Queensland’s winter carnival has recently been proving a valuable lead-up reference for horses targeting the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, with several recent Cup winners using mid-year Brisbane races as a springboard.

Half Yours won the 2025 Caulfield Cup after campaigning in Queensland, while Without A Fight completed the Queensland-to-Caulfield Cup path in 2023 after winning the Queensland Derby. Incentivise also used Queensland form before winning the 2021 Caulfield Cup, while Bois D’Argent finished fourth in the 2023 edition.

The Queensland form has also translated into Melbourne Cup success, with Half Yours winning last year’s race after his Queensland campaign, Knights Choice following the same path in 2024, and Without A Fight completing the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double in 2023. (Vow And Declare also won the 2019 Cup after a successful Queensland winter session).

With that history in mind, we’ve highlighted the best-performing 2026 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup contenders from this year's Queensland Winter Carnival.

Royal Supremacy — $11 Caulfield Cup | $26 Melbourne Cup - Royal Supremacy was the standout of your Queensland group, he was the only one of your selected horses to record a win while also producing two other top-three finishes, giving him a very strong Queensland form profile. Sportsbet currently has him at $26 for the Caulfield Cup and $51 for the Melbourne Cup. Won the 2000m Group 3 JRA Cup at Caulfield in impressive fashion on Sunday.

Birdman — $15 Caulfield Cup | $21 Melbourne Cup - Birdman produced a 2nd in the Hollindale and a win in the Doomben Cup, making him one of the most impressive performers from the carnival on our numbers. Sportsbet has him at $26 for the Caulfield Cup and $21 for the Melbourne Cup. Despite those prices, the current expectation is that Birdman is unlikely to head towards either Cup, so his inclusion in the futures markets is worth treating with that in mind.

Thebudgiesmugla — $101 Caulfield Cup | $51 Melbourne Cup - Thebudgiesmugla has a particularly interesting Queensland form line, winning the Caloundra Cup. That win in a 13-horse field gives him a standout piece of carnival form, although his overall profile isn't as deep as some of the others. Sportsbet has him at $101 for the Caulfield Cup and $51 for the Melbourne Cup.

She's A Hustler — $13 Caulfield Cup | $51 Melbourne Cup - She's A Hustler was consistently around the money in Queensland, recording solid efforts in the Hollindale and Doomben Cup. She didn't manage a win, but she remained competitive across all three runs. Sportsbet currently has her at $17 for the Caulfield Cup, making her one of the shorter-priced horses among this group, while she's $51 for the Melbourne Cup.

Half Yours — $16 Caulfield Cup | $13 Melbourne Cup - The defending Caulfield and Melbourne Cup champion has been unable to replicate his 2025 Queensland campaign so far, with three fourth-place finishes from his three Queensland runs. That's still remarkably consistent, but he hasn't produced the same standout result as Royal Supremacy or Birdman. Sportsbet has him at $15 for the Caulfield Cup and $14 for the Melbourne Cup.

Middle Earth — $51 Caulfield Cup | $26 Melbourne Cup - Middle Earth only had one Queensland run, but he made it count with a victory in the JRA Chairman’s Handicap. That's a strong individual piece of form, although there's less evidence to work with compared with the horses who had multiple carnival starts. Sportsbet has him at $26 for both Cups.

Asterix — $41 Caulfield Cup | $51 Melbourne Cup - Asterix's Queensland campaign was a mixed one, with two poorer runs but then a win in the Tattersall’s Cup. The win is obviously a positive, although it came in the smallest field of his three starts. Sportsbet currently has him at $26 for the Caulfield Cup and $51 for the Melbourne Cup.

Prices are thanks to Sportsbet and are subject to change.

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