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The Melbourne Cup is the most important race on the Australian horse racing calendar. It isn’t called “the race that stops a nation” for nothing – Australia really does come to a halt for an afternoon to watch the Melbourne Cup, which is the world’s richest handicap.

2024 Melbourne Cup Results

The 2024 Melbourne Cup results will be known when the race runs on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. 

• 1st: #11 Knight’s Choice ($91)
• 2nd: #4 Warp Speed
• 3rd: #12 Okita Soushi
• 4th: #14 Zardozi

The John Symons & Shelia Laxon-trained Queenslander, Knight’s Choice ($91), flashed home from the back late with Robbie Dolan aboard to score a thrilling upset in the 2024 Melbourne Cup results narrowly denying the Japanese raider Warp Speed in a remarkable finish.

Okita Soushi for Ciaron Maher ran third with the James Cummings-trained mare Zardozi briefly looking the winner before holding for fourth.

Click here for the full story.

Melbourne Cup 2024 Odds & Results

Lexus Melbourne Cup (G1)

FinalRace time: 1730779472

Runner Details	Win	Place
1st 11. Knight's Choice (5) J: Robbie Dolan 51.5kg T: J G Symons & S Laxon	81.00	18.00
2nd 4. Warp Speed (2) J: Akira Sugawara 54.5kg T: N Takagi	26.00	7.00
3rd 12. Okita Soushi (9) J: Jamie Kah 51kg T: Ciaron Maher	19.00	6.50
4th 14. Zardozi (3) J: Andrea Atzeni 51kg T: James Cummings	14.00	4.50
5th 9. Absurde (6) J: Kerrin McEvoy 52.5kg T: Willie Mullins	10.00	3.50
6th 3. Circle Of Fire (23) J: Mark Zahra 54.5kg T: Ciaron Maher	23.00	6.50
7th 17. Fancy Man (18) J: Ron Stewart 50kg T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald	81.00	17.00
8th 8. Land Legend (17) J: Zac Purton 53kg T: Chris Waller	14.00	4.80
9th 2. Buckaroo (20) J: Joao Moreira 54.5kg T: Chris Waller	6.50	2.50
10th 5. Kovalica (16) J: Damian Lane 53.5kg T: Chris Waller	26.00	7.00
11th 1. Vauban (10) J: William Buick 55.5kg T: Willie Mullins	8.00	2.90
12th 13. Onesmoothoperator (11) J: Craig Williams 51kg T: Brian Ellison	7.00	2.70
13th 16. Valiant King (21) J: Craig Newitt 50.5kg T: Chris Waller	91.00	18.00
14th 15. Sea King (1) J: Hollie Doyle 50.5kg T: Harry Eustace	12.00	4.00
15th 18. Interpretation (13) J: Teodore Nugent 50kg T: Ciaron Maher	21.00	6.00
16th 6. Sharp 'N' Smart (14) J: Michael Dee 53.5kg T: Graeme & Debbie Rogerson	51.00	12.00
17th 24. Trust In You (4) J: Mark Du Plessis 50kg T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley	71.00	17.00
18th 20. Mostly Cloudy (15) J: Karis Teetan 50kg T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	101.00	19.00
19th 19. Manzoice (7) J: Declan Bates 50kg T: Chris Waller	126.00	23.00
20th 21. Positivity (19) J: Winona Costin 50kg T: Andrew Forsman	101.00	20.00
21st 23. The Map (22) J: Rachel King 50kg T: Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray	71.00	15.00
22nd 22. Saint George (8) J: Tyler Schiller 50kg T: Ciaron Maher	23.00	6.50
23rd 7. Just Fine (12) J: Jye McNeil 53kg T: G Waterhouse & A Bott	35.00	10.00

Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au/racing.
Data retrieved: 22/11/2024 09:52:53 AM (Australia/Brisbane)

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Race comments

The Melbourne Cup. Plenty of betting angles as usual, with one being whether BUCKAROO (2) will run 3200m strongly. Gelded this campaign, he's been outstanding in defeat at his past two starts, nosed out by Via Sistina in the G1 Turnbull Stakes before charging into second in the G1 Caulfield Cup. That looked a perfect Cup trial, the gamble is whether that translates to two miles. VAUBAN (1) returns to Flemington having started favourite in this race last year and failing. He's coming off a tough second to a superstar in Kyprios and if he handles the occasion, he'll just about win. INTERPRETATION (18) has a sense of timing. He's flown home at his past two and was excellent from a long way back here last year. KOVALICA (5) is very interesting out to a trip, which we haven't seen since his G1 Queensland Derby win. He's got the ability. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (13) and SEA KING (15) were both excellent at their local debuts and come here with genuine chances.

