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The Melbourne Cup 2026 field has suffered another dramatic late shake-up, with leading international contender Defiantly officially ruled out of Tuesday’s $10.2 million Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) after failing Racing Victoria’s final veterinary examinations.

In a significant blow to both punters and the powerful Joseph O’Brien camp, the five-year-old Irish stayer was deemed unsuitable to race following a re-inspection at Werribee on Saturday morning, ending the gelding’s bid for Melbourne Cup glory just hours before final declarations.

The scratching continues a remarkable week of changes to the Melbourne Cup 2026 final field, following the earlier withdrawals of Saint George and Japanese raider Stinger Glass, both of whom were also ruled out under Racing Victoria’s stringent veterinary protocols.

Defiantly Officially Withdrawn from Melbourne Cup 2026

Defiantly has been withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup by order of stewards acting on veterinary advice. pic.twitter.com/WTkPLl7sir

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 30, 2026

Defiantly had spent much of the spring among the leading chances in Melbourne Cup 2026 betting, with many judges believing the European stayer’s relentless front-running style would make him a major player in the race that stops a nation.

However, hopes of seeing the Irish raider in action at Flemington came to an abrupt end after Racing Victoria veterinarians declined to pass the horse fit to take his place in the final 24-horse field.

A panel of Racing Victoria veterinarians re-examined Defiantly, Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar on Saturday after all three horses had failed to gain immediate clearance during inspections conducted earlier in the week.

While Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar showed sufficient improvement to gain approval, Defiantly did not.

Racing Victoria confirmed the decision in an official statement.

“In the opinion of the veterinarians, Defiantly remains unsuitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup and has been withdrawn from the race by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice.”

The issue first emerged earlier this week when veterinarians detected a change in the horse’s gait and sensitivity in a hind foot during routine inspections.

Connections had remained optimistic throughout the week that Defiantly would recover in time to take his place in the field after passing all imaging and leg scans, but the final physical examination ultimately proved decisive.

Racing Victoria (RV) veterinarians today concluded the first of two rounds of mandatory pre-race physical veterinary inspections of horses entered in the $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday, 3 November. 
 
A panel of RV veterinarians re-examined…

— RVStewards (@RVStewards) October 30, 2026

Major Blow for Joseph O’Brien’s Melbourne Cup Team

The withdrawal is a bitter disappointment for dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Joseph O’Brien, who had assembled an exceptional international assault on this year’s race.

Defiantly had emerged as one of O’Brien’s headline chances following a dominant European campaign that included victories in the prestigious Group 2 Prix Kergorlay (3000m) at Deauville and the Coral Goodwood Handicap (4100m).

His explosive 5.5-length Prix Kergorlay victory in August propelled him into Melbourne Cup calculations and saw him installed among the favourites in many early markets.

The gelding was widely expected to play a critical tactical role in Tuesday’s race.

With Defiantly expected to roll forward and apply pressure throughout the race, his absence could dramatically alter the likely tempo of the 3200m feature and potentially reshape how the Melbourne Cup is run.

Kizlyar Secures Last-Gasp Melbourne Cup Start

While Defiantly’s withdrawal has devastated connections, it has simultaneously opened the door for another member of the O’Brien stable.

His stablemate Kizlyar now gains a coveted place in the confirmed Melbourne Cup 2026 field, moving into the starting 24 after sitting just outside the order of entry.

The promotion ensures Joseph O’Brien still heads into the race with a powerful contingent featuring:

• Sons And Lovers
• Trustyourinstinct
• Goodie Two Shoes
• James J Braddock
• Kizlyar

The O’Brien camp remains one of the strongest international forces in the race despite losing one of its most highly regarded hopes.

Meanwhile, Small Fry, another horse trained by O’Brien and sitting 33rd in the ballot order, was also deemed unsuitable to race and has been ruled out of the remainder of the Melbourne Spring Carnival.

Another Blow for International Raiders

Defiantly’s scratching marks the latest setback for overseas challengers hoping to capture Australia’s greatest race.

