It wasn’t the Stawell Gift but fans got the Gout Gout vs. Lachlan Kennedy showdown they’d been waiting for on Easter Monday.
Yet, neither won - again.
A mere hour after failing to qualify for the Stawell Gift by finishing second in their respective semi-finals, Gout and Kennedy lined up next to each other in the Chris Perry Memorial Backmarkers Invitation 120m.
MORE STAWELL GIFT: Who beat Gout Gout, Lachlan Kennedy into the Stawell Gift? | Stawell Gift 2025 schedule and results
Both were upstaged by 2023 Stawell Gift winner Ryan Tarrant, with Chloe Mannix Power oh-so-close to a historic victory.
Gout ran a slightly slower time (12.475) than he did in the semi-final (12.344) against eventual winner John Evans, while Kennedy (12.386) also finished slightly slower than his semi-final (12.235).
Tarrant causes a boil over in the Backmarkers' Handicap 😤 pic.twitter.com/xXv8VaqLPM
— 7Sport (@7Sport) April 21, 2025
Chris Perry Memorial Backmarkers Invitation Handicap- 120m results
| PLACE | NAME | MARK | TIME |
| 1. | Ryan Tarrant | 3.50m | 12.274 |
| 2. | Chloe Mannix-Power | 14.00m | 12.296 |
| 3. | Jack Hale | 2.00m | 12.349 |
| 4. | Lachlan Kennedy | 0.00m | 12.386 |
| 5. | Carla Bull | 15.50m | 12.410 |
| 6. | Olivia Hastings | 15.50m | 12.410 |
| 7. | Gout Gout | 0.50m | 12.475 |
| 8. | Jacob Despard | 2.00m | 12.491 |
Who won the 2025 Women's Gift?
Bree Rizzo won one of the all-time great Women's Gifts off scratch in a time of 13.521
No-one under four metres has ever previously won the race.
Chiara Santiglia finished in second, with Jemma Santiglia third.
Rizzo walks away with $40,000 in prize money.
"To win it off scratch, it's just mind-blowing, so special. I'm just so proud of myself."
— 7Sport (@7Sport) April 21, 2025
Bree Rizzo you superstar 🤩 pic.twitter.com/TCdxrCbRqc
Who won the 2025 Stawell Gift?
John Evans could not be caught all weekend and now he's $40,000 richer in a dominant performance to become the 2025 Stawell Gift winner.
Jasper Thomas finished second with Mitchell O'Neill in third.
The man who couldn't be caught all weekend 🔥
— 7Sport (@7Sport) April 21, 2025
John Evans wins the 2025 Stawell Gift pic.twitter.com/r055h3xkZj