Melbourne Cup 2026 Field: Barrier Draw, Jockeys and Weights
The 2026 Melbourne Cup barrier draw is out. Here is the final field of 24 in barrier order with jockeys, trainers and weights, the week's scratchings, Derby Day news, start times worldwide and how to watch.
- The barrier draw is out: ABC News published the final field of 24 at 6:42pm AEDT on Saturday, October 31, and says Point Of Law (barrier 9) kept favouritism.
- Three horses, Defiantly, Saint George and Stinger Glass, were withdrawn on veterinary grounds, letting in Kizlyar and Future History; there are no emergencies, and Shockletz's jockey Harry Coffey is in doubt after a Derby Day fall.
- The race starts at 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday, November 3 (4:00am GMT, 9:30am IST, 11:00pm ET Monday after US clocks go back on November 1), free on Channel 9 and 9Now.
The Melbourne Cup 2026 field and barrier draw are out. The final 24 runners were drawn at Flemington on the evening of Saturday, October 31, in a draw the VRC scheduled from 6:15pm AEDT, and ABC News published the full field at 6:42pm AEDT. Point Of Law, Ciaron Maher's Geelong Cup winner, drew barrier 9 and kept favouritism, according to ABC News.
The race starts at 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday, November 3, 2026 (4:00am GMT) and is worth A$10.2 million. As of the evening of October 31, 2026 (AEDT), three horses had been withdrawn on veterinary grounds and one booked jockey was in doubt after a Derby Day fall.
Melbourne Cup 2026 field and barrier draw
The list is in barrier order: horse, saddlecloth number, jockey, trainer and weight, as published after the draw by ABC News, Breednet and SEN. All three agree on every barrier and weight. We could not open an official VRC or Racing Victoria field page, so check the official race card before Tuesday.
- Barrier 1: Middle Earth (GB), No. 4, Mark Zahra, Ciaron Maher, 56.5kg
- Barrier 2: Knight's Choice, No. 3, Robbie Dolan, John Symons and Sheila Laxon, 56.5kg
- Barrier 3: Sons And Lovers (GB), No. 1, Dylan Browne McMonagle, Joseph O'Brien, 57.5kg
- Barrier 4: Strictly Business, No. 21, Michael Dee, Thomas Carberry, 53kg
- Barrier 5: Soul Of Spain (IRE), No. 14, Tommy Berry, Chris Waller, 54.5kg
- Barrier 6: Asterix (NZ), No. 9, Jye McNeil, Chris Waller, 55kg
- Barrier 7: So You Are, No. 16, Rachel King, Bjorn Baker, 54kg
- Barrier 8: Enfjaar (IRE), No. 6, Ray Dawson, Roger Varian, 56kg
- Barrier 9: Point Of Law (GB), No. 20, Ethan Brown, Ciaron Maher, 53kg
- Barrier 10: Zakouma, No. 23, William Pike, Grahame Begg, 52kg
- Barrier 11: Zahrann (IRE), No. 15, Ben Melham, Ciaron Maher, 54.5kg
- Barrier 12: Future History (GB), No. 17, Jamie Melham, Gregory Hickman, 53.5kg
- Barrier 13: Onesmoothoperator (USA), No. 13, Declan Bates, Tim Fitzsimmons, 54.5kg
- Barrier 14: Juja Kibo (IRE), No. 11, Sam Clipperton, Ciaron Maher, 55kg
- Barrier 15: Hopewell Rock (IRE), No. 12, Zac Lloyd, George Boughey, 54.5kg
- Barrier 16: Mr Monaco (GB), No. 22, Jabez Johnstone (apprentice), Ciaron Maher, 52.5kg
- Barrier 17: Shockletz (NZ), No. 24, Harry Coffey (in doubt), Ciaron Maher, 51kg
- Barrier 18: Trustyourinstinct (IRE), No. 2, James McDonald, Joseph O'Brien, 57kg
- Barrier 19: Goodie Two Shoes (IRE), No. 10, Wayne Lordan, Joseph O'Brien, 55kg
- Barrier 20: Kizlyar (IRE), No. 19, Beau Mertens, Joseph O'Brien, 53.5kg
- Barrier 21: Royal Supremacy (IRE), No. 7, Ben Allen, Ciaron Maher, 56kg
- Barrier 22: Vauban (FR), No. 5, Jordan Childs, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, 56.5kg
- Barrier 23: Wine Dark Sea (GB), No. 8, Damian Lane, Harry Charlton, 56kg
- Barrier 24: James J Braddock (GB), No. 18, Craig Williams, Joseph O'Brien, 53.5kg
The outlets differ on two riders. Breednet lists Dean Yendell on Strictly Business, while ABC News and SEN list Michael (Mick) Dee. SEN's table still shows Ryan Moore on Sons And Lovers, but ABC News says Dylan Browne McMonagle moved to that horse after losing his ride on Defiantly.
