The Melbourne Cup 2026 field has suffered another major shake-up, with Japanese raider Stinger Glass officially withdrawn from Tuesday’s $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) after failing Racing Victoria’s mandatory pre-race veterinary screening protocols.

The scratching marks the latest twist in an increasingly dramatic lead-up to Australia’s greatest race and has immediate ramifications for the final 24-horse Melbourne Cup field, with Future History gaining a coveted place in the line-up and reigning Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jamie Melham securing a ride in her bid for back-to-back victories.

Stinger Glass Ruled Out of Melbourne Cup 2026

Racing Victoria confirmed on Friday that Stinger Glass would not be permitted to take his place in the 2026 Melbourne Cup after advanced diagnostic imaging determined the horse was at a heightened risk of injury.

The Yasuo Tomomichi-trained stayer had arrived in Australia as one of Japan’s leading hopes in the race and was expected to play a key role in the latest international assault on Flemington’s famous two-mile handicap.

However, after undertaking mandatory scans under Racing Victoria’s stringent veterinary protocols, the Japanese visitor became the second horse officially ruled out of this year’s race on veterinary grounds alongside Saint George.

According to Racing Victoria, Stinger Glass had initially satisfied the international screening requirements prior to travelling to Australia.

Stinger Glass is OUT of the Melbourne Cup! ?

Future History will take his place, with Jamie Melham to ride.

?? https://t.co/BcqgHJtSQs pic.twitter.com/y8s9P0vLt9

— Racing.com (@Racing) October 29, 2026

“In accordance with RV’s veterinary protocols for international horses wishing to compete in the Spring Racing Carnival and quarantine at the Werribee International Horse Centre (WIHC), Stinger Glass underwent a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan in Japan on 26 August 2026,” Racing Victoria said.

The case was particularly unusual given Japan does not currently have access to the standing equine CT technology required under Racing Victoria’s preferred screening process.

“MRI scans are permitted for international horses only where the higher definition and preferred Computed Tomography (CT) scan is not reasonably available. In the case of Stinger Glass, Japan does not currently have a standing equine CT scanner.”

After completing pre-export quarantine and arriving at Werribee on October 12, Stinger Glass continued his preparation while undergoing Australia’s mandatory quarantine and veterinary assessment procedures.

The decisive development came after the horse completed CT scans this week.

“The three members from the independent imaging review panel assigned to review the CT scan results for Stinger Glass, reported to RV Veterinary Services that the CT scan results indicated the horse is currently at heightened risk of injury.”

With that finding, the Japanese contender was immediately withdrawn from the race.

Another Blow for International Contenders

The scratching represents a significant setback for both Japanese racing interests and Racing Victoria’s ongoing efforts to encourage a stronger Japanese presence in the Melbourne Cup.

Japanese-trained horses have historically been difficult to attract to Australia’s premier staying contest despite the race’s enormous prizemoney and global profile.

Stinger Glass was viewed as one of the strongest Japanese chances to contest the race in recent years, making his withdrawal a disappointing outcome for international racing fans.

However, Racing Victoria’s veterinary protocols remain non-negotiable and have become one of the key safeguards implemented to protect horse welfare ahead of the Melbourne Cup.

The enhanced scanning and veterinary assessment procedures were introduced following a series of high-profile fatalities in the race. Since those measures were introduced, the Melbourne Cup has been conducted without a fatality, reinforcing Racing Victoria’s commitment to horse welfare and safety.

Future History Secures Melbourne Cup Start

The biggest beneficiary of the latest Melbourne Cup scratching is Future History, who now climbs into the final field following the withdrawals of both Saint George and Stinger Glass.

The Gregory Hickman-trained stayer had appeared destined to miss the Cup earlier in the week before the field order experienced a series of dramatic changes.

Future History’s promotion is especially significant as it provides defending Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Jamie Melham with a ride in the race after uncertainty surrounding her Cup prospects.

Melham famously won the 2025 Melbourne Cup aboard Half Yours and now receives an opportunity to defend her crown aboard the outsider.

Speaking earlier this week, the jockey remained hopeful her mount could sneak into the field.

