Key facts
- 24 runners maximum, no emergencies; 39 horses remained after third acceptances on 26 October.
- Six horses are ballot-exempt after winning golden ticket races.
- Ciaron Maher has seven projected runners and Joseph O'Brien five.
- Five horses inside the 24 are waiting on vet re-examinations; Future History is the first reserve.
Who is in the Melbourne Cup field for 2026?
The Melbourne Cup field for 2026 is projected to be the 24 horses in the table below, based on the order of entry after the Bendigo Cup penalty and Thursday's vet inspections. The list is sorted by weight, from top weight Sons And Lovers on 57.5kg down to Shockletz on 51kg. Odds are Ladbrokes fixed prices from 6:24am AEDT on Friday 30 October. Each horse name opens a full profile with form, breeding and an assessment of its chances. For the full back story of how each horse got here, see the Melbourne Cup order of entry.
| # | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Weight | Odds | Vet status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sons And Lovers | Joseph O'Brien (Ireland) | Ryan Moore | 57.5kg | $21 | Cleared |
| 2 | Trustyourinstinct | Joseph O'Brien (Ireland) | James McDonald | 57kg | $7 | Cleared |
| 3 | Stinger Glass | Yasuo Tomomichi (Japan) | Christophe Lemaire | 57kg | $26 | Vet check pending |
| 4 | Defiantly | Joseph O'Brien (Ireland) | Dylan Browne McMonagle | 56.5kg | $11 | Vet check pending |
| 5 | Middle Earth | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 56.5kg | $17 | Cleared |
| 6 | Knight's Choice | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Robbie Dolan | 56.5kg | $51 | Cleared |
| 7 | Vauban | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Blake Shinn | 56.5kg | $51 | Vet check pending |
| 8 | Enfjaar | Roger Varian (Newmarket, UK) | Ray Dawson | 56kg | $19 | Vet check pending |
| 9 | Wine Dark Sea | Harry Charlton (UK) | Damian Lane | 56kg | $34 | Vet check pending |
| 10 | Royal Supremacy | Ciaron Maher | Ben Allen | 56kg | $51 | Cleared |
| 11 | Juja Kibo | Ciaron Maher | Sam Clipperton | 55kg | $15 | Cleared |
| 12 | Goodie Two Shoes | Joseph O'Brien (Ireland) | Wayne Lordan | 55kg | $26 | Cleared |
| 13 | Asterix | Chris Waller | To be confirmed | 55kg | $101 | Cleared |
| 14 | Hopewell Rock | George Boughey (Newmarket, UK) | Zac Lloyd | 54.5kg | $10 | Cleared |
| 15 | Zahrann | Ciaron Maher | Ben Melham | 54.5kg | $26 | Cleared |
| 16 | Soul Of Spain | Chris Waller | Tommy Berry | 54.5kg | $51 | Cleared |
| 17 | Onesmoothoperator | Tim Fitzsimmons | Declan Bates | 54.5kg | $101 | Cleared |
| 18 | So You Are | Bjorn Baker | Rachel King | 54kg | $21 | Cleared |
| 19 | James J Braddock | Joseph O'Brien (Ireland) | Craig Williams | 53.5kg | $13 | Cleared |
| 20 | Point Of Law | Ciaron Maher | Ethan Brown | 53kg | $7 | Cleared |
| 21 | Strictly Business | Thomas Carberry | To be confirmed | 53kg | $101 | Cleared |
| 22 | Mr Monaco | Ciaron Maher | Jabez Johnstone | 52.5kg | $26 | Cleared |
| 23 | Zakouma | Grahame Begg | William Pike | 52kg | $34 | Cleared |
| 24 | Shockletz | Ciaron Maher | Harry Coffey | 51kg | $11 | Cleared |
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Which horses are ballot-exempt?
