The 2026 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw will take place at 5:30pm AEDT on Saturday, 31 October after the end of the Victoria Derby race meet.

An hour before, the final field will be confirmed.

Champion jockey James McDonald will ride race favourite Trustyourinstinct.

We will bring you all the field, punting and barrier draw news as it happens.

Potential Melbourne Cup field

1 Sons And Lovers (GB) 57.5kg Joseph O’Brien Ryan Moore
2 Stinger Glass (JPN) 57kg Yasuo Tomomichi Christophe Lemaire
3 Trustyourinstinct (IRE) 57kg Joseph O’Brien James McDonald
4 Defiantly (FR) 56.5kg Joseph O’Brien Dylan Browne McMonagle
5 Middle Earth (GB) 56.5kg Ciaron Maher Mark Zahra
6 Vauban (FR) 56.5kg Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott TBC
7 Knight’s Choice 56.5kg John Symons & Sheila Laxon Robbie Dolan
8 Royal Supremacy (IRE) 56kg Ciaron Maher TBC
9 Enfjaar (IRE) 56kg Roger Varian Ray Dawson (unconfirmed)
10 Wine Dark Sea (GB) 56kg Harry Charlton TBC
11 Juja Kibo (IRE) 55kg Ciaron Maher Sam Clipperton
12 Saint George (GB) 55kg Ciaron Maher Blake Shinn
13 Asterix (NZ) 55kg Chris Waller TBC
14 Goodie Two Shoes (IRE) 55kg Joseph O’Brien Wayne Lordan
15 Soul Of Spain (IRE) 54.5kg Chris Waller Tommy Berry
16 Onesmoothoperator (USA) 54.5kg Tim Fitzsimmons Declan Bates
17 Zahrann (IRE) 54.5kg Ciaron Maher Ben Melham
18 Hopewell Rock (IRE) 54.5kg George Boughey Zac Lloyd 19 James J Braddock (IRE) 53.5kg Joseph O’Brien Craig Williams 20 Point Of Law (GB) 53kg Ciaron Maher Ethan Brown 21 Strictly Business 53kg Thomas Carberry TBC 22 Mr Monaco (GB) 52.5kg Ciaron Maher Jabez Johnstone (a) 23 Zakouma 52kg Grahame Begg William Pike 24 Shockletz (NZ) 51kg Ciaron Maher Harry Coffey