Held each year on the first Tuesday of November, the Melbourne Cup is a real test of staying power. The Melbourne Cup is raced over a distance of 3200 metres, far longer than any other major event in the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, so it is certainly not a race that is easy to prepare for. Two miles is the traditional cup race distance and few races in Australia are still contested over these meters.

Every year the Melbourne Cup captures the attention of race fans around the country and abroad. It has now become a truly international affair too with nearly half of the 2024 Melbourne Cup field being raiders trained outside of Australia and New Zealand. Each year the international raiders are well-fancied in the Melbourne Cup Odds as they are bred to go the distance. That said, in 2019 the locally trained Vow And Declare held off the raiders for a home-town win!

In 2020 the internationals were back on top with three running the trifecta with Twilight Payment (1st), Tiger Moth (2nd) and Prince Of Arran (3rd) in his third Melbourne Cup placing.

The 2021 Melbourne Cup results saw Verry Elleegant defeat fellow Australian galloper Incentivise with the UK raider Spanish Mission third.

The 2022 Melbourne Cup winner was the Ciaron Maher & David Eustace-trained French expat Gold Trip who carried the 57.5kg top-weight to an impressive two length win at 20-1.

The 2023 Melbourne Cup winner was the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight who became the first horse to do the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double since 2001 ridden to victory by last year’s winning hoop Mark Zahra.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup winner was the John Symons & Shelia Laxon-trained Queensland roughie Knight’s Choice who beat home the Japanese raider Warp Speed at $91 odds in a remarkable upset!

The Melbourne Cup is one of the few remaining genuine, two-mile races held in Australia each year. The only other 3200m race at Flemington Racecourse is the Andrew Ramsden Stakes, while in New South Wales the Sydney Cup is the country’s other Group 1 over the distance. Australia isn’t known for breeding genuine stayers and that is one of the reasons why every year the Melbourne Cup field features more and more both internationally bred and trained horses.

The race goes for roughly three and a half minutes with the Melbourne Cup race record held by the Bart Cummings-trained Kingston Rule who won in 3:16.30 minutes back in 1990.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup ran on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 at 3pm local time as Flemington Race 7 and was won in an upset at $91 odds by the Queenslander, John Symons & Shelia Laxon’s Knight’s Choice, ridden by Robbie Dolan. 

2024 Melbourne Cup Finishing Order

	Finish	No.	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Bar.	Weight	Penalty	Starting Price
	1	11	KNIGHT’S CHOICE	John Symons & Sheila Laxon	Robbie Dolan		5	51.5kg		$91
	2	4	WARP SPEED (JPN)	Noboru Takagi	Akira Sugawara	0.1L	2	54.5kg		$26
	3	12	OKITA SOUSHI (IRE)	Ciaron Maher	Ms Jamie Kah	0.85L	9	51kg	1.0kg	$19
	4	14	ZARDOZI	James Cummings	Andrea Atzeni	1.31L	3	51kg		$14
	5	9	ABSURDE (FR)	Willie Mullins	Kerrin McEvoy	1.71L	6	52.5kg		$10
	6	3	CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB)	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	2.71L	23	54.5kg		$21
	7	17	FANCY MAN (IRE)	Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald	Ron Stewart	2.86L	18	50kg		$81
	8	8	LAND LEGEND (FR)	Chris Waller	Zac Purton	3.32L	17	53kg	1.0kg	$15
	9	2	BUCKAROO (GB)	Chris Waller	Joao Moreira	3.52L	20	54.5kg		$6F
	10	5	KOVALICA (NZ)	Chris Waller	Damian Lane	4.27L	16	53.5kg		$26
	11	1	VAUBAN (FR)	Willie Mullins	William Buick	5.02L	10	55.5kg		$8
	12	13	ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA)	Brian Ellison	Craig Williams	5.42L	11	51kg	1.0kg	$7
	13	16	VALIANT KING (GB)	Chris Waller	Craig Newitt	5.52L	21	50.5kg (cd 51kg)		$91
	14	15	SEA KING (GB)	Harry Eustace	Ms Hollie Doyle	6.02L	1	50.5kg	0.5kg	$12
	15	18	INTERPRETATION (IRE)	Ciaron Maher	Teo Nugent	7.77L	13	50kg		$21
	16	6	SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ)	Graeme & Deborah Rogerson	Michael Dee	9.52L	14	53.5kg		$51
	17	24	TRUST IN YOU (NZ)	Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley	Mark Du Plessis	9.98L	4	50kg		$71
	18	20	MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Karis Teetan	10.98L	15	50kg		$91
	19	19	MANZOICE	Chris Waller	Declan Bates	13.23L	7	50kg (cd 51kg)		$101
	20	21	POSITIVITY (NZ)	Andrew Forsman	Ms Winona Costin	13.63L	19	50kg		$101
	21	23	THE MAP	Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray	Ms Rachel King	14.09L	22	50kg		$71
	22	22	SAINT GEORGE (GB)	Ciaron Maher	Tyler Schiller	15.34L	8	50kg		$26
	23	7	JUST FINE (IRE)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jye McNeil	25.34L	12	53kg	0.5kg	$31
		10	ATHABASCAN (FR)	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	Zac Lloyd (a)		0