Six horses in the field are ballot-exempt because they won one of the 11 golden ticket races. A ballot-exempt horse is guaranteed a start as long as it accepts at every stage and passes the vet checks.
| Race | Winner | Cup status |
|---|---|---|
| Roy Higgins (2600m) | Whisky On The Hill | Withdrawn |
| Andrew Ramsden (Listed, 2800m) | Zakouma | In the field |
| Belmont Gold Cup (3219m, USA) | Tawny Port | Withdrawn |
| Ebor Handicap (2787m, York) | Daiquiri Bay | Not nominated |
| Prix Kergorlay (G2, 3000m, Deauville) | Defiantly | In the field (vet re-check Saturday) |
| Archer Stakes (2500m, Flemington) | Shockletz | In the field |
| The Bart Cummings (G3, 2500m, Flemington) | Mr Monaco | In the field |
| Caulfield Cup (G1, 2400m) | Kingswood | Not nominated |
| Geelong Cup (G3, 2400m) | Point Of Law | In the field |
| Moonee Valley Gold Cup (G2, 2500m) | Juja Kibo | In the field |
| Cox Plate (G1, 2040m) | Cosmic Crusader | Not nominated |
Four of the six exempt runners are trained by Ciaron Maher: Shockletz, Mr Monaco, Point Of Law and Juja Kibo. Three golden ticket winners are not in the race: Kingswood (Caulfield Cup) and Cosmic Crusader (Cox Plate) were not nominated, and Daiquiri Bay (Ebor) was also not nominated.
Who is just outside the 24?
The horses just outside the 24 need a withdrawal above them before 4:30pm on Saturday. The Euphrates sits 25th, but his connections have confirmed he will not go on, so Future History is effectively first in line.
| Order | Horse | Weight | Trainer | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | The Euphrates | 54kg | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Connections not going on |
| 26 | Future History | 53.5kg | Gregory Hickman | First reserve |
| 27 | Kizlyar | 53.5kg | Joseph O'Brien | Needs withdrawals above |
| 28 | Pinhole | 53kg | Chris Waller | Needs withdrawals above |
| 29 | Valiant King | 52.5kg | Chris Waller | Needs withdrawals above |
| 30 | Torranzino | 52.5kg | Paul Preusker | Needs withdrawals above |
| 31 | King Pedro | 52kg | John O'Shea & Tom Charlton | Needs withdrawals above |
| 32 | Litzdeel | 51kg | Danny O'Brien | Vet re-examination Friday |
| 33 | Small Fry | 51.5kg | Joseph O'Brien | Needs withdrawals above |
| 34 | Omni Man | 51kg | Joseph O'Brien | Needs withdrawals above |
| 35 | Kings Valley | 51kg | Ciaron Maher | Needs withdrawals above |
| 36 | Manzor Blue | 51kg | Lisa Latta | Needs withdrawals above |
| 37 | Jennivamoose | 51kg | Ciaron Maher | Withdrawn by connections |
| 38 | Soulcombe | 55kg | Chris Waller | Needs withdrawals above |
Small Fry and Omni Man ran second and third in the Geelong Cup but sit too low to get a run; they may go to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on the last day of the Carnival instead.
Which horses have been ruled out?
Several big names will not line up in the 2026 Melbourne Cup:
- Half Yours, the 2025 winner and original topweight on 59kg, fell in the Caulfield Cup and was sent to the paddock.
- Saint George, second in the Caulfield Cup, failed his compulsory CT scan. A follow-up PET scan confirmed the panel's view that he was at heightened risk of injury.
- Aeliana (third in the Cox Plate) and Birdman (second in the Cox Plate) were not accepted at third acceptances.
- Jennivamoose passed her vet inspection but was withdrawn by her connections.
- Ohope Wins was fatally injured in the Caulfield Cup fall.
How does the vet inspection work?
Every Melbourne Cup horse must pass Racing Victoria's mandatory veterinary inspections before final acceptances, and horses also have CT scans of their lower limbs at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee. An independent panel of imaging specialists from Australia, the UK and the USA reviews the scans. On Thursday 29 October, vets inspected 36 horses and cleared 29.
| Horse | Status | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Point Of Law | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Trustyourinstinct | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Hopewell Rock | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Defiantly | Vet check pending | Re-examination on Saturday morning after presenting without a right hind shoe and with a change in gait |
| Shockletz | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| James J Braddock | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Juja Kibo | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Middle Earth | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Enfjaar | Vet check pending | Re-examination on Saturday morning after a change in gait at the 29 October inspection |
| So You Are | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Sons And Lovers | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Goodie Two Shoes | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Mr Monaco | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Stinger Glass | Vet check pending | Not yet inspected; first mandatory vet examination on Friday 30 October |
| Zahrann | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Wine Dark Sea | Vet check pending | Re-examination on Saturday morning after a change in gait at the 29 October inspection |
| Zakouma | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Knight's Choice | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Royal Supremacy | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Soul Of Spain | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Vauban | Vet check pending | Re-examination on Friday morning after a change in gait at the 29 October inspection |
| Asterix | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Onesmoothoperator | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Strictly Business | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
| Future History | Cleared | Passed the first mandatory vet inspection on 29 October |
How are the Melbourne Cup weights set?
