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The final lead-up for potential Melbourne Cup horses runs on Wednesday, and Races.com.au are here with our expert Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup 2026 field preview, tips and best bets on the half-a-million-dollar midweek staying showdown.
A time-honoured classic run and won since 1868, the Group 3 $500,000 Ladbrokes Bendigo Cup (2400m) serves as a last-minute qualifier for the ‘race that stops a nation’ with Melbourne Cup nominees still outside the top 24 on the order of entry given a chance to win and work their way into the field for the first Tuesday of November.
This year’s Bendigo Cup field features 15 hopefuls including several fringe Melbourne Cup hopes who have one last opportunity to secure a place in the final field on November 3.
Among those still chasing a start in the Group 1 $10.2 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) are The Euphrates (25th), So You Are (28th), Litzdeel (33rd), Kings Valley (36th) and Soulcombe (39th), with the Bendigo feature set to play a crucial role in finalising the order of entry for the iconic Flemington two-mile feature.
Of particular interest is Soulcombe, who finished third in the 2023 Melbourne Cup but currently sits outside this year’s starting 24 after failing to satisfy the first ballot clause requiring a placing in an internationally recognised black-type race over further than 2300m.
With his former Melbourne Cup placing no longer qualifying for ballot purposes, the Chris Waller-trained stayer needs a top-three finish at Bendigo to boost his credentials and force his way into contention for next Tuesday’s Lexus Melbourne Cup.
He pays $11 in the latest Bendigo Cup 2026 betting markets at race sponsor Ladbrokes drawn gate four with Nash Rawiller to ride the Frankel eight-year-old who comes via a sixth in the Geelong Cup behind current Melbourne Cup favourite Point Of Law.
Sitting top of the Bendigo Cup odds at $3.20 and firming is the Ciaron Maher-trained Kings Valley with the Territories six-year-old bringing in some serious form lines.
Fifth as a 30/1 outsider when only 2.4 lengths off Kingswood in this year’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup, the gelding is now on the quick back-up after making up excellent late ground for his brave half-length second to Juja Kibo in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup at Flemington on Cox Plate Day last Saturday.
He will be ridden by Ethan Brown on Wednesday with Jamie Melham starting her suspension from her The Everest ride and is drawn in gate 12.
The danger on the second line of betting but on the drift now out to $5.50 is the airborne Bjorn Baker-trained So You Are coming off a hat trick of wins but frustratingly still in danger of missing a run in this year’s Melbourne Cup.
The So You Think five-year-old heads south off a terrific spring prep in Sydney and was last seen saluting in the ATC St Leger (2600m) at Randwick on October 17 when carrying 57.5kg to a nearly one-length win.
A dour type, he’s up a kilo in Wednesday’s race with Rachel King aboard from the coveted inside alley which will see him land on speed and potentially extend his winning streak.
Two other runners are also under double figures for the win with class Dundeel mare Litzdeel ($7) for former Melbourne Cup winning trainer Danny O’Brien and the progressive Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott-trained import The Euphrates ($8).
It’s been a long time between drinks for Litzdeel who hasn’t been first past the post since last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, however, she’s been thereabouts in this grade all prep and comes in fit.
After a fifth at HQ behind Mr Monaco in the Group 3 The Bart Cummings, she was fifth at her latest in the Geelong Cup nearly five lengths beaten on a Good (4) track and can improve with the sting out of the ground at Bendigo on Wednesday.
The Euphrates meanwhile is out to bounce back from his Geelong Cup 10th when making his Victorian debut.
Prior to that he was racing better in Sydney including a win in the Group 2 Kingston Town Stakes (2000m) and a third to Juja Kibo in The Metropolitan when giving weight away to the winner before fading late.
He’ll face another tough test this week carrying the equal 60kg topweight and is expected to take up front running but looks short in the markets considering how deep he will need to dig to go all-the-way.
Internationals have featured prominently in the Bendigo Cup including the back-to-back wins by the Charlie Appleby-trained English raiders Francis Of Assisi (2016) and Qewy (2017), and the 2024 win by Sea King.
This year, Irish great Joesph O’Brien saddles-up Starford as a $14 chance with the galloper having run a disappointing 13th in his down under debut in the Caulfield Cup.
Other double-figure fancies that look to have better potential at an upset include last start JRA Cup third placegetter See That Storm ($11) to be ridden by Craig Williams, Nick Ryan‘s mare Suntora ($12) coming off a devastatingly close second in the Group 2 Herbert Power at huge odds and at a blowout price the Dan O’Sullivan-trained Berkeley Square ($27) who looks one of the stronger roughies in the mix after improving out of sight for a fourth in the Geelong Cup.
The Bendigo Cup 2026 is scheduled as Race 8 at 4:55pm (AEDT) on Wednesday.
Bendigo Cup 2026 Best Bets
Favourite: No. 6 Kings Valley
| 6. Kings Valley (12) J: Ethan Brown 57kg 87952 T: Ciaron Maher | |||
| Most recently made significant ground from the rear of the field 2nd of 16 in the G2 Moonee Valley Cup at Flemington on October 24 over 2500m, 0.5 len behind Juja Kibo carrying 57kg at $13. The race before that made ground from midfield; 5th of 18 in the G1 Caulfield Cup on October 17 over 2400m, 2.5 len behind Kingswood carrying 51kg at $31. | |||
Each Way Danger: No. 4 So You Are
Best Roughie: No. 3 Berkeley Square
2026 Bendigo Cup Same Race Multi Selections
$11.50 (at time of publish) through Ladbrokes
- Top 4 – No. 6 Kings Valley
- Top 3 – No. 4 So You Are
- Top 5 – No. 3 Berkeley Square