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2024 Melbourne Cup Betting

The Melbourne Cup betting odds are open nearly all year round on the likely stayers set to line-up in the ‘race that stops a nation’ on the first Tuesday of November.

When looking for the best Melbourne Cup 2024 odds, it is best to start early when the first nominations for the race come out. Online betting sites like Ladbrokes.com.au put out early markets on the Melbourne Cup nominations and you can lock in generous prices on your early Melbourne Cup tips in these all-in markets.

If you prefer to leave your betting until later, then you can boost the lower Melbourne Cup odds you receive by taking exotic bets. The highest Melbourne Cup odds always entail an element of risk, but you will feel much better getting paid $1000 for a winning $5 bet than you would getting paid $6.50 just betting on a short Melbourne Cup favourite.

Recent Melbourne Cup history shows favourites have a poor record with the last to salute for the punters at the shortest Melbourne Cup starting price since Makybe Diva (2005) being Fiorente (2013).

The 2015 Melbourne Cup results showed that one of the longest-priced horses in that year’s Melbourne Cup odds was the one to back with Prince Of Penzance scoring an upset at $101.

There was a notable upset in 2022 with Gold Trip winning at Melbourne Cup odds of $21.

In 2023 the Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight started at Melbourne Cup odds of $8.

There was a huge upset in 2024 with Knight’s Choice saluting at Melbourne Cup odds of $91! 

For more information on analysing the odds as well as the latest odds on the Melbourne Cup, please visit our dedicated Melbourne Cup odds page.

2024 Melbourne Cup Field

The 2024 Melbourne Cup final acceptances close at 4:30pm (local time) on Saturday November 2, 2024 with the field made public and published below soon after.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup barrier draw takes place on the evening of Saturday November 2, 2024 from 6:30pm (AEDT) and can be viewed live at Racing.com.

The 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup final field and barriers are now out with Chris Waller to saddle-up five runners including the widely drawn favourite Buckaroo from gate 21.

Click here for the full story.

