Melbourne Cup 2026 Tips and Race Guide

The 2026 Melbourne Cup is run on Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne. It is a 3200 metre Group 1 handicap worth $10.2 million, and the final field of 24 is confirmed on Saturday 31 October after Derby Day. This page carries the race details, the field and barriers as they are announced, and Dean McHugh’s tips, updated every day through Cup week.

Part of the 2026 Spring Racing Carnival, which runs from 29 August to 29 November across Melbourne’s tracks.

Race details

When is the Melbourne Cup 2026?

The Melbourne Cup is run on the first Tuesday of November every year. In 2026 that is Tuesday 3 November. It is the feature race of the four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington, which opens with Derby Day on Saturday 31 October and closes with Champions Stakes Day on Saturday 7 November. Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne, the only public holiday in Cup week.

Where is the Melbourne Cup run?

Flemington Racecourse, about four kilometres north-west of Melbourne’s CBD on the Maribyrnong River. The Cup has been run at Flemington since the first race in 1861. The 3200 metre trip starts on the Flemington straight, runs a full lap of the course, and finishes back up the straight in front of the grandstands.

How do horses qualify for the Melbourne Cup?

The Cup is a handicap, so each horse carries a weight set by the Racing Victoria handicapper based on its record. Entries are ranked by weight and by a ballot order, and the final 24 are drawn from the top of that list. Winners of nominated lead-up races earn an exemption from the ballot, which guarantees a start if the horse is accepted. The Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate both carry that exemption, and this section is updated with each exempt winner as the lead-up races are run.

Melbourne Cup 2026 field and barriers

The final field and barrier draw for the Melbourne Cup 2026 are announced on Saturday 31 October after Derby Day, with the barrier draw that evening. This section is updated the moment both are confirmed, with each runner’s barrier, weight, jockey, trainer and Dean’s comment. Nominations and early acceptances are published by the club in the weeks before.

Melbourne Cup 2026 tips

Dean McHugh’s Melbourne Cup 2026 tips are published in race week, once the final field and barriers are confirmed on Saturday 31 October. Dean is My Betting Mate’s racing and sports writer and rates every bookmaker on the site. His selections come with a short reason for each, and are updated again on race morning if there are scratchings or a track change.

Until then, read Dean’s Saturday previews through the carnival on our racing tips page.

Lead-up races that matter

Most Cup contenders come through a handful of races in the fortnight before. The Caulfield Cup on Saturday 17 October is the traditional path, run over 2400 metres and often producing the Cup favourite. The Cox Plate on Saturday 24 October, run at Flemington this year while Moonee Valley is redeveloped, tests the weight-for-age horses. Derby Day on Saturday 31 October, covered on our Derby Day page, is the last chance to book a run.

Past Melbourne Cup winners

Winners 2015 to 2025 verified 28/09/2026 against the VRC honour roll as recorded by Racing and Sports, races.com.au and the placings record. Where MBM has a results post for a year, link the year to it.

Betting on Cup Day

If you are adding an app before the Cup, our guide to Australian betting apps covers the racing features that matter on the day: live vision, fixed odds versus tote, and how quickly each bookmaker pays out. Set a deposit limit before the day starts. If gambling is a problem for you or someone you know, call Gambling Help Online on 1800 858 858 or visit betstop.gov.au.

Melbourne Cup 2026 FAQ

How much is the Melbourne Cup worth in 2026?

$10.2 million in prizemoney, according to Racing Victoria’s 2026 spring program. That makes it Australia’s richest handicap.

What time does the Melbourne Cup start?

The Cup is expected to start at 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday 3 November, the same time as the 2025 running, subject to the VRC’s final race-day program. That is 2:00pm in Queensland, 2:30pm in South Australia and 12:00pm in Western Australia.

When is the Melbourne Cup field announced?

The final field of 24 is announced on Saturday 31 October 2026, after the last exemption race on Derby Day, with the barrier draw that evening.

How many horses run in the Melbourne Cup?

A maximum of 24 starters. Emergencies can move into the field if a horse is scratched before the race.