Melbourne Cup 2026: Key Dates, Prize Money and How the Field Is Decided

By Priya Nair, Casino Reviewer: Casino and Sportsbook Sites
Published 28 October 2026

The 166th Lexus Melbourne Cup will be run at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November 2026. The Group 1 handicap over 3200m carries $10.2 million in prize money, according to the Victoria Racing Club (VRC). As of 28 October the final field has not been declared: final declarations close at 4:30pm on Saturday 31 October, Victoria Derby Day, and the barrier draw follows once the field is set. This guide sets out what is confirmed so far.

Key dates

The VRC’s published timeline for the 2026 race:

• Nominations: 12pm, Tuesday 1 September (101 horses)
• Weights released: 12pm, Thursday 17 September
• First declarations: 12pm, Tuesday 29 September
• Second declarations: 12pm, Tuesday 13 October
• Third declarations: 10am, Monday 26 October
• Final declarations: 4:30pm, Saturday 31 October
• Race day: Tuesday 3 November

The Flemington carnival runs over four days: Victoria Derby Day (Saturday 31 October), Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday 3 November), Crown Oaks Day (Thursday 5 November) and Champions Stakes Day (Saturday 7 November).

Who is in contention

The VRC received 101 nominations: 78 trained in Australia and 23 from overseas, with international entries from England, Ireland, Japan and the USA. Ciaron Maher nominated 14 horses, Chris Waller 12, Joseph O’Brien 11 and Aidan O’Brien five. Nominees named by the VRC included 2025 winner Half Yours, 2024 winner Knight’s Choice, 2025 runner-up Goodie Two Shoes and Epsom Derby winner Christmas Day.

Several of those horses have run during the spring. Half Yours fell in the Caulfield Cup on 17 October and, according to AAP, escaped with superficial lacerations. Aeliana, another nominee, finished third as favourite in the Cox Plate on 24 October. Which horses accept, and in what order, will only be known after final declarations.

How horses get a start

The Melbourne Cup field is limited to 24 runners. When more horses accept than there are places, the field is decided by the ballot order. Winners of nominated lead-up races receive a ballot exemption, which guarantees a start if connections accept. For 2026, the VRC lists the Cox Plate, Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup, Moonee Valley Gold Cup, Bart Cummings and Archer Stakes among these races, along with “golden ticket” races such as the Andrew Ramsden, the Belmont Gold Cup and France’s Prix Kergorlay. Caulfield Cup winner Kingswood and Cox Plate winner Cosmic Crusader both won exempting races this spring.

Before you bet: a short checklist

Cup day brings in many people who rarely bet at other times. A few facts are worth knowing before race day:

• Fixed odds taken before final declarations are generally “all in”: if your horse does not start, the stake is usually lost. Check your provider’s rules.
• A big-field handicap over 3200m is hard to predict: weights, the draw and an untested distance for many runners all add uncertainty. Any price above $2.00, favourite or not, implies the horse is more likely to lose than win.
• Office sweeps are a low-stakes way to take part; they are a game of pure chance and do not require a wagering account.
• Set a budget before the day and stick to it. Wagering accounts with licensed Australian bookmakers include deposit limits, and BetStop lets you exclude yourself from all of them at once.

This article does not include tips or predictions. We will report the final field and barrier draw once the VRC publishes them.

Sources

• Victoria Racing Club: 101 nominations received for the 166th Lexus Melbourne Cup (1 September 2026)
• Illawarra Mercury (AAP): Kingswood claims victory in dramatic Caulfield Cup (17 October 2026)
• The Nightly (7NEWS): Cosmic Crusader stuns Flemington with epic Cox Plate victory (24 October 2026)

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Header photo: Flemington main stand, 2013 Melbourne Cup by Jupiter Firelyte, licensed CC BY 2.0.