Melbourne Cup Tips 2026: Runners, Odds, Trends & UK Race Time
The race that stops a nation is under a fortnight away, and the picture keeps changing. Point Of Law has shot to the head of the market after winning the Geelong Cup, defending champion Half Yours is highly unlikely to line up after falling in the Caulfield Cup, and Joseph O’Brien heads a strong Irish raid with nine still in contention.
Below you will find our Melbourne Cup tips for 2026, the latest odds, the key contenders, ten years of trends and everything you need to know about watching and betting on the race from the UK. This page will be updated as the field takes shape, with the final field and barrier draw due on Saturday 31 October.
Last updated: 21 October 2026
Melbourne Cup 2026 key facts
- Date: Tuesday 3 November 2026
- Course: Flemington, Melbourne
- Distance: 3200m (about two miles)
- Race type: Group 1 handicap
- UK race time: the Cup traditionally goes off at 3pm local time, which is 4am in the UK
- Maximum field: 24 runners, with no emergencies
- UK TV: Sky Sports Racing
- 2025 winner: Half Yours (8/1), trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy and ridden by Jamie Melham
Melbourne Cup tips 2026
GG Melbourne Cup tips to follow…
Melbourne Cup free bets
The Melbourne Cup is one of the biggest betting races of the year outside Britain and Ireland, and bookmakers are always keen to attract new customers in the build-up. If you are planning a bet on the race that stops a nation, a sign-up offer is the best way to get a little extra for your money.
With 24 runners and an open-looking market, free bets are well suited to each-way plays on bigger-priced runners, and favourites have won only one of the last 20 renewals. Look out for extra-place offers on the day as well, and always read the full terms before you sign up, as minimum odds and qualifying markets vary between bookmakers.
Melbourne Cup odds
Ciaron Maher’s Point Of Law is the new favourite after his Geelong Cup success, with Joseph O’Brien’s trio of Defiantly, Trustyourinstinct and James J Braddock next in the betting. Prices below are the latest Australian decimal odds, and UK prices will be added as bookmakers firm up their markets.
| Horse | Trainer | Weight | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Point Of Law | Ciaron Maher | 51kg* | 8.0 |
| Defiantly | Joseph O’Brien | 56.5kg | 9.0 |
| Trustyourinstinct | Joseph O’Brien | 57kg | 10.0 |
| James J Braddock | Joseph O’Brien | 53.5kg | 11.0 |
| Aeliana | Chris Waller | 58kg | 13.0 |
| Shockletz | Ciaron Maher | 51kg | 13.0 |
| Enfjaar | Roger Varian | 56kg | 15.0 |
| Saint George | Ciaron Maher | TBC | 15.0 |
| Stinger Glass | Yasuo Tomomichi | 57kg | 15.0 |
| Zakouma | Grahame Begg | 52kg | 15.0 |
| Zahrann | Ciaron Maher | 54.5kg | 17.0 |
| Middle Earth | Ciaron Maher | 56.5kg | 19.0 |
| Wine Dark Sea | Harry Charlton | 56kg | 19.0 |
| Goodie Two Shoes | Joseph O’Brien | 55kg | 21.0 |
| Hopewell Rock | George Boughey | 54.5kg | 21.0 |
| Sons And Lovers | Joseph O’Brien | 57.5kg | 21.0 |
| Mr Monaco | Ciaron Maher | 52.5kg | 26.0 |
Melbourne Cup 2026 key contenders
Point Of Law
Point Of Law, formerly owned by King Charles III and Queen Camilla and trained by John and Thady Gosden to win the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket, announced himself as the new favourite with a winning Australian debut in the Group 3 Geelong Cup, staying on strongly under Ethan Brown to beat Joseph O’Brien’s Small Fry and Omni Man by half a length. It was only the fifth start of his career and his third win, and it earned him a golden ticket into the Cup.
“It’s great to win it and great to win it with such a progressive horse,” said Ciaron Maher, who added: “Hopefully he pulls up well, because it looks like he’d run two miles.” The son of Frankel currently has just 51kg, right in the sweet spot for weight, although he is eligible for a penalty, and the Geelong Cup has a fine record as a pointer, with Media Puzzle, Americain and Dunaden all following up at Flemington. History is the one thing against him, as only one favourite has won the Cup in the last 20 years.
