The race for a place in the Melbourne Cup 2026 field has taken another dramatic twist, with Bendigo Cup winner So You Are climbing into the top 24 while a number of leading contenders face an anxious wait ahead of final acceptances for Australia’s richest staying race.

Just days out from Tuesday’s $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, Racing Victoria’s mandatory veterinary inspections have already had a major impact on the shape of the field, with several prominent hopes requiring further examinations, multiple withdrawals confirmed, and opportunities opening for runners on the verge of securing a coveted Cup berth.

Jennivamoose Withdrawn Despite Passing Veterinary Inspection

In one of the more surprising developments, the Ciaron Maher-trained mare Jennivamoose has been withdrawn from the Melbourne Cup despite successfully passing her mandatory veterinary examination.

Connections elected not to proceed with the mare’s Cup campaign on the back of her fifth to Juja Kibo in last weekend’s Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold cup and following Thursday’s inspections, bringing an end to her bid for Australia’s greatest staying prize.

The withdrawal further thins the list of contenders and opens another opportunity for horses sitting just outside the qualifying positions in the Melbourne Cup order of entry.

Maher’s Geelong Cup winner Point Of Law remains the early Melbourne Cup favourite at $7 through Ladbrokes.

Defiantly Among Five Horses Facing Vet Re-Checks

Much of the pre-race attention has now shifted to Racing Victoria’s stringent veterinary protocols, with five Melbourne Cup horses ordered to undergo further examination before being cleared to accept.

Leading international contender Defiantly, who sits equal first in the Melbourne Cup order of entry, was among the most notable names flagged.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained stayer presented without a right hind shoe and displayed a change in gait compared to previous inspections.

Defiantly will be re-examined on Saturday morning after being reshod.

The latest Melbourne Cup 2026 odds at Ladbrokes have Defiantly installed at $11.

Four other horses were also referred for follow-up veterinary inspections:

• Vauban (13th in order of entry) – re-examination Friday
• Litzdeel (32nd) – re-examination Friday
• Enfjaar (17th) – re-examination Saturday
• Wine Dark Sea (18th) – re-examination Saturday

Each horse showed alterations in gait from earlier assessments.

While none has been ruled out, all five must receive clearance before final acceptances close.

For Melbourne Cup punters, the outcome of these inspections could have a significant bearing on both the final field and betting markets over the coming days.

Saint George Ruled Out of Melbourne Cup

The biggest confirmed casualty from the veterinary process has been Saint George.

The Ciaron Maher-trained stayer had been safely inside the top 24 before Racing Victoria stewards ordered his withdrawal following specialist veterinary advice.

His exit has already helped runners lower in the order of entry edge closer to securing a Cup start.

Stinger Glass Yet to Face First Examination

Japanese contender Stinger Glass remains one of the more intriguing international hopes still awaiting clearance.

The horse did not undergo Thursday’s inspections and is instead scheduled to complete his first mandatory Melbourne Cup veterinary examination on Friday.

Given his lofty position in markets and strong overseas credentials, connections will be hoping for a straightforward passage through the assessment process.

Twenty-Nine Horses Already Cleared

The majority of contenders have successfully navigated the first round of inspections, with 29 horses deemed suitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup.

Among those already cleared are:

• Sons And Lovers
• Trustyourinstinct
• Middle Earth
• Knight’s Choice
• Royal Supremacy
• Juja Kibo
• Asterix
• Goodie Two Shoes
• Soul Of Spain
• Onesmoothoperator
• Zahrann
• Hopewell Rock
• James J Braddock
• Point Of Law
• Strictly Business
• Mr Monaco
• Zakouma
• Shockletz
• So You Are

Their clearance removes one major hurdle on the road to Flemington’s iconic two-mile handicap.

Predicted Melbourne Cup 2026 Final Field

With final acceptances not due until 4:30pm AEDT on Saturday, October 31, the composition of the field remains fluid.

Based on current rankings and available information, the projected Melbourne Cup 2026 field is:

No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Weight
1	Sons And Lovers	Joseph O’Brien	Ryan Moore	57.5kg
2	Stinger Glass	Yasuo Tomomichi	Christophe Lemaire	57kg
3	Trustyourinstinct	Joseph O’Brien	James McDonald	57kg
4	Defiantly*	Joseph O’Brien	Dylan Browne McMonagle	56.5kg
5	Middle Earth	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	56.5kg
6	Vauban*	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jordan Childs	56.5kg
7	Knight’s Choice	John Symons & Sheila Laxon	Robbie Dolan	56.5kg
8	Royal Supremacy	Ciaron Maher	Ben Allen	56kg
9	Enfjaar*	Roger Varian	Ray Dawson	56kg
10	Wine Dark Sea*	Harry Charlton	Damian Lane	56kg
11	Juja Kibo	Ciaron Maher	Sam Clipperton	55kg
12	Asterix	Chris Waller	TBC	55kg
13	Goodie Two Shoes	Joseph O’Brien	Wayne Lordan	55kg
14	Soul Of Spain	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	54.5kg
15	Onesmoothoperator	Tim Fitzsimmons	Declan Bates	54.5kg
16	Zahrann	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	54.5kg
17	Hopewell Rock	George Boughey	Zac Lloyd	54.5kg
18	So You Are	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	54kg
19	James J Braddock	Joseph O’Brien	Craig Williams	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

* Awaiting further veterinary clearance ahead of final Melbourne Cup 2026 acceptances.

What It Means for the Melbourne Cup 2026

With five horses still requiring veterinary approval, Stinger Glass yet to undergo his first inspection, and several recent withdrawals creating movement in the order of entry, the final makeup of the Melbourne Cup 2026 field remains far from settled.

The coming 48 hours will be crucial as connections scramble to secure clearance ahead of Saturday’s acceptance deadline. Any further withdrawals could provide a late lifeline for horses currently sitting outside the top 24 and dramatically reshape both the field and the Melbourne Cup 2026 betting markets.

For now, however, one of the spring’s great fairy-tale stories belongs to So You Are, whose Bendigo Cup heroics have elevated him into Australia’s most famous race and given owner-breeder Stuart Ramsey the Melbourne Cup dream he has chased for decades. As the internationals continue to dominate discussions around Tuesday’s staying showpiece, the locally trained stayer now has his chance to write an unforgettable chapter in Melbourne Cup history.