia chasing consistency, and Miller regroups for redemption, Agius and Kelso return to Europe with momentum and belief. Motorsport thrives on stories of resilience, and Phillip Island 2025 delivered them in abundance.

Trending FAQ

Q1: Who won the MotoGP race at Phillip Island 2025?

Raul Fernandez won his first-ever MotoGP race, marking a major career breakthrough.

Q2: How did Jack Miller perform at the Australian Grand Prix?

Miller started from the front row but crashed out on lap five, ending his chances of a home podium.

Q3: Which Australians achieved podiums in Moto2 and Moto3?

Senna Agius won the Moto2 race, while Joel Kelso secured second place in Moto3.

Q4: What is the future of the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island?

The current contract runs until 2026. With record crowds this year, calls are growing to extend its place on the MotoGP calendar.

Q5: Why was Raul Fernandez’s win so surprising?

Before this victory, Fernandez had never led a MotoGP lap or scored a podium. His win came after penalties and crashes reshaped the field, but his composure sealed the result.

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‘Let them down’: Miller heartbreak as local podium pair prove Aussie future is bright — Talking Pts

First Aussie to win Moto 2 at home!! | 02:06

Matt Clayton from Fox Sports

October 20th, 2025 7:14 am

Even when he’s not on the MotoGP grid – as he wasn’t this weekend at the Australian Grand Prix – Marc Marquez has a way of sucking the oxygen out of every room.

No matter the rider or their nationality, the seven-time MotoGP champion’s CV casts a heavy shadow. But if you’re a Spanish rider trying to make their name? That shadow is more like an eclipse.

Every MotoGP qualifying, practice and race LIVE and ad-break free from lights out to the chequered flag. New to Kayo? Start Your Free Trial Today >

Consider, then, the lot of Raul Fernandez, a rider whose world championship performances before he got to MotoGP justifiably earned him the tag of ‘next big thing’ among the armada of Spanish riders on the ladder to MotoGP, but one whose premier-class exploits had been so underwhelming that he was considered in some quarters to be fortunate to still be on the grid.

Sunday at Phillip Island shut those discussions down.

MORE MOTOGP NEWS

RACE REPORT Spaniard breaks through, Aussie suffers home heartbreak

SATURDAY TALKING POINTS Aussie’s late attack, winner’s apology, Ducati’s shocker

Yes, there was context behind Fernandez’s first win in his 76th MotoGP start, a career that began in 2022 after a 2021 Moto2 runner-up finish to Australian teammate Remy Gardner that netted him eight victories.

In three previous MotoGP seasons, he’d never finished better than 16th in the standings. After finishing second in Saturday’s Australian Grand Prix sprint, he rose to a position higher than he’d ever been before – 11th.

Before Sunday, Fernandez had never led a single lap in a Grand Prix. But as his impediments to a first victory vanished one by one, he was there to capitalise on what became the most open Phillip Island weekend in years.

Marquez was back home in Spain after right shoulder surgery following the Indonesian Grand Prix a fortnight earlier, which came one round after he’d sealed this year’s title in Japan.

The rider who crashed into the Ducati superstar to necessitate that surgery, Aprilia’s Marco Bezzecchi, had pace to burn at the Island, but had to serve two long-lap penalties in Sunday’s 27-lap race as punishment for clattering into Marquez.

Phillip Island’s fastest man for the past three years, Jorge Martin, was home in Andorra rehabbing the latest injury in a world championship defence that never got out of the starting blocks.

Francesco Bagnaia, who Martin beat to the 2024 title, was having another all-too familiar 2025 weekend of woe at a track where he’d taken podiums for three straight years, finishing second-last in the sprint and crashing – out of 12th – in Sunday’s Grand Prix.

There was an open goal awaiting someone to slot a winner into it. Fernandez obliged.

