The Melbourne Cup final field is confirmed. The Victoria Racing Club has announced 24 acceptors and their barriers for Tuesday, 3 November 2026. Here is the complete draw, the race time around Australia and the details to check again before the start.
Source check: 31 October 2026. Hero image: AI-generated image created for NextNews; a conceptual racecourse scene, not a photograph of the 2026 Melbourne Cup.
On this page
When is the 2026 Melbourne Cup?
The Cup is scheduled as Race 7 at 3pm AEDT on Tuesday, 3 November at Flemington. The VRC lists the race as a 3,200-metre handicap for horses aged three years and older, with $10.2 million in prize money. See the VRC’s race information and official Cup Day program for updates.
| Location | Local time on 3 November |
|---|---|
| Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Hobart | 3pm AEDT |
| Adelaide | 2:30pm ACDT |
| Brisbane | 2pm AEST |
| Darwin | 1:30pm ACST |
| Perth | 12 noon AWST |
These are local-time conversions of the scheduled start. If organisers change the race time, use the revised official program. Allow time before the start to find the correct race and check any late announcements.
The full field and barrier draw
The table below reproduces the factual runner list in the VRC’s final-field announcement of 31 October. The first column is the saddlecloth number; the last is the starting barrier. They are different identifiers.
| No. | Horse | Barrier |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sons And Lovers | 3 |
| 2 | Trustyourinstinct | 18 |
| 3 | Knight’s Choice | 2 |
| 4 | Middle Earth | 1 |
| 5 | Vauban | 22 |
| 6 | Enfjaar | 8 |
| 7 | Royal Supremacy | 21 |
| 8 | Wine Dark Sea | 23 |
| 9 | Asterix | 6 |
| 10 | Goodie Two Shoes | 19 |
| 11 | Juja Kibo | 14 |
| 12 | Hopewell Rock | 15 |
| 13 | Onesmoothoperator | 13 |
| 14 | Soul Of Spain | 5 |
| 15 | Zahrann | 11 |
| 16 | So You Are | 7 |
| 17 | Future History | 12 |
| 18 | James J Braddock | 24 |
| 19 | Kizlyar | 20 |
| 20 | Point Of Law | 9 |
| 21 | Strictly Business | 4 |
| 22 | Mr Monaco | 16 |
| 23 | Zakouma | 10 |
| 24 | Shockletz | 17 |
Final acceptance does not guarantee a horse will start. Scratchings and other official changes can occur between the draw and race day. Treat this as the field announced on Saturday evening and recheck the current race information on Tuesday.
How to read the draw
Use the saddlecloth number and horse name together when looking up a runner. The barrier tells you the allocated starting position; it is not a ranking of the horse’s chance. A barrier draw alone cannot establish which horse will win.
For a useful race-day check, match the name in this table with the current official race guide, then read the latest jockey, weight, scratching and track information. Those details are deliberately not frozen into this table while further updates remain possible.
Be especially careful with previews published before final acceptances. A horse discussed earlier in the week may not be in this field. The date of a preview matters just as much as its headline.
Going to Flemington? Check the whole day
The VRC’s Cup Day page lists gates opening at 9am, the first race at 10:45am and the last race at 5:15pm. These are separate from the Cup’s 3pm start. Build your arrival plan around the event you want to see, allowing for station queues and entry checks.
For public transport, start with Transport Victoria’s carnival travel guide and the VRC’s directions to Flemington. Plan the trip home as well as the outward journey and check the live timetable before leaving.
A short race-day checklist
- Confirm the runner list. Recheck official scratchings instead of relying on a saved screenshot of Saturday’s field.
- Check the start time in your state. Queensland does not share Melbourne’s daylight-saving clock.
- Read any late changes. Current jockey, weight, track and weather information should come from the official race guide and announcements.
- Plan your return. Leave enough time to get from the course to your chosen train or tram.
- Keep the field separate from predictions. This list establishes the accepted runners and draw, not a certain result.
Sources and disclosure
This guide uses the VRC final field, VRC race conditions and scheduled start, Cup Day program and official transport information linked above. Follow those sources for changes after publication.
Disclosure: Prepared with AI assistance and checked against the cited official sources. The hero image is AI-generated and illustrative. This is general event information, not betting advice; race outcomes are uncertain.
More in Sport
Disclaimer
NEXTNews aims to keep its reporting accurate and up to date. Sources and dates are included where practical; information can change after publication. To flag an error or request a correction, contact our team. For important decisions, check the original source and see our full disclaimer.