Griffith has drawn Barrier 11 and will be cheering on Smokin' Romans in this year's $10 million Lexus Melbourne Cup, following the official barrier announcement by the Victoria Racing Club (VRC).
As part of the 2025 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep, each of the 24 participating towns has been matched with a barrier in Australia's most famous race, to be run on Tuesday 4 November. The town whose barrier produces the Cup winner will receive $50,000 to donate to their chosen charity, ours being St Vincent's Curran Foundation in support of St Vincent's Private Community Hospital.
Mayor Doug Curran said the community is ready to get behind its horse.
"It's an honour for Griffith to be part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep and to have the chance to support our local hospital. We'll be proudly backing Smokin' Romans from Barrier 11 on race day. Cr Curran said.
The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour continues to unite communities across Australia, raising funds for local causes and bringing the magic of the "race that stops a nation™" to regional towns like Griffith.
VRC Chief Executive Officer Kylie Rogers said the allocation announcement is a highlight for communities across the country.
"The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour has embarked on an extraordinary journey this year, travelling to 36 destinations from New York to Normanton in outback Queensland, giving racing fans and communities across the globe a rare opportunity to experience the iconic Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy up close," Ms Rogers said.
"Now that the barriers have been allocated to our rural and regional destinations, each town truly has a stake in this year's Lexus Melbourne Cup. We wish all 24 towns the very best of luck — there will be plenty of cheering across the country when the field jumps on the first Tuesday of November."