How much of an outlier was this win? On Sunday, just seven other riders on the grid – three of them injury replacements for Marquez, Martin and KTM’s Maverick Vinales – had never won a premier-class Grand Prix before. Of the remaining four, Somkiat Chantra (Honda) and Ai Ogura (Aprilia) are 2025 rookies.

Unexpected doesn’t begin to describe it.

Until Indonesia two weeks ago, Fernandez had never finished on a podium in a sprint or Grand Prix. He had the pace to do both in Mandalika, but became embroiled in needless scraps in the Grand Prix with slower riders after finishing third in the sprint.

Second to Bezzecchi at Phillip Island on Saturday showed what might be possible, and when the Italian’s Indonesia penalties bit hard on Sunday, Fernandez capitalised.

Fernandez was one second behind Bezzecchi when the leader took his first penalty on lap five and dropped to third, and led by three-tenths of a second when Bezzecchi’s second penalty was served two laps later. Stuck in sixth, Bezzecchi’s speed was strangled by the rivals in front of him on a track where passing places are hard to come by, even with his superior pace. Fernandez took advantage.

Fernandez spent what he called a “super long” race at the front after he cleared away, which was precisely what he didn’t need. Last year in the sprint race in Catalunya, Fernandez took a shock lead, pushed too hard too soon, and crashed out. He beat himself up for his mistake, and wondered if it would ever come again. Before Sunday, he’d never ridden a single Grand Prix lap in a top-three place.

Trackhouse Aprilia team principal Davide Brivio described Fernandez as having “grown up” on Sunday, his team’s victory meaning all 11 MotoGP teams have now won a Grand Prix.

Fernandez, still processing his breakthrough, saw it similarly.

“I cannot believe, still,” Fernandez said, more than an hour after the race finished at Phillip Island, and as the rain that had threatened all afternoon finally began to tumble.

“I am thinking how many times, how much work we did to get here. The team never stopped to believe in me. In the difficult moments, you know that Aprilia support me even more.

“This morning when we have a meeting with the team, we thought to fight for the podium was an unrealistic position. I never thought we had the chance to get the victory. But when I overtook Pedro [Acosta] and had a very similar pace to Marco [Bezzecchi], I think ‘maybe today is the day’. The last five laps was super long for me.

“I tried to be focused on me, and not think a lot … but the last lap, the last sector, I start to cry inside my helmet in the last sector. This morning, I never thought this was the day to get this victory.“

When will Fernandez’s next win come? Will it owe itself more to speed than circumstances? Will Australia be seen as an anomaly, or a start to something bigger? For now, the Spaniard couldn’t care less.

Context and caveats could take a back seat, as Sunday’s travel plans to Kuala Lumpur for next weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix were being hastily re-arranged for a victory celebration long in the waiting.

Fernandez’s boots – and most of the rest of his riding kit – went into the crowd as he celebrated his shock win with gusto. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Source: Getty Images

‘WARNINGS’ A SIGN OF EARLY EXIT FOR MILLER

Jack Miller’s best Saturday of the 2025 season turned into a sombre Sunday, with the Australian crashing out on lap five from sixth place a day after his run to fourth and a podium near-miss in the sprint race 24 hours earlier.

From third on the grid – his best qualifying since the 2023 Japanese Grand Prix and the first front-row MotoGP Phillip Island start for an Australian since Casey Stoner took pole position in 2012 – Miller was shuffled back to fifth place on the opening lap behind fellow Yamaha rider and pole-sitter Fabio Quartararo, but fell at Turn 6 after multiple “warnings” on the preceding laps, his outside shot at a podium punctured by quarter-race distance.

MORE MOTOGP NEWS

SPRINT REPORT Bezzecchi survives seagull scare to give rivals the bird

FRIDAY WRAP Italian smashes record as Aussie pipped at post

Miller’s succinct download of his day – “pretty deflated” – led to a more expansive assessment of a weekend where Yamaha showed promise, but then regressed to the mean in the race, Quartararo fading from pole to an 11th-place result, and 2022 Australian Grand Prix winner Alex Rins (seventh) the only Yamaha rider to finish inside the top 10.