Who is the favourite?
ABC News reported that Point Of Law kept favouritism after drawing barrier 9, while Trustyourinstinct eased slightly after drawing 18. GessyMorgan does not give tips or odds.
Point Of Law won the Geelong Cup on Wednesday, October 21, in only his fifth start, which gave him a ballot exemption, the VRC reported. He was on 51kg before that win and carries 53kg. The VRC's October 30 preview also notes that Knight's Choice won the Cup in 2024, Goodie Two Shoes ran second last year and Middle Earth ran third.
Trainers with the most runners
Ciaron Maher has seven runners: Point Of Law, Middle Earth, Royal Supremacy, Juja Kibo, Zahrann, Mr Monaco and Shockletz, Breednet notes. Joseph O'Brien, who won the Cup with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020, has five: Sons And Lovers, Trustyourinstinct, Goodie Two Shoes, James J Braddock and Kizlyar. Chris Waller has two, and ten other trainers have one each.
Scratchings and emergencies
The biggest late change came on Saturday morning. Joseph O'Brien's Defiantly, who earned a ballot exemption by winning the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville in August, failed a repeat vet inspection at Werribee. He was withdrawn by the stewards on veterinary advice, The Straight and AAP reported. Racing Victoria stewards said he "remains unsuitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup".
Defiantly had presented without a right hind shoe and with a change in gait at Thursday's inspection, The Straight said; Breednet called it a hoof abscess. Stablemate Kizlyar moved into the field.
Two other horses went out earlier in the week after Racing Victoria's pre-race imaging. Ciaron Maher's Saint George was ruled out, and Japan's Stinger Glass, trained by Yasuo Tomomichi, was withdrawn after an independent three-member imaging panel advised he was at heightened risk of injury, Races.com.au reported. Their withdrawals let Future History into the 24, with Jamie Melham, who won last year on Half Yours, to ride.
Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar also failed Thursday's checks but were passed on Saturday after stewards said both "had made appropriate improvement", AAP reported. Half Yours is not in the field after a fall in the Caulfield Cup, AAP reported.
The Melbourne Cup has no emergencies, so a horse scratched after the draw is not replaced and the race runs with fewer starters. When that happens, every runner drawn wider moves in one stall, as the VRC's guide to barrier numbers explains.
Derby Day results that matter for the Cup
The main Cup news from the races came in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes. Harry Coffey fell from Pondalowie just after the field turned for home, and the Victorian Jockeys' Association confirmed a suspected fractured collarbone, Betsy reported. He was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital for scans, and stewards stood him down from his last ride of the day, Just Horse Racing said.
Coffey is booked for Shockletz, Maher's Archer Stakes winner, from barrier 17. SEN describes the ride as in serious doubt, and Betsy notes that Maher would need a rider who can make the mare's 51kg. No replacement had been named as of Saturday evening.
James McDonald, who rides Trustyourinstinct, won four races, including the A$3 million Victoria Derby on Stormy Marco for Chris Waller, according to the VRC's Derby Day results. Mark Zahra, Middle Earth's rider, won the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes on The Next Episode for Maher. None of the nine races was a Cup lead-up; So You Are had already won his place, as his Bendigo Cup penalty lifted him into the field, the VRC said.
Melbourne Cup 2026 start time around the world
The VRC lists the Cup as Race 7 at 3:00pm on Tuesday, November 3. US clocks go back one hour at 2:00am on Sunday, November 1, timeanddate shows, so the US falls one more hour behind Melbourne than in October. Our daylight saving time guide explains the change. These times come from timeanddate's converter:
- Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra (AEDT): 3:00pm Tuesday, Nov 3
- Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth: 2:00pm, 2:30pm and 12:00pm Tuesday
- New Zealand (NZDT): 5:00pm Tuesday
- Singapore, Manila: 12:00pm Tuesday
- India (IST): 9:30am Tuesday
- UTC, UK and Ireland (GMT): 4:00am Tuesday
- Central Europe (CET) and South Africa: 5:00am and 6:00am Tuesday
- US Eastern (EST): 11:00pm Monday, Nov 2
- US Pacific (PST): 8:00pm Monday, Nov 2
On course, gates open at 9:00am, the first race is at 10:45am and the last at 5:15pm, the VRC's Cup Day page says. Robbie Williams plays a pre-Cup set at 2:18pm.
Prize money
The VRC's October 30 preview puts total prize money at A$10.2 million, about US$7.2 million at the European Central Bank's reference rates for October 30, 2026. The winner gets A$4.5 million (about US$3.2 million). Second to fifth earn A$1.11 million, A$560,000, A$360,000 and A$240,000, and every other finisher gets at least A$100,000. Nine says this is the 166th running.