• Update: No. 10 Athabascan (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton) has been scratched from the 2024 Melbourne Cup field on Monday afternoon after being found to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia in his mandatory final check by RV vets. Click here for the full story.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	11x0x24312	VAUBAN (FR)	Willie Mullins	William Buick	11	55.5kg			115
2	5356×81122	BUCKAROO (GB)	Chris Waller	Joao Moreira	21	54.5kg			117
3	3x4411x890	CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB)	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	24	54.5kg			112
4	x414x325x0	WARP SPEED (JPN)	Noboru Takagi	Akira Sugawara	3	54.5kg			113
5	95365×3426	KOVALICA (NZ)	Chris Waller	Damian Lane	17	53.5kg			113
6	x3669x0203	SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ)	Graeme & Deborah Rogerson	Michael Dee	15	53.5kg			110
7	0x85x05010	JUST FINE (IRE)	Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott	Jye McNeil	13	53kg		0.5kg	110
8	755x1x0613	LAND LEGEND (FR)	Chris Waller	Zac Purton	18	53kg		1.0kg	110
9	1x7P41x41x	ABSURDE (FR)	Willie Mullins	Kerrin McEvoy	7	52.5kg			109
10	x6442x8001	ATHABASCAN (FR)	John O’Shea & Tom Charlton	Zac Lloyd (a)	2	52kg			109
11	24234×9005	KNIGHT’S CHOICE	John Symons & Sheila Laxon	Robbie Dolan	6	51.5kg			108
12	13x00x8021	OKITA SOUSHI (IRE)	Ciaron Maher	Ms Jamie Kah	10	51kg		1.0kg	107
13	64282×1741	ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA)	Brian Ellison	Craig Williams	12	51kg		1.0kg	107
14	132×665245	ZARDOZI	James Cummings	Andrea Atzeni	4	51kg			114
15	04x10136x1	SEA KING (GB)	Harry Eustace	Ms Hollie Doyle	1	50.5kg		0.5kg	106
16	212256×009	VALIANT KING (GB)	Chris Waller	Craig Newitt	22	50.5kg			105
17	x58610x536	FANCY MAN (IRE)	Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald	Ron Stewart	19	50kg			104
18	916×000862	INTERPRETATION (IRE)	Ciaron Maher	Teo Nugent	14	50kg			103
19	88520×2307	MANZOICE	Chris Waller	Declan Bates	8	50kg			102
20	x23622x440	MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE)	Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young	Karis Teetan	16	50kg			105
21	81291×2178	POSITIVITY (NZ)	Andrew Forsman	Ms Winona Costin	20	50kg			103
22	31123×8495	SAINT GEORGE (GB)	Ciaron Maher	Tyler Schiller	9	50kg			102
23	12211×9056	THE MAP	Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray	Ms Rachel King	23	50kg			104
24	1626×63044	TRUST IN YOU (NZ)	Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley	Mark Du Plessis	5	50kg			106

Already those in the know including the punters are predicting the likely Melbourne Cup field and keeping an eye on the updated Melbourne Cup ballot and order of entry is a good guide to what stayers will make the cut.

Previously, the last chance for stayers to make the 2024 Melbourne Cup final field was Derby Day’s Group 3 Lexus Stakes (2500m). The last Melbourne Cup winner to back-up off a run in the Lexus Stakes only three days before was Shocking (2009) who completed the double. In 2024 the Lexus Archer Stakes runs earlier in mid-September on Makybe Diva Stakes Day.

2024 Melbourne Cup News & Field Updates

Stay tuned for the breaking news on the horses and jockeys that are in and out of the Melbourne Cup 2024 field this spring.

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE LATEST UPDATES TO THE 2024 MELBOURNE CUP FIELD & ORDER OF ENTRY

• Update: No. 10 Athabascan (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton) has been scratched from the 2024 Melbourne Cup field on Monday afternoon after being found to be suffering from cardiac arrhythmia in his mandatory final check by RV vets. Click here for the full story.
• Mahrajaan (USA) (Shaune Ritchie & Tom Charlton) was set to be ridden by Declan Bates but was ruled out on Saturday morning after a failed scan. Manzoice (Chris Waller) now gets a start moving inside the Top 24 on the order of entry.
• Via Sistina (Chris Waller) was to have been ridden by James McDonald with the 56kg topweight but the Cox Plate winning mare will not contest the 3200m event leaving J Mac without a ride – click here for the full story.
• Jan Brueghel (Aidan O’Brien) was set to be ridden by Ryan Moore but the European raider was ruled out of the Melbourne Cup on October 29 by Racing Victoria vets – click here for the full story.
• Eliyass (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott) was to be ridden by Tim Clark but connections have confirmed the horse will miss the Melbourne Cup in favour of a drop back in distance to target the Group 1 Champions Stakes (2000m) on November 9.
• Point King (Anthony & Sam Freedman) was to be ridden by Jamie Kah but connections confirmed the horse would be a non-acceptor in the Melbourne Cup.
• Jamie Kah picked up a subsequent ride on Okita Soushi (Ciaron Maher).
• Muramasa (Truent Busuttin & Natlie Young) has been officially withdrawn on vet’s advice after a CT scan revealed he was at a “heightened risk of injury” should he run. Tyler Schiller is now without a ride.
• Mission Of Love (John Symons & Shelia Laxon) who was to be ridden by Nikita Beriman has failed her inspection on Friday and has been withdrawn on veterinary advice.

2024 Melbourne Cup Jockeys

Robbie Dolan is the latest Melbourne Cup winning jockey saluting in 2024 on Knight’s Choice.

Mark Zahra won the year before in 2023 on Without A Knight and also in 2022 on Gold Trip becoming the first since Harry White (1978-79) to ride two different horses to victory on back-to-back years.