“Obviously it’s not how we wanted today to end,” Miller said.

“It was a positive weekend all round and I felt decent at the start of the race, and I was in the front group but maybe struggling a little bit more than I had done all weekend.

“At Turn 6, Turn 2 as well … I was having to force the bike a little bit more to make it turn. I had a couple of warnings going into Turn 6, just a little bit of vibration going in, and on the third time she finally said ‘no more’.

“I’m disappointed to let everybody down, let the team down, let the fans down. After all, it was a strong weekend, we showed great pace, so I’ll try to take the positives and learn from the negatives and understand what was the difference was today.”

The Australian Grand Prix has just one more year to run on its current contract at Phillip Island; the remote Victorian coastal track first hosted the world championship in 1989, and has held the Australian round of the series continuously since 1997, save for covid cancellations in 2020 and ’21.

With no guaranteed future beyond 2026, Miller said the race “needs to be on the calendar” going forward after race organisers announced that 91,245 fans attended the three-day weekend, the largest overall crowd figure since 2012.

“It’s a fantastic event,” Miller said.

“You look at the crowd out there today – we had five Aussies riding out there today – and for me that’s one of the best crowds we’ve had all year.

“We’re such an isolated country, such a vast country – people come from great distances to watch the race. You speak to people from Western Australia – it’s like going from the top end of Europe to the bottom to watch a race. They travel far and wide, it means a lot for them to have a home race on the calendar.

“Phillip Island is one of the most spectacular circuits on the calendar … it needs to be on the calendar, and I’m sure it will be.”

Miller hung with the frontrunners in the early stages before his lap five spill. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

Source: AFP

AUSSIE YOUNG GUNS HAVE PODIUM PARTY

Miller’s early exit elicited a groan from the 37,000-plus crowd who braved high winds and a threat of rain for Sunday’s trio of races, but the performances of compatriots Senna Agius and Joel Kelso in Moto2 and Moto3 respectively saw the majority of them head home happy.

Sydneysider Agius, went two better than his run to third in last year’s Moto2 race at Phillip Island, which was his first world championship podium.

Since then, the 20-year-old has won a Grand Prix – at Silverstone earlier this season – and came into Sunday’s race as the man to beat after his metronomic long-run practice pace, and led every lap – and by as much as six seconds – before settling for a dominant 3.684-second win.

“After five or six laps I was seeing that I started to have an advantage, and after that was just a long, lonely race – it was really hard just trying to keep concentration,” Agius said.

“It’s a huge moment to win at home. I could see the crowd and hear them on the last lap … I just was thinking ‘one corner at a time’. My first victory [at Silverstone] was just a fight to the end, but this one was quite lonely. I didn’t want it to end, but I wanted it to end.”

Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP team’s Australian Moto2 rider Senna Agius celebrates winning the Moto2 race at the MotoGP Australian Grand Prix on Philip Island on October 19, 2025. (Photo by Paul Crock / AFP)

Source: AFP

Agius said a pre-event catch-up with two-time MotoGP champion and six-time Phillip Island winner Stoner gave him confidence he could make the most of a weekend where he embraced the extra pressure of performing in his own backyard.

“I saw Casey on Wednesday and I said ‘it’s not a normal weekend’, and he told me to treat it like a normal weekend,” Agius said.

“He kept telling me to keep present and keep calm, especially when things are not happening like you want in this weekend.

“Casey’s such a role model for us. He’s such an idol of mine, and being with him on Wednesday with a really nice thing to do from him.”

Kelso, meanwhile, had his own equal career-best moment in the lightweight Moto3 category, the Darwin 22-year-old finishing second on Sunday to Spanish world champion Jose Antonio Rueda to match his second place at the French Grand Prix at Le Mans earlier this year.