“You’ve got to be in the race to win it,” she said.

“Hopefully Future History can make it into the field and I can ride him.”

With Stinger Glass now out, that wish has become reality.

Future History comes via a lead-up ninth in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup on Cox Plate Day and is currently listed as a $101 outsider in the latest Melbourne Cup 2026 odds at Ladbrokes.

Prince Of Penzance for Darren Weir, who famously made Michelle Payne the first female Melbourne Cup winning jockey in history back in 2015, was the last triple-figure champion of the ‘race that stops a nation’ and was also a Moonee Valley Gold Cup graduate having run 2nd before his historic upset.

Five Horses Still Awaiting Melbourne Cup Clearance

Despite Stinger Glass officially being ruled out, uncertainty remains around several other contenders as Racing Victoria continues its final veterinary review process.

Five horses remain under scrutiny ahead of final acceptances:

Horse	Order of Entry Position	Status
Defiantly	Equal 1st	Awaiting re-examination
Vauban	13th	Awaiting re-examination
Enfjaar	17th	Awaiting re-examination
Wine Dark Sea	18th	Awaiting re-examination
Litzdeel	32nd	Awaiting re-examination

Defiantly’s case attracted particular attention after the Joseph O’Brien-trained stayer presented without a right hind shoe and showed a change in gait compared to previous examinations.

Despite the cloud of doubt, he remains high up the all-in Melbourne Cup betting markets at $11.

Meanwhile, veteran international campaigner Vauban, along with Enfjaar, Wine Dark Sea and Litzdeel, are all seeking final clearance after displaying gait changes during their inspections.

Notably, Vauban, a $51 chance at time of publish, has since reportedly progressed positively through the veterinary process, providing a boost for connections as final acceptances approach.

Melbourne Cup 2026 Field Taking Shape

With Jennivamoose, Saint George, The Euphrates, Kings Valley and now Stinger Glass all withdrawn from contention, the final shape of the 2026 Melbourne Cup field is becoming clearer.

However, several key veterinary assessments still need to be completed before the line-up can be officially finalised.

The latest scratchings reinforce just how fluid the Melbourne Cup picture remains in the final days before the race that stops a nation.

For punters following the Melbourne Cup 2026 field, Melbourne Cup 2026 scratchings, and the latest Melbourne Cup news, Stinger Glass’s withdrawal stands as one of the most significant developments of the spring carnival.

Not only does it remove a highly regarded international contender from betting calculations, but it also keeps alive the Melbourne Cup dream for Future History and defending champion jockey Jamie Melham as the countdown to Flemington’s $10.2 million showpiece enters its final stages.

Latest Melbourne Cup Final Field 2026 Prediction*

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	Defiantly	Joseph O’Brien	Dylan Browne McMonagle	56.5kg
4	Middle Earth	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	56.5kg
5	Vauban	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jordan Childs	56.5kg
6	Knight’s Choice	John Symons & Sheila Laxon	Robbie Dolan	56.5kg
7	Royal Supremacy	Ciaron Maher	Ben Allen	56kg
8	Enfjaar	Roger Varian	Ray Dawson	56kg
9	Wine Dark Sea	Harry Charlton	Damian Lane	56kg
10	Juja Kibo	Ciaron Maher	Sam Clipperton	55kg
11	Asterix	Chris Waller	Jason Collett (TBC)	55kg
12	Goodie Two Shoes	Joseph O’Brien	Wayne Lordan	55kg
13	Soul Of Spain	Chris Waller	Tommy Berry	54.5kg
14	Onesmoothoperator	Tim Fitzsimmons	Declan Bates	54.5kg
15	Zahrann	Ciaron Maher	Ben Melham	54.5kg
16	Hopewell Rock	George Boughey	Zac Lloyd	54.5kg
17	So You Are	Bjorn Baker	Rachel King	54kg
18	James J Braddock	Joseph O’Brien	Craig Williams	53.5kg
19	Future History	Gregory Hickman	Jamie Melham	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 Melbourne Cup 2026 field will not be confirmed until final acceptances at 4:30pm (AEDT) on Saturday.