Weight: 57.5kg
Barrier: 3
Form: 19: 4:2:5
2. Trustyourinstinct (Ireland)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: James McDonald
Weight: 57kg
Barrier: 18
Form: 25: 9-6-3
3. Knight’s Choice (Australia)
Trainer: John Symons and Sheila Laxon
Jockey: Robbie Dolan
Weight: 56.5kg
Barrier: 2
Form: 31: 6-3-3
More than $12.7 million is up for grabs in total at the 2026 Melbourne Cup. Photo / Photosport
4. Middle Earth (GB)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Mark Zahra
Weight: 56.5kg
Barrier: 1
Form: 26: 6-2-3
5. Vauban (France)
Trainer: Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott
Jockey: Jordan Childs
Weight: 56.5kg
Barrier: 22
Form: 33: 10-5-6
6. Enfjaar (Ireland)
Trainer: Roger Varian
Jockey: Ray Dawson
Weight: 56kg
Barrier: 8
Form: 17: 5-2-3
7. Royal Supremacy (Ireland)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Ben Allen
Weight: 56kg
Barrier: 21
Form: 22: 7-3-4
8. Wine Dark Sea (GB)
Trainer: Harry Charlton
Jockey: Damian Lane
Weight: 56kg
Barrier: 23
Form: 11: 4-2-0
9. Asterix (NZ)
Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Jye McNeil
Weight: 55kg
Barrier: 6
Form: 33: 8-1-2
Jockey Jamie Melham rode Half Yours to victory in the 2025 Melbourne Cup. Photo / Photosport
10. Goodie Two Shoes (Ireland)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: Wayne Lordan
Weight: 55kg
Barrier: 19
Form: 23: 8-2-5
11. Juja Kibo (Ireland)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Sam Clipperton
Weight: 55kg
Barrier: 14
Form: 20: 6-3-6
12. Hopewell Rock (Ireland)
Trainer: George Boughey
Jockey: Zac Lloyd
Weight: 54.5kg
Barrier: 15
Form: 10: 3-3-2
13. Onesmoothoperator (US)
Trainer: Tim Fitzsimmons
Jockey: Declan Bates
Weight: 54.5kg
Barrier: 13
Form: 51: 6-11-6
14. Soul Of Spain (Ireland)
Trainer: Chris Waller
Jockey: Tommy Berry
Weight: 54.5kg
Barrier: 5
Form: 26: 5-6-6
15. Zahrann (Ireland)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Ben Melham
Weight: 54.5kg
Barrier: 11
Form: 12: 4-2-1
16. So You Are (Australia)
Trainer: Bjorn Baker
Jockey: Rachel King
Weight: 54kg
Barrier: 7
Form: 28: 8-6-6
17. Future History (GB)
Trainer: Gregory Hickman
Jockey: Jamie Melham
Weight: 53.5kg
Barrier: 12
Form: 47: 10-6-6
18. James J Braddock (Ireland)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: Craig Williams
Weight: 53.5kg
Barrier: 24
Form: 7: 2-1-1
19. Kizlyar (Ireland)
Trainer: Joseph O’Brien
Jockey: Beau Mertens
Weight: 53.5kg
Barrier: 20
Form: 11: 3-2-2
20. Point Of Law (GB)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Ethan Brown
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 9
Form: 5: 3-1-0
A total of $12.7m is up for grabs at this year’s Melbourne Cup. Photo / Photosport
21. Strictly Business (Australia)
Trainer: Thomas Carberry
Jockey: Dean Yendall
Weight: 53kg
Barrier: 4
Form: 11: 2-2-0
22. Mr Monaco (GB)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Jabez Johnstone
Weight: 52.5kg
Barrier: 16
Form: 20: 6-2-2
23. Zakouma (Australia)
Trainer: Grahame Begg
Jockey: William Pike
Weight: 52kg
Barrier: 10
Form: 18: 5-2-1
24. Shockletz (NZ)
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Jockey: Harry Coffey
Weight: 51kg
Barrier: 10
Form: 20: 7-3-1
Melbourne Cup favourite
Point of Law heads into the race as favourite and has drawn barrier nine and will be ridden by jockey Ethan Brown who has won 15% and placed in 38% of his races over the past 12 months. The 3-year-old stallion won the Geelong Cup on October 21 and was sired by Frankel who went unbeaten in its 14-race career.