The confirmed 2024 Melbourne Cup jockeys will be updated below as connections lock in a rider for their Melbourne Cup contenders.

See what jockeys have locked in a ride aboard one of the 24 Melbourne Cup horses this spring.

CONFIRMED 2024 MELBOURNE CUP RIDES

1. Vauban (FR) (Willie Mullins) to be ridden by William Buick (55.5kg) from barrier 11
2. Buckaroo (GB) (Chris Waller) to be ridden by Joao Moreira (54.5kg) from barrier 21
3. Circle Of Fire (GB) (Ciaron Maher) to be ridden by Mark Zahra (54.5kg) from barrier 24
4. Warp Speed (JPN) (Noboru Takagi) to be ridden by Akira Sugawara (54.5kg) from barrier 3
5. Kovalica (NZ) (Chris Waller) to be ridden by Damian Lane (53.5kg) from barrier 17
6. Sharp ‘n’ Smart (NZ) (Graeme & Deborah Rogerson) to be ridden by Michael Dee (53.5kg) from barrier 15
7. Just Fine (IRE) (Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott) to be ridden by Jye McNeil (53kg -includes 0.5kg penalty) from barrier 13
8. Land Legend (FR) (Chris Waller) to be ridden by Zac Purton (53kg – includes 1.0kg penalty) from barrier 18
9. Absurde (FR) (Willie Mullins) to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy (52.5kg) from barrier 7
10. Athabascan (FR) (John O’Shea & Tom Charlton) to be ridden by Zac Lloyd (a) (52kg) from barrier 2
11. Knight’s Choice (John Symons & Sheila Laxon) to be ridden by Robbie Dolan (51.5kg) from barrier 6
12. Okita Soushi (IRE) (Ciaron Maher) to be ridden by Jamie Kah (51kg – includes 1.0kg penalty) from barrier 10
13. Onesmoothoperator (USA) (Brian Ellison) to be ridden by Craig Williams (51kg – includes 1.0kg penalty) from barrier 12
14. Zardozi (James Cummings) to be ridden by Andrea Atzeni (51kg) from barrier 4
15. Sea King (GB) (Harry Eustace) to be ridden by Hollie Doyle (50.5 includes 0.5 penalty kg) from barrier 1
16. Valiant King (GB) (Chris Waller) to be ridden by Craig Newitt (50.5kg) from barrier 22
17. Fancy Man (IRE) (Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald) to be ridden by Ron Stewart (50kg) from barrier 19
18. Interpretation (IRE) (Ciaron Maher) to be ridden by Teo Nugent (50kg) from barrier 14
19. Manzoice (Chris Waller) to be ridden by Declan Bates (50kg) from barrier 8
20. Mostly Cloudy (IRE) (Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young) to be ridden by Karis Teetan (50kg) from barrier 16
21. Positivity (NZ) (Andrew Forsman) to be ridden by Winona Costin (50kg) from barrier 20
22. Saint George (GB) (Ciaron Maher) to be ridden by Tyler Schiller (50kg) from barrier 9
23. The Map (Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillvray) to be ridden by Rachel King (50kg) from barrier 23
24. Trust In You (NZ) (Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley) to be ridden by Mark Du Plessis (50kg) from barrier 5

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The Melbourne Cup field is restricted to 24 horses with no emergencies, but the race receives dozens more nominations in the lead up to the event. The final Melbourne Cup field for each year is released on the Saturday evening before the race, after the conclusion of Victoria Derby Day, and punters wait impatiently for this information each year as it allows them to lock in their final bets. Even still, many punters bide their time until the morning of the Melbourne Cup, just in case something gets scratched or odds improve.

Following the release of the Melbourne Cup field on Victoria Derby Day, which kicks off the four-meeting Melbourne Cup Carnival each year, the Melbourne Cup barrier draw is then released live form Flemington Racecourse.

The final acceptors then take their places at the track in three days’ time on Melbourne Cup Day for their shot at the major first prize on offer to the Melbourne Cup winner.

The horses that make up the Melbourne Cup field are decided based on a few different conditions, and lesser horses are balloted out based on prize money earned in the last two years, performance in specific lead up races, and handicap weight.

The link between the Melbourne Cup and Japan has been growing since the Japanese-trained stable mates Delta Blues and Pop Rock ran the Melbourne Cup quinella finishing first and second in the great race back in 2006.