The Melbourne Cup is a handicap, so the horses carry different weights set by the handicapper to give each one a fair chance. Weights were released in September, and horses that win key races afterwards can be penalised. This year Point Of Law was penalised 2kg for the Geelong Cup, Juja Kibo 1.5kg for the Moonee Valley Gold Cup and So You Are 1kg for the Bendigo Cup. Half Yours was originally topweight on 59kg; with him out, Sons And Lovers is top of the projected field on 57.5kg.
Which trainers have the most runners?
Two stables account for half of the projected field:
| Trainer | Projected runners | Horses |
|---|---|---|
| Ciaron Maher | 7 | Point Of Law, Shockletz, Mr Monaco, Juja Kibo, Middle Earth, Royal Supremacy, Zahrann |
| Joseph O'Brien (Ireland) | 5 | Trustyourinstinct, Defiantly, Sons And Lovers, Goodie Two Shoes, James J Braddock |
| Chris Waller | 2 | Asterix, Soul Of Spain |
| One runner each | 10 | Vauban, Knight's Choice, Enfjaar, Wine Dark Sea, Stinger Glass, Onesmoothoperator, Hopewell Rock, So You Are, Strictly Business, Zakouma |
What happens next?
The field goes through four more steps before the race:
- Friday 30 October: vet re-examinations for Vauban and Litzdeel, and a first examination for Stinger Glass.
- Saturday 31 October, morning: vet re-examinations for Defiantly, Enfjaar and Wine Dark Sea.
- Saturday 31 October, 4:30pm AEDT: final acceptances close and riders must be declared. The field and barrier draw follow that evening.
- Tuesday 3 November, 7:30am AEDT: race-day scratchings close, eight and a half hours before the 3:00pm start.
Frequently asked questions
How many horses are in the Melbourne Cup?
The Melbourne Cup has a maximum of 24 runners and no emergencies. If a horse is scratched after final acceptances, the race is run with fewer starters.
When is the Melbourne Cup field announced?
Final acceptances close at 4:30pm AEDT on Saturday 31 October 2026, after the Victoria Derby Day races. The field is announced from Flemington that evening and the barrier draw follows.
What horses are running in the Melbourne Cup 2026?
The projected field includes Point Of Law, Trustyourinstinct, Hopewell Rock, Defiantly, Shockletz, James J Braddock, Juja Kibo, Middle Earth and 16 others. The full list with trainers, jockeys and weights is in the table on this page.
How is the Melbourne Cup field decided?
Golden ticket winners are exempt from the ballot. The other places go to horses in order of their handicap ratings and weights, published by Racing Victoria as the order of entry. Withdrawals let horses below the cut-off move into the 24.
Which horses have been ruled out of the 2026 Melbourne Cup?
Saint George failed his compulsory scans, Half Yours fell in the Caulfield Cup and was sent to the paddock, Aeliana and Birdman were not accepted, Jennivamoose was withdrawn and The Euphrates is not going on.
Who is the first reserve for the Melbourne Cup?
Future History, trained by Gregory Hickman, is effectively the first reserve. He sits 26th in the order of entry, and 25th-placed The Euphrates is not going on to the Cup.
Who has the most runners in the Melbourne Cup 2026?
Ciaron Maher has seven horses in the projected field. Joseph O'Brien has five, the strongest team any overseas trainer has sent to the race.
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Sources
Who wrote and checked this page
Alexander Korsager
Alexander Korsager is our editor-in-chief. He has spent more than ten years in online gambling and iGaming, including senior leadership roles. He writes every Melbourne Cup guide on this site from official VRC and Racing Victoria sources.
Mark D'Andrea
Mark D'Andrea is a Senior Regulatory Consultant at Gaming Associates, an independent testing and certification laboratory for the gambling industry. He fact-checks our race guides, betting rules and safer gambling information.