Defiantly
Joseph O’Brien’s former market leader Defiantly has already booked his place. He won the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville by five and a half lengths, which is now one of the Cup’s ballot-exempt qualifiers, so he is guaranteed a start. He also won the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot, beating stablemate Kizlyar, and he has 56.5kg to carry.
Trustyourinstinct
Trustyourinstinct won the Group 2 Curragh Cup before finishing fourth in the Irish St Leger, the same race Twilight Payment ran in before landing the Cup for Joseph O’Brien in 2020. He has 57kg, which is plenty, but Gold Trip showed in 2022 that a big weight is no barrier to the right horse.
James J Braddock
The intriguing one of the O’Brien trio. James J Braddock was third in the Derby before being gelded, and he was sixth on his latest start in the Kilternan Stakes. He gets in on just 53.5kg, which puts him right in the sweet spot for weight, but he has plenty to prove at two miles.
Enfjaar
Our main tip. Enfjaar won the Glorious Stakes at Goodwood and then ran a solid race to finish third in Saturday’s Caulfield Cup, behind Kingswood and Saint George. That was the ideal prep, and jockey Ray Dawson said afterwards that he will go to the Melbourne Cup now. With the Caulfield Cup winner not entered at Flemington, he could be one of the best-handicapped horses in the field.
Saint George
The Caulfield Cup runner-up, ridden by Craig Williams, gives Ciaron Maher another live contender, and the trainer won the Cup with Gold Trip in 2022. Maher now has five in the betting, with Point Of Law, Zahrann, Middle Earth (third last year) and the Bart Cummings winner Mr Monaco also in his team, so he will be heavily represented again.
Aeliana and Stinger Glass
Chris Waller’s Aeliana was third in the Turnbull Stakes, but the Cox Plate looks to be her main target and her trainer is not keen on the Cup, so she is a doubtful runner. Japan’s Stinger Glass won the Diamond Stakes and has Christophe Lemaire booked, which makes him one of the more interesting overseas runners.
The British and Irish challenge
Joseph O’Brien is the main threat to the home side again. He started out with a team of 11 when the weights were revealed, and nine are still in contention: Defiantly, Trustyourinstinct, James J Braddock, Sons And Lovers, Goodie Two Shoes, Kizlyar, Small Fry, Omni Man and Starford, and Small Fry and Omni Man both made pleasing Australian debuts when chasing home Point Of Law in the Geelong Cup. He has won the Cup twice, with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020, and was second with Goodie Two Shoes last year.
From Britain, Enfjaar leads the way, with Harry Charlton’s Wine Dark Sea and George Boughey‘s Ebor runner-up Hopewell Rock also in the betting. Wine Dark Sea was bidding for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double, but he could only manage 11th at Caulfield on Saturday.
There are some notable absentees. St Leger winner Highwayman will not travel, Aidan O’Brien‘s nominations are not in the market, and Nicky Henderson confirmed that Constitution Hill‘s Melbourne trip is off. Aidan has still never won the race, finishing second with Johannes Vermeer in 2017 and Tiger Moth in 2020.
Melbourne Cup lead-up races
The Caulfield Cup on Saturday 17 October was a dramatic affair. Kingswood won at around 25/1 from Saint George and Enfjaar, with favourite Cosmic Crusader fourth, but Kingswood was not nominated for the Melbourne Cup, so he will not be adding to his haul. Half Yours fell in the race, and Ohope Wins was sadly fatally injured after falling.
The internationals dominated Wednesday’s Geelong Cup, as Point Of Law led home Small Fry and Omni Man in a one-two-three for horses making their Australian debuts. The win secured the ninth golden ticket into this year’s Cup, and Point Of Law joins Defiantly, Mr Monaco, Zakouma and Shockletz among those already guaranteed a start.
There are still several key dates before the field is finalised:
- Saturday 24 October: Cox Plate and Moonee Valley Gold Cup (both ballot-exempt winners)
- Monday 26 October: third acceptances
- Wednesday 28 October: Bendigo Cup
- Saturday 31 October: final field and barrier draw on Derby Day
Melbourne Cup trends
Ten years of results throw up some strong pointers, and the biggest of all is that favourites have a dreadful record.