That was one year after the three-year reign of the magnificent mare Makybe Diva ended following her victories in 2003 – 2005.

Makybe Diva remains the only triple Melbourne Cup winner in history with jockey Glen Boss riding her to victory in all three of her successes.

For the current race field and more on how it is decided, please visit our Melbourne Cup field page.

Melbourne Cup Race Time

Every year the Melbourne Cup runs at the same time, 3:00pm in Melbourne on the first Tuesday in November. Here are the start times for when the Melbourne Cup will jump around the country. Don’t miss out on the ‘race that stops a nation’ by checking the Melbourne Cup start time in your state.

• Melbourne: 3:00pm
• Sydney: 3:00pm
• Brisbane: 2:00pm
• Adelaide: 2:30pm
• Perth: 12:00pm
• Canberra: 3:00pm
• Hobart: 3:00pm
• Darwin: 1:30pm

Wherever you are in the country, make sure you schedule a few minutes aside to watch the spectacle that is the Melbourne Cup. And don’t forget to head to a trusted Melbourne Cup betting agency like Ladbrokes.com.au to back your favourite to join the list of Melbourne Cup winners before race jumps!

As well as holding the same start time, the Melbourne Cup race number remains the same each Cup Day – Flemington Race 7. Many people have their once-a-year bet on the Melbourne Cup results so when you want to place your bets, remember it is Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDT) on the first Tuesday of November.

Interestingly, the Melbourne Cup is the only Group 1 race on the Melbourne Cup Day schedule. There are still plenty of other exciting support races on the Melbourne Cup Day card so why not enjoy a full day of Melbourne Cup betting!

There are more choices now than ever before when it comes to Melbourne Cup betting.

Whether you are a once-a-year punter picking the Melbourne Cup winner based on a gut feeling or lucky number, a seasoned professional taking advantage of the generous Melbourne Cup odds available at the online bookmakers or you just pick a horse in your office Melbourne Cup sweep – there really is a way for everyone to get in on this iconic race.

2024 Melbourne Cup Third Acceptances

The 2024 Melbourne Cup third acceptances close on Monday October 28, 2024 at 12:00pm (local time).

The Lexus Melbourne Cup 2024 third acceptances feature 35 hopefuls including six internationals and last weekend’s eight-length Cox Plate hero Via Sistina who is one of eight still in the mix for trainer Chris Waller.

Click here to read more on the official 2024 Melbourne Cup third acceptors.

2024 Melbourne Cup Second Acceptances

The Melbourne Cup second acceptances are the second round of declarations taken the Monday before the final field is released on the Saturday before Melbourne Cup Day. The Melbourne Cup second acceptances stage is the final step in the process before the announcement of the final field on Victoria Derby Day and traditionally attract around 30 – 40 hopefuls.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup second acceptances close on Tuesday October 15, 2024 at 12:00pm (local time). 

The 2024 Melbourne Cup second acceptances are now out with 55 stayers including 6 internationals still chasing a win in Australia’s best race including Jan Brueghel who heads the markets with Ryan Moore locked in for the ride.

Click here to view the full 2024 Melbourne Cup second acceptances.

2024 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances

Melbourne Cup first acceptances are the first round of declarations helping narrow down the original bumper crop of nominees for the classic ahead of the official Melbourne Cup final field of 24 being released on the Saturday before Melbourne Cup Day.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup first acceptances close on Tuesday October 1, 2024 at 12:00pm (local time) and can be viewed on our Melbourne Cup field page.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup first acceptances are now out attracting 72 stayers including 20 internationals led by the Aidan O’Brien-trained favourite Jan Brueghel. Without A Fight was the most notable omission with connections of last year’s champion opting not to pay up at first acceptance stage.

Click here to view the full 2024 Melbourne Cup first acceptances.

2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations & Weights

The 2024 Melbourne Cup nominations close on Tuesday September 3, 2024 at 12:00pm (local time).

The 2024 Melbourne Cup Nominations close on a Tuesday in early September at midday, along with those for the Caulfield Cup.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup weights (handicaps) were declared on Tuesday September 17, 2024 with the reigning champion Without A Fight allocated the 58.5kg topweight after carrying 56kg to victory last year. 

Without A Fight however was not paid up for at first acceptance stage making the Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina (56kg) the new 2024 Melbourne Cup topweight.

Click here to view the complete 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup weights.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup nominations drew 123 horses including 20 internationals led by the Aidan O’Brien-