The 2026 Melbourne Cup is run at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November. Here’s how to find the winner – where the field stands, the clues that point to Cup winners, and how to plan your Cup Day.
FREE: The 2026 Melbourne Cup Guide
The clues that find Cup winners, the last 10 winners, our betting plan and the horses to watch – from the Practical Punting team. Updated through Cup week as the field takes shape.
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Where the 2026 Cup stands
There are 39 horses left in the Melbourne Cup after third acceptances on Monday 26 October, and no more than 24 will start. The final field is set on Saturday 31 October, with the barrier draw from 6:30pm. The race – Group 1, 3200m and $10.2 million – is run at Flemington at 3:00pm on Tuesday 3 November.
All ten golden tickets have now been won. The last two went to Geelong Cup winner Point Of Law and Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Juja Kibo. Aeliana and Birdman have been withdrawn, and 2025 winner Half Yours didn’t accept after his fall in the Caulfield Cup.
Read our profiles of the likely starters on the Melbourne Cup Horses page, and follow the numbers on The Field.
Five clues that find Cup winners
- Weight matters. Nine of the last 10 winners carried 57kg or less.
- The Caulfield Cup is the key lead-up. Without A Fight (2023) and Half Yours (2025) both won the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double.
- Proven stamina beats potential. Favour horses that have won, or run strongly, at 2400m or further.
- Don’t ignore the locals. Seven of the last 10 winners were trained in Australia.
- Big-race jockeys deliver. A rider who knows Flemington’s long straight is a real edge.
Go deeper with Key Factors for Cup Success, Probe That Distance Win Factor and the past winners.
Plan your Cup
Everything else is on our Melbourne Cup page. Enjoy the race that stops a nation – and keep your Cup Day betting to an amount you can afford.