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The countdown to the 166th running of the Group 1 $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) continues to gather momentum, with 58 horses remaining in contention following Tuesday’s second acceptances.
With just three weeks until Australia’s greatest staying contest is run at Flemington, the official Melbourne Cup 2026 field is beginning to take shape as trainers around the world map out their path to the first Tuesday in November.
A total of 13 horses were withdrawn at the latest declaration stage, including Campaldino, Changingoftheguard, Highland Bling, Light Infantry Man, Machine Gun Gracie, Okita Soushi, Pounding, She’s A Hustler, Suffolk Star, Tajanis, Tarvue, Think Giant and Vegas Jack.
2026 Melbourne Cup Second Acceptances: At a Glance
- 58 horses remain
- 13 horses withdrawals at second declaration stage
- Ciaron Maher leading trainer with 14 second acceptors
- Chris Waller retains 9 contenders headed by Aeliana, Ohope Wins, Pinhole, Birdman and Valiant King
- Joseph O’Brien has 9 remaining entries, including market elect Defiantly and fellow internationals James J Braddock and Trustyourinstinct
- Defiantly heads all-in Melbourne Cup betting at $9 through Ladbrokes
- Half Yours remains on track to defend his Melbourne Cup title and become the race’s first dual winner since Makybe Diva (2003-05)
- 19 of the 22 Caulfield Cup runners have also accepted for the Melbourne Cup, highlighting Saturday’s race as a key lead-up
- International hopes remain strong with runners from Ireland, England, and Japan, including Defiantly, Wine Dark Sea and Stinger Glass
Maher Holds a Powerful Melbourne Cup Hand
Victoria’s leading trainer Ciaron Maher remains a dominant force in the Melbourne Cup picture and currently boasts the largest contingent of horses still entered for the race.
Maher has 14 horses still in contention, headed by last year’s Melbourne Cup placegetter Middle Earth, while recent The Bart Cummings winner Mr Monaco has already secured his place in the race courtesy of a coveted golden ticket exemption. Fellow ballot-exempt runner Shockletz, who is the stable’s best chance in the current Melbourne Cup odds paying $13 at Ladbrokes, also remains among Maher’s impressive team.
Other notable Maher-trained contenders include Saint George, Royal Supremacy, Zahrann, Point Of Law, and shock 60/1 Group 1 Might And Power champion Land Legend, giving the stable enormous depth as the spring carnival reaches its crucial phase.
O’Brien’s Strongest Assault Yet
Two-time Melbourne Cup-winning Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien appears poised to launch his strongest Melbourne Cup challenge to date.
O’Brien has kept nine horses in the mix, led by emerging market elect Defiantly, who earned automatic entry into the race with victory in the Group 2 Prix Kergolay (3000m) in France.
The Irish trainer’s squad also includes fellow prominent hopes James J Braddock and Trustyourinstinct, both of whom continue to feature prominently in early betting markets paying $11 to take the ‘Loving Trophy’ back home with them.
Waller Keeps His Options Open
Hall of Fame trainer Chris Waller has maintained a strong presence in the race with nine horses surviving second acceptances.
Among them is multiple Group 1-winning mare Aeliana, although Waller recently indicated a Melbourne Cup start is far from certain.
“We are not keen on it at the moment,” Waller said of a potential Cup campaign last week.
Nevertheless, Aeliana remains among the entries alongside several notable stablemates, including:
- Ohope Wins – winner of the Group 1 ATC Oaks.
- Pinhole – fresh off victory in Saturday’s Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes.
- Asterix – who is third emergency for this weekend’s Caulfield Cup field.
- Birdman – a recent winner of the Group 1 Underwood Stakes .
- Valiant King – who has been unplaced in the Melbourne Cup results the past two years.
Whether they all press on towards Flemington remains to be seen, but Waller again looks set to have significant representation in Australia’s greatest race.
International Challenge Taking Shape
As has become tradition, a number of overseas-trained contenders remain firmly in the Melbourne Cup picture.
Japanese hopes rest with Stinger Glass, who will be partnered by internationally renowned jockey Christophe Lemaire, famous for guiding Dunaden to Melbourne Cup success in 2011.
The Japanese challenge arrives in a significant year, marking 20 years since Delta Blues became Japan’s first Melbourne Cup winner in 2006.
British trainer Harry Charlton is also preparing for his first Australian campaign with talented stayer Wine Dark Sea, winner of the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2671m). The import is already attracting strong support ahead of Saturday’s Caulfield Cup and looms as a genuine Melbourne Cup prospect.
Caulfield Cup to Shape Melbourne Cup Betting
Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) promises to have a major impact on Melbourne Cup betting and final field calculations.
No fewer than 19 of the 22 Caulfield Cup acceptors remain entered for the Melbourne Cup, highlighting the importance of the race as the premier lead-up to Flemington.
The headline act remains reigning Cups king Half Yours, who famously completed the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double last spring.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained stayer is now chasing more history:
- A second straight Caulfield Cup
- A second Melbourne Cup victory
- The chance to become the first horse since Rising Fast (1954-55) to win consecutive Caulfield Cups
Half Yours is currently weighted on 59kg for the Melbourne Cup and will again carry topweight if he takes his place in the field.
Other high-profile dual Cup contenders include:
- Green Spaces (ATC Derby winner)
- Enfjaar (Glorious Stakes winner)
- Knight’s Choice (2024 Melbourne Cup winner)
- Saint George
- Middle Earth
- Wine Dark Sea
Four Golden Tickets Still Available
While several automatic qualifiers have already secured their place in the Melbourne Cup field, there are still four ballot exemptions up for grabs.
The remaining golden-ticket races are:
- Caulfield Cup – Saturday October 17
- Ladbrokes Geelong Cup – Wednesday October 21
- Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup – Saturday October 24
- Ladbrokes Cox Plate – Saturday October 24
With many horses still searching for a guaranteed start in the race, the next fortnight of spring racing will prove critical.
With second acceptances now complete, attention turns to the next declaration stage and a series of crucial staying features across Australia.
The combination of strong local representation, a powerful Irish contingent, a Japanese challenger and several emerging spring stars has all the ingredients of another fascinating Melbourne Cup buildup.
Third acceptances for the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup close at 10:00am on Monday, October 26, with the race itself scheduled for Tuesday, November 3 at Flemington Racecourse.
View the complete list of official Melbourn Cup 2026 second declarations.