- Favourites: 0 from the last 10, and only one winning favourite in 20 years, Fiorente in 2013
- Caulfield Cup: four of the last seven winners ran in it last time out, finishing first or second
- Weight: six of the last 10 winners carried 53kg or less
- Age: seven of the last 10 winners were aged five or older, by Australian reckoning
- Barrier: seven of the last 10 winners started from stall 10 or wider
- Price: three of the last 10 winners were 20/1 or bigger, with Knight’s Choice the biggest at 90/1 in 2024
- Overseas raiders: three of the last 10 winners were trained abroad, but Australian stables have won the last five
- Breeding: six of the last 10 winners were bred in the northern hemisphere
Melbourne Cup barrier draw and weights
The barrier draw takes place once the final field is confirmed on Saturday 31 October, and we will update this section with every runner’s stall. Half Yours was set to be topweight on 59kg, but with him unlikely to run, Aeliana is next on 58kg, and she is a doubtful starter too. A wide draw is no reason to panic, as seven of the last 10 winners came from stall 10 or higher.
How to watch and bet on the Melbourne Cup in the UK
It is an early alarm for UK punters, with the Cup traditionally going off at 3pm in Melbourne, which is 4am UK time once the clocks have gone back. Sky Sports Racing holds the UK and Irish broadcast rights, and most major bookmakers will stream the race too.
UK bookmakers usually offer each-way terms of 1/5 the odds for four places, with plenty paying extra places on the day, so it pays to shop around. Most will price up the race well in advance, and you can find their latest offers on our best horse racing betting sites page.
Melbourne Cup 2025 recap
Half Yours completed the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double last year, becoming only the 13th horse to do so. He carried 53kg from barrier eight and won by two and three-quarter lengths, with Jamie Melham becoming only the second female jockey to win the Cup.
Goodie Two Shoes was second at 40/1 for Joseph O’Brien, with Middle Earth third at 25/1 and River Of Stars fourth. The French-trained favourite Presage Nocturne trailed home 19th of the 24 runners, while O’Brien’s heavily-backed Al Riffa could only finish seventh.
Melbourne Cup winners: the last 10 years
| Year | Winner | Age | Weight | Barrier | SP | Trainer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Half Yours | 5 | 53kg | 8 | 8/1 | Tony & Calvin McEvoy |
| 2024 | Knight’s Choice | 5 | 51.5kg | 5 | 90/1 | John Symons & Sheila Laxon |
| 2023 | Without A Fight | 7 | 56.5kg | 16 | 7/1 | Anthony & Sam Freedman |
| 2022 | Gold Trip | 6 | 57.5kg | 13 | 20/1 | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
| 2021 | Verry Elleegant | 6 | 57kg | 18 | 17/1 | Chris Waller |
| 2020 | Twilight Payment | 8 | 55.5kg | 12 | 25/1 | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2019 | Vow And Declare | 4 | 52kg | 21 | 10/1 | Danny O’Brien |
| 2018 | Cross Counter | 4 | 51kg | 19 | 8/1 | Charlie Appleby |
| 2017 | Rekindling | 4 | 51.5kg | 4 | 13/1 | Joseph O’Brien |
| 2016 | Almandin | 7 | 52kg | 17 | 10/1 | Robert Hickmott |
Melbourne Cup FAQs
When is the Melbourne Cup 2026?
The 2026 Melbourne Cup takes place on Tuesday 3 November at Flemington.
What time is the Melbourne Cup in the UK?
The race traditionally starts at 3pm Melbourne time, which is 4am in the UK.
Where can I watch the Melbourne Cup in the UK?
Sky Sports Racing shows the Melbourne Cup live in the UK and Ireland.
Who is the favourite for the Melbourne Cup?
Ciaron Maher’s Point Of Law is the current favourite, after winning the ballot-exempt Geelong Cup on 21 October.
Who won the Melbourne Cup in 2025?
Half Yours won the 2025 Melbourne Cup at 8/1, ridden by Jamie Melham for Tony and Calvin McEvoy.
Has a British-trained horse won the Melbourne Cup?
Yes, once. Charlie Appleby’s Cross Counter became the first British-trained winner in 2018. Irish stables have won it four times, with Vintage Crop and Media Puzzle for Dermot Weld, and Rekindling and Twilight Payment for Joseph O’Brien.
How many runners are in the Melbourne Cup?
The maximum field is 24 runners. Winners of ballot-exempt races, such as the Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup, Cox Plate and Ebor, are guaranteed a place.
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