The Melbourne Cup is known as the ‘race that stops the nation’ in Australia. At 3200m and with a prize pool of $10.2 million, it’s the richest "two-mile" handicap in the world and one of the riches turf races.
Always held on the first Tuesday in November at 3:00pm, the Melbourne Cup is open to three-year-olds and over, conducted by the Victoria Racing Club on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria and is part of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
The race that stops the nation
For many people, the Melbourne Cup is often the only time they’ll take a punt on the horses. Since 1861 the combination of a long race (3200m) and large field (24 horses), means upset wins from outside chances are common. That said there have been star horses as well; with Makybe Diva winning 3, followed by Think Big with 2. Legendary trainer Bart Cummings, won a total of 12 Melbourne Cups before his death in August 2015. So eveyone’s in with a chance; even if it’s via the office-sweep stake where those unfortunate enough to get the horse that runs last, often get their money back.
Best of local and international horses
The Melbourne Cup is contested by horses from all over the world. Open to horses three years old and over, nominations close in early September (101 horses were nominated for 2026), and the field is whittled down to a maximum of 24 starters. This is done through a combination of progressive fee payments and criteria applied by the race directors including:
- prize money earned in the previous two years,
- wins or placings in certain lead-up races (e.g. Cox Plate and international races such as the Doncaster Cup (UK), Irish St. Leger (IRE) and Tenno Sho (JPN))
- allocated handicap weight