How to watch the Melbourne Cup
- Australia, free to air: Nine shows all four carnival days live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now, its October 26 announcement says. Eddie McGuire hosts, and Matthew Hill calls the race.
- Racing.com: the VRC's broadcast guide lists Racing.com on channel 78 in metro areas and 68 in regional areas, plus its website and app.
- Outside Australia: the same guide says the VRC's international live stream is free everywhere except Australia and the United States.
- United States: the VRC guide names no US broadcaster, and we could not confirm one as of October 31, 2026.
- Radio: the guide lists Triple M Racing for Cup Day.
Is Melbourne Cup Day a public holiday?
Yes, in Victoria. Business Victoria lists Tuesday, November 3, 2026 as the Melbourne Cup public holiday across the state, unless a non-metropolitan council has arranged an alternative local holiday.
Our take
On the published field, this Cup is Ciaron Maher's seven local runners against Joseph O'Brien's five Irish horses. Losing Defiantly changes the race on paper: The Straight noted the field loses its likely pace-setter.
The week also showed how strict Racing Victoria's vet and imaging checks are, with three horses in line for a start ruled out between Thursday and Saturday. The biggest open question now is who rides Shockletz at 51kg if Coffey cannot.
What to watch for
- Shockletz's rider: the result of Harry Coffey's scans and any replacement jockey.
- Late scratchings: with no emergencies, any withdrawal shrinks the field and wider runners move in.
- The official race card: confirm jockeys with the VRC or Racing Victoria.
- The result: the race starts at 4:00am UTC on November 3. GessyMorgan does not give betting tips.
Frequently asked questions
Has the Melbourne Cup 2026 barrier draw been released?
Yes. The draw was held at Flemington on the evening of Saturday, October 31, after Derby Day racing. The VRC scheduled it from 6:15pm AEDT, and ABC News published the full field at 6:42pm AEDT. Point Of Law drew barrier 9, Middle Earth barrier 1 and Trustyourinstinct barrier 18.
Who is in the Melbourne Cup 2026 field?
There are 24 runners. Ciaron Maher trains seven, including Point Of Law, Middle Earth and Shockletz, and Joseph O'Brien trains five, including Trustyourinstinct and Goodie Two Shoes. The field also includes the 2024 winner Knight's Choice, Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's Vauban, and Future History, ridden by 2025 winning jockey Jamie Melham.
Who is the favourite for the Melbourne Cup 2026?
ABC News reported on October 31 that Point Of Law kept favouritism after drawing barrier 9, and that Trustyourinstinct eased slightly after drawing 18. Markets change quickly before the race, and GessyMorgan does not publish odds or tips.
What time is the Melbourne Cup 2026 in the US, UK and India?
The race is at 3:00pm AEDT on Tuesday, November 3. That is 4:00am GMT and 9:30am IST on Tuesday. US clocks go back on November 1, so it is 11:00pm EST or 8:00pm PST on Monday, November 2.
How can I watch the Melbourne Cup 2026?
In Australia, Nine shows the race live and free on Channel 9 and 9Now, and Racing.com also covers it. Outside Australia, the VRC says its international live stream is free everywhere except Australia and the United States. We could not confirm a US broadcaster as of October 31, 2026.
Sources
- Melbourne Cup 2026 field, horses, form guide and betting, ABC News
- 2026 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw, Breednet
- Melbourne Cup barrier draw and field for 2026, SEN
- Quick look at the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup contenders, Victoria Racing Club
- Howden Victoria Derby Day an incredible start to 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival, Victoria Racing Club
- Howden Victoria Derby Day 2026: Racing highlights and results, Victoria Racing Club
- Point Of Law impresses in Geelong Cup, Victoria Racing Club
- Breaking down the barrier numbers, Victoria Racing Club
- Lexus Melbourne Cup Day 2026, Victoria Racing Club
- Broadcast guide, Victoria Racing Club
- Defiantly scratched from Melbourne Cup; Kizlyar promoted, The Straight
- Twist for leading Melbourne Cup trainer as another horse ruled out of $10 million race, Yahoo News Australia (AAP)
- Melbourne Cup Field 2026 Rocked as Japanese Hope Stinger Glass Scratched, Future History Gains Start, Races.com.au
- 2026 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw, Races.com.au
- Melbourne Cup blow as Harry Coffey faces race against time after fall, Betsy.com.au
- Melbourne Cup 2026: Popular jockey in doubt to ride after serious fall, Just Horse Racing
- Nine saddles up for 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival, Nine
- Victorian public holidays 2026, Business Victoria
- Clock Changes in New York, New York, USA 2026, timeanddate.com
- Melbourne Cup 2026: event time around the world, timeanddate.com
- Euro foreign exchange reference rates, European Central Bank
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 21 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 31, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