Earlier this week, Japanese contender Stinger Glass was withdrawn after failing Racing Victoria’s mandatory advanced imaging requirements, while local hope Saint George was also ruled out after veterinary concerns emerged during pre-race assessments.

The trio’s withdrawals underscore Racing Victoria’s uncompromising approach to horse welfare and safety in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup.

While frustrating for connections and punters, the protocols continue to play a central role in protecting horses competing in Australia’s premier staying contest.

The enhanced veterinary measures were introduced following a series of high-profile incidents in previous years and remain one of the key features of the modern Melbourne Cup process.

What It Means for Melbourne Cup 2026 Betting

Defiantly had been one of the most popular runners in early Melbourne Cup 2026 odds, trading around the fifth line of wagering before his withdrawal.

His scratching is expected to have a flow-on effect throughout betting markets with several key rivals likely to tighten.

Among the runners expected to attract strong support following the latest field update are:

• Point Of Law, the Geelong Cup-winning favourite for Ciaron Maher
• Trustyourinstinct, Joseph O’Brien’s Curragh Cup-winning stayer
• James J Braddock, the lightly-raced Derby placegetter
• Shockletz, the Archer Stakes-winning mare carrying just 51kg
• Sons And Lovers, O’Brien’s highest-rated international runner

The removal of Defiantly also takes a proven on-speed stayer out of the race, potentially creating a different tactical complexion for Tuesday’s feature.

Predicted Melbourne Cup 2026 Final Field*

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Weight
1	Sons And Lovers	Joseph O’Brien	Ryan Moore	57.5kg
2	Trustyourinstinct	Joseph O’Brien	James McDonald	57kg
3	Middle Earth	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	56.5kg
4	Vauban	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jordan Childs	56.5kg
5	Knight’s Choice	John Symons & Sheila Laxon	Robbie Dolan	56.5kg
6	Royal Supremacy	Ciaron Maher	Ben Allen	56kg
7	Enfjaar	Roger Varian	Ray Dawson	56kg
8	Wine Dark Sea	Harry Charlton	Damian Lane	56kg
9	Juja Kibo	Ciaron Maher	Sam Clipperton	55kg
10	Asterix	Chris Waller	Jye McNeil	55kg
11	Goodie Two Shoes	Joseph O’Brien	Wayne Lordan	55kg
12	Soul Of Spain	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	54.5kg
13	Onesmoothoperator	Tim Fitzsimmons	Declan Bates	54.5kg
14	Zahrann	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	54.5kg
15	Hopewell Rock	George Boughey	Zac Lloyd	54.5kg
16	So You Are	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	54kg
17	James J Braddock	Joseph O’Brien	Craig Williams	53.5kg
18	Future History	Gregory Hickman	Jamie Melham	53.5kg
19	Kizlyar	Joseph O’Brien	TBC	53.5kg
20	Point Of Law	Ciaron Maher	Ethan Brown	53kg
21	Strictly Business	Thomas Carberry	Michael Dee	53kg
22	Mr Monaco	Ciaron Maher	Jabez Johnstone (a)	52.5kg
23	Zakouma	Grahame Begg	William Pike	52kg
24	Shockletz	Ciaron Maher	Harry Coffey	51kg

*Note: The official 2026 Melbourne Cup final field won’t be confirmed until acceptances close at 4:30pm (AEDT) Saturday afternoon.

Melbourne Cup 2026 Field Nearly Finalised

With Defiantly now joining Saint George and Stinger Glass on the Melbourne Cup 2026 scratchings list, the final field is nearly complete, and attention can fully turn towards Saturday evening’s official barrier draw.

For Joseph O’Brien, it is a heartbreaking loss given how strongly Defiantly was fancied to run a huge race.

For Kizlyar, however, the Melbourne Cup dream remains alive after earning a last-minute berth in Australia’s richest and most famous horse race.

And for punters, the latest drama serves as another reminder that in the Melbourne Cup, the story is rarely finished until the barriers open.