Rueda and Kelso were in a class of their own on Sunday – third-placed Alvaro Carpe was 12 seconds adrift after 21 laps – and while Kelso was just eight-tenths of a second from victory after starting from pole position, he was rapt with the performance.

“I tried my absolute best, I was saving the tyres … as soon as Rueda went to go in front, I said ‘go for it mate, I’m going to save the tyre’,” Kelso said.

“But Rueda, he’s too good, f**king hell … saving the tyre, he’s so good at it. The best we could do was second.”

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Fernandez Shocks MotoGP World at Phillip Island as Aussie Young Guns Shine

Raul Fernandez produced one of the most surprising victories in modern MotoGP history at Phillip Island, seizing his maiden premier-class win in just his 76th start. The Spaniard, who had never before led a single Grand Prix lap, capitalized on penalties, injuries, and crashes that reshaped the Australian Grand Prix field. Meanwhile, Australia’s own Senna Agius and Joel Kelso delivered landmark podium finishes in Moto2 and Moto3, sending local fans home with optimism for the nation’s racing future.

The weekend encapsulated everything MotoGP stands for: heartbreak, resilience, and breakthrough moments. For Jack Miller, Australia’s leading MotoGP star, the dream of a home podium dissolved in a Turn 6 crash. Yet, for Agius and Kelso, the day was historic, igniting belief that the next generation of Australian riders is ready to leave its mark on world motorsport.

Fernandez’s Breakthrough and the Context Behind It

For Raul Fernandez, Sunday was more than just a race. It was redemption. Since his Moto2 runner-up finish in 2021, the Spaniard’s MotoGP career had been marked by frustration and underwhelming results. He had endured three seasons without a single podium, raising questions about his future. But at Phillip Island, circumstances aligned.

Marc Marquez was absent after shoulder surgery. Jorge Martin was sidelined by injury. Francesco Bagnaia crashed out after another weekend of struggles. Marco Bezzecchi, despite blistering pace, was slowed by two costly long-lap penalties. Fernandez, often overlooked in the elite class, seized the opportunity. By lap seven, he was in control, and despite the pressure, held his nerve to the chequered flag.

The victory was historic for his Trackhouse Aprilia team, ensuring that all 11 MotoGP outfits on the 2025 grid now have a premier-class win. Team principal Davide Brivio hailed Fernandez as a rider who had “finally grown up,” while Fernandez himself was overwhelmed with emotion, admitting he cried inside his helmet on the final lap.

Before Sunday, Fernandez had never scored a podium in a full-length MotoGP race.

He had finished no higher than 16th in the championship standings across three seasons.

His Phillip Island win makes him one of just a handful of riders to break through in 2025 amid a season dominated by Marquez.

Fernandez may still have much to prove, but Phillip Island showed that persistence, timing, and opportunity can redefine a rider’s career.

Miller’s Heartbreak and the Fight for Phillip Island’s Future

While Fernandez celebrated, Jack Miller endured yet another bitter home disappointment. Starting from the front row, the Queenslander was in podium contention before crashing out on lap five. Miller later admitted he had received “multiple warnings” from his Yamaha before Turn 6 finally ended his race.

The emotional toll was clear. “I’m disappointed to let everybody down, let the team down, let the fans down,” Miller said afterward. Despite his frustration, he acknowledged the positives of a weekend where Yamaha showed flashes of competitiveness.

Beyond Miller’s crash, Phillip Island itself became a talking point. With just one year left on its current MotoGP contract, uncertainty lingers over the Australian Grand Prix’s long-term place on the calendar. The event drew over 91,000 fans across three days, the largest crowd since 2012. Miller urged MotoGP organizers to retain the iconic circuit, calling it “one of the most spectacular tracks on the calendar.”

Why Phillip Island Matters

Historic legacy: Host of the Australian GP since 1989, with breaks only for the pandemic.

Crowd pull: More than 37,000 fans attended on race day alone.

Local talent: With five Australians on the grid across categories, the demand for a home race is stronger than ever.

Tourism boost: Fans traveled from across Australia, underscoring the event’s economic and cultural significance.

The pressure is now on both MotoGP and local authorities to ensure the event’s survival beyond 2026.

Performance Table: MotoGP Australian Grand Prix 2025

Rider

Category

Result

Notable Detail

Raul Fernandez

MotoGP

1st place

First career MotoGP win in 76 starts

Jack Miller

MotoGP

DNF

Crashed out on lap 5 from sixth place

Senna Agius

Moto2

1st place

First Aussie Moto2 win at home; led every lap

Joel Kelso

Moto3

2nd place

Equal career-best finish, just 0.8s off leader

Jose Antonio Rueda

Moto3

1st place

Defending world champion, controlled the race

Agius and Kelso Deliver for Australia

For Australian fans, the highlight of the weekend came not from Miller but from the country’s rising stars. In Moto2, 20-year-old Senna Agius produced a flawless ride to claim victory at home. After winning earlier this season at Silverstone, Agius confirmed his reputation as one of the brightest prospects in the sport. He credited advice from Casey Stoner, who encouraged him to “stay present” and manage the pressure of racing at home.

Joel Kelso, meanwhile, gave Darwin its first Moto3 hero. Starting from pole position, the 22-year-old fought hard against world champion Jose Antonio Rueda, finishing second in a two-man battle far ahead of the rest of the field. Though Kelso admitted he “tried everything” to conserve tyres and challenge Rueda, he left Phillip Island with confidence and pride.

Together, Agius and Kelso offered a glimpse of Australia’s future in world motorcycling. With both riders now proven podium contenders, the prospect of an Australian champion in the next decade no longer feels unrealistic.

The Bigger Picture

The Australian Grand Prix of 2025 will be remembered for three defining stories: Fernandez’s breakthrough, Miller’s heartbreak, and the emergence of Agius and Kelso as genuine global talents. For MotoGP, it highlighted both the unpredictability of the sport and its ability to inspire new narratives. For Australia, it underlined the importance of keeping Phillip Island on the calendar.

As Fernandez heads to Malaysia chasing consistency, and Miller regroups for redemption, Agius and Kelso return to Europe with momentum and belief. Motorsport thrives on stories of resilience, and Phillip Island 2025 delivered them in abundance.

Trending FAQ

Q1: Who won the MotoGP race at Phillip Island 2025?

Raul Fernandez won his first-ever MotoGP race, marking a major career breakthrough.

Q2: How did Jack Miller perform at the Australian Grand Prix?

Miller started from the front row but crashed out on lap five, ending his chances of a home podium.

Q3: Which Australians achieved podiums in Moto2 and Moto3?

Senna Agius won the Moto2 race, while Joel Kelso secured second place in Moto3.

Q4: What is the future of the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island?

The current contract runs until 2026. With record crowds this year, calls are growing to extend its place on the MotoGP calendar.

Q5: Why was Raul Fernandez’s win so surprising?

Before this victory, Fernandez had never led a MotoGP lap or scored a podium. His win came after penalties and crashes reshaped the field, but his composure sealed the result.

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Thought for 18s

Half Yours clears path to Melbourne Cup start as McEvoys eye rare spring double

Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours will undergo mandatory veterinary scans at Werribee on Wednesday, with co-trainer Calvin McEvoy confident the five-year-old has pulled up well and is on track to take his place in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday 4 November. The stable says the gelding lost some weight after a tough run but has recovered, eaten up, and worked soundly, meeting all routine checks so far. 

News.com.au

The Cup task is harder after a 2 kilogram penalty for the Caulfield Cup victory, yet McEvoy calls it a winning weight and believes the horse has one more peak run this prep. The team will proceed if scans are clear, in line with Racing Victoria’s enhanced 2025 protocols for spring majors that require standing CT imaging at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee before each start. 

News.com.au

+1

Why the scans matter and what they mean for Cup contenders

Racing Victoria’s 2025 spring protocols formalised a clear line. Any international horse entered for the Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, or Melbourne Cup must pass a standing CT before each start in Australia, regardless of previous imaging. The aim is to reduce the risk of catastrophic injury and spot bone stress early. It is a safety screen, not a fitness test. It does not forecast form, but it can stop a runner if risk is flagged. Local runners can also be imaged where stewards or connections request it. 

dxp-cdn.racing.com

The system has teeth. In recent days, leading chance Sir Delius was withdrawn from both the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup on specialist advice after imaging raised concerns. That decision followed an option to use a PET scan to probe the exact area, reaffirming that any doubt is treated conservatively. The message is simple. Clear scans keep you in. Any red flag takes you out. 

News.com.au

+1

McEvoy stable’s plan from Caulfield to Flemington

Half Yours did not just win the Caulfield Cup. He did it with authority, handing father and son trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy a signature Group 1 and setting up a shot at the famous spring double. It is a feat only elite stayers achieve. The stable says the horse is thriving despite a busy year and will continue a measured program between scans and Cup day. The plan remains fluid until the imaging panel signs off. 

HorseRacing.com.au

  • Key steps before Cup day
    1. Standing CT scan at Werribee on Wednesday.
    2. Light work if cleared, with daily monitoring of weight and recovery.
    3. Final acceptance after imaging panel approval and stewards’ clearance.
    4. Gallop at Flemington in the week of the race if all is well. 
    5. dxp-cdn.racing.com

What the 2 kilogram penalty means for tactics and tempo

Handicap penalties matter over 3200 metres. A 2 kilogram lift equates to several lengths across two miles in a truly run race, especially at Cup tempo. The penalty is standard after a major lead-up win and aims to even the ledger. Handicappers weigh up margins, opposition, and historical benchmarks. In Half Yours’ case, the assessment came swiftly and aligns with recent practice. The stable accepts the impost and still sees a winnable weight. 

News.com.au

Connections will likely ride to relax early, save fuel from the 1600 to 1000 metre mark, and build from the turn while tracking a genuine speed. The Cup can punish horses that press too soon. Weight magnifies that risk. Expect the McEvoys and their rider to value cover, smooth cadence, and one sustained run rather than a stop-start chase. The Caulfield Cup win showed the horse can absorb pressure and quicken late. That trait is vital at Flemington.

Field dynamics are in flux

Spring is a moving puzzle. Sir Delius is out. Other contenders still face inspection. The final picture will settle only after all scans are reviewed and stewards publish clearances. For punters and owners, that means markets and maps can shift fast. Stay close to official channels for imaging updates and acceptances in the days before the race. 

News.com.au

+1

H3: Key facts at a glance

ItemDetailSource
Scan locationUniversity of Melbourne Equine Centre, Werribeedxp-cdn.racing.com
RequirementStanding CT before each start in Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, Melbourne Cup for internationalsdxp-cdn.racing.com
Half Yours statusCaulfield Cup winner heading for scans WednesdayNews.com.au
Handicap change2 kilogram Melbourne Cup penaltyNews.com.au
High-profile withdrawalSir Delius ruled out after vet advice and imagingNews.com.au+1
Cup dateTuesday 4 November 2025Racing calendar convention for first Tuesday in November

How the Cup picture shifted on Caulfield day

Caulfield Cup day is still the most potent Melbourne Cup lead-in. The 2400 metre handicap tests stamina, gate speed, and the ability to handle pressure when the sprint goes on. Half Yours ticked those boxes and did it against quality opposition. That result forced handicappers to act and markets to adjust, placing the gelding squarely among the top seeds for Flemington. The broader carnival narrative added energy, with Ka Ying Rising winning The Everest in Sydney to cap an extraordinary Saturday for the turf. The spring audience was huge, and the Cup story now has a clear protagonist. 

News.com.au

Melbourne’s other subplots also influence Cup week. The Cox Plate picture tightened when stewards sidelined Sir Delius, while form watchers parsed late-sectional data from Caulfield to project likely Cup tempos. Expect speed from imports with lighter weights and tactical rides from local stayers who know the track. The staying test rewards rhythm. The best lane often opens from the 500 metre mark to inside the clock tower. Horses that corner smoothly and lengthen without breaking stride win Cups.

What owners, punters, and fans should watch in Cup fortnight

Look first to the official imaging panel updates. Clear scans release horses to gallop and accept. Any request for extra imaging, such as PET, can delay decisions. That does not mean a horse is out. It means more information is needed. This is risk management at work, shaped by learning from past carnivals and formalised in 2025. The protocols are public and precise. They are the reason the Cup can host deep fields while maintaining a high safety bar. 

racingvictoria.com.au

+1

Next, track the weights and the weather. A drying Flemington helps horses that carry weight and travel on top of the ground. A soft surface can bring lighter handicapped runners into the race. Barrier draws are the last puzzle piece. Low to midfield alleys help Cup stayers find cover early and avoid traffic at the first turn. Big weights need luck at the gate. Small weights can roll the dice and take a spot near midfield.

H4: A human story that lifts the sport

Half Yours’ rise carries a human edge. Jamie Melham made history as the first female jockey to win the Caulfield Cup, a milestone that resonated beyond racing. The win was emotional and decisive, and it has reshaped the spring storyline. The Cup now offers a chance to double down on that moment on the biggest stage at Flemington. 

wwos.nine.com.au

+2

RSN

+2

The McEvoy partnership adds depth. Tony and Calvin have built a system that develops stayers with patience and structure. The Caulfield Cup was a validation of that approach. The Melbourne Cup is the ultimate test of it. The next checkpoint is simple. Pass the scans. Keep the horse happy. Arrive at the barriers with fuel in the tank and a clear map. If those boxes are ticked, the stable has every right to dream. 

HorseRacing.com.au

Is Half Yours certain to run in the Melbourne Cup?
Not yet. The horse must pass a standing CT scan at Werribee and receive steward clearance under Racing Victoria’s 2025 protocols. The stable expects to proceed if the scan is clean. 

News.com.au

+1

What exactly is the 2 kilogram penalty and why was it applied?
Handicappers raised the Melbourne Cup weight for Half Yours by 2 kilograms after the Caulfield Cup win. This is a standard penalty to balance the field after a major lead-up success. 

News.com.au

Have the stricter scan rules affected other Cup contenders?
Yes. Sir Delius was withdrawn from both the Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup after specialist advice and further imaging. The protocols allow for PET scans to clarify areas of concern. 

News.com.au

+1

Where and when do the scans take place?
Standing CT scans are conducted at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee after quarantine and before each start in the spring majors for eligible runners. Timing is set case by case; Half Yours is slated for Wednesday. 

dxp-cdn.racing.com

+1

When is the 2025 Melbourne Cup?
The race is on Tuesday 4 November at Flemington. The Cup is always held on the first Tuesday in November.

What should punters monitor in the lead-up?
Scan outcomes, weather forecasts, barrier draws, and any late weight adjustments. Official releases from Racing Victoria and stewards are the most reliable sources. 

racingvictoria.com.au

Did the Caulfield Cup reveal a Cup-winning pattern for Half Yours?
Yes. The gelding showed staying power and a strong late surge under pressure. Those are Cup traits. The trick at 3200 metres is to settle, conserve, and launch once. Flemington rewards that style. 

HorseRacing.com.au

How big was the Caulfield Cup win for the people involved?
It was historic. Jamie Melham became the first female jockey to win the Caulfield Cup, and the McEvoys added a marquee Group 1 to their record. Confidence rises when teams earn that type of win in October. 

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Bottom line
If Half Yours passes scans and holds condition, the gelding is a live Melbourne Cup chance despite the penalty. The program is tight but controlled. The safety net is in place. The dream is alive.

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