Who Will Win the 2026 Melbourne Cup?
Our free 2026 Melbourne Cup tips are in The 2026 Melbourne Cup Guide. Cup Day is Tuesday 3 November 2026, and the final field and barrier draw are released on Saturday 31 October.
FREE: Melbourne Cup Preview & Tips
The secrets we’ve learned over 30 years of picking and backing horses – the trends, the last 10 winners and the contenders to watch.
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In the meantime, catch up on last year's result, the past winners and our Melbourne Cup betting guide.
MELBOURNE CUP TIPS & BETTING IDEAS
Now a bit of info about the Cup - and finding the winner.
The key races in which the Cup winner or placegetters may emerge are as follows:
Lexus Stakes, Turnbull, Bart Cummings, Geelong Cup, Caulfield Cup and the Cox Plate.
Or you can simply find what could be a winning formula.
Check out each runner on the day with this following set of factors:
1. Ran in the first 4 in the Caulfield Cup.
2. Has won over 2400m or longer in the last 6 months.
3. International visitor who has won or been 2nd or 3rd at Group 1, 2 or 3 level in the last 12 months.
4. Is carrying 58kgs or less.
5. Is the horse 7 years or under? Anything older than 7 faces a black history.
Another betting plan is to back every runner listed at 20/1 or under on race day. Yes, back them all. You'll often nab the winner and get yourself a profit.
On the exotics market, the trifecta offers the chance of big rewards.
The ideal budget approach is to try to isolate the 2 horses who will run 1st and 2nd - and then link them with the rest of the field to finish 3rd.
In a 24-horse maximum field, this bet will cost you $44. You could win many thousands of dollars if the prices are right.
BUT....you will need a longshot bolter to fill the 3rd place!