USA 'RACING ROYALTY' FLYING THE STARS AND STRIPES IN AMERICA'S FIRST TILT AT THE MELBOURNE CUP

By Graham Potter | Tuesday, November 4, 2025

For the first time in its 164-year history, the Melbourne Cup will welcome United States ‘racing royalty’ when trainer Bill Mott and jockey John Velazquez … who are both US National Museum Hall Of Fame inductees … team up with Parchment Party to tackle Australia’s greatest race.

Mott has been associated with horses of the calibre of the mighty Cigar while Velazquez is a three-time Kentuck Derby winner. (Animal Kingdom (2011), Always Dreaming (2017), and Authentic (2020).

The son of Constitution has won four out of his eleven starts, included his last two runs in which he saluted in the Group 3 Belmont Gold Cup and the Listed Birdstone Stakes, both over 2816m, both at Saratoga … 2816m being the longest distance over which Parchment Party has contested.

The Belmont Gold Cup win in June was the result that gave Parchment Party a Golden Ticket into the Melbourne Cup.

The race was switched to dirt because of heavy rain, a racing surface on which Parchment Party has contested most of his races.

“He’s tough, he stays, and he’s earned his chance,” said Mott.

Parchment Party is currently quoted as a $51 chance.