How much is the Melbourne Cup prizemoney?
$12.7 million total prize pool. The winner earns $5.6 million.
What time is the Melbourne Cup in New Zealand?
5pm on Tuesday, November 3 at Flemington Track in Melbourne.
The Melbourne Cup held its first race back in 1861 and was declared a public holiday in 1877. Photo / Photosport
How long is the Melbourne Cup?
The race used to be two miles but was later shortened to 3200m (an 18.66m difference) after Australia switched to the metric system in 1972. The race is roughly one-and-a-half times around the Flemington track.
Kingston Rule holds the record for the fastest time around the track, set by the American-bred horse in 1990 at 3m 16s and 3ms. The only other runner to finish the race under 3m and 17s was 2002 winner Media Puzzle, with a time of 3m 16s 97ms.
How to watch the Melbourne Cup in New Zealand
You can watch the 2026 Melbourne Cup on TVNZ+ or TV1.
Melbourne Cup explained
The 2026 Melbourne Cup, referred to as the “Race that Stops a Nation”, is one of Australia’s most anticipated sports events. The Melbourne Cup held its first race back in 1861 and was declared a public holiday in 1877.
The race has been competed each year aside from an intermission during the war years.
The winning trophy contains 1.65kg of 18-carat gold estimated at over A$250,000. Each cup takes over 250 hours to complete. W.J. Sanders has produced each Melbourne Cup from 2016 to present.
Male and female horses explained
A filly is a female horse under 4 years of age. A colt is a male horse under the age of 4 that has not been castrated.
A foal is a female or male horse under the age of 1. A female foal is known as a filly foal and a male is known as a colt foal.
A mare is a horse that is 4 years or older and a stallion is a male horse 4 years or older.
A gelding is a male horse of any age that has been castrated.
New Zealand success at the Melbourne Cup
1883: Martini Henry
1890: Carbine
1907: Apologue
1916: Sasanof (NZ-trained)
1929: Nightmarch (NZ-trained)
1930: Phar Lap
1936: Wotan (NZ-trained)
1938: Catalogue (NZ-trained)
1947: Hiraji
1949: Foxzami
1952: Dalray (NZ-trained)
1954: Rising Fast (NZ-trained)
1955: Toparoa
1957: Straight Draw
1959: Macdougal
1960: Hi-Jinx (NZ-trained)
1962: Even Stevens (NZ-trained)
1964: Polo Prince (NZ-trained)
1965: Light Fingers
1966: Galilee
1967: Red Handed
1970: Baghdad Note (NZ-trained)
1971: Silver Knight (NZ-trained)
1974: Think Big
1975: Think Big
1976: Van der Hum (NZ-trained)
1977: Gold and Black
1978: Arwon
1979: Hyperno
1982: Gurner’s Lane
1983: Kiwi (NZ-trained)
1985: What a Nuisance
1987: Kensei
1988: Empire Rose (NZ-trained)
1989: Tawrrific
1991: Let’s Elope
1995: Doriemus
1997: Might and Power
1998: Jezabeel
2000: Brew (NZ-trained)
2001: Ethereal (NZ-trained)
2007: Efficient
2015: Prince of Penzance
2021: Verry Elleegant
The previous five Melbourne Cup winners
2025: Half Yours (Jockey: Jamie Melham)
2024: Knight’s Choice (Robbie Dolan)
2023: Without A Fight (Mark Zahra)
2022: Gold Trip (Mark Zahra)
2021: Verry Elleegant (James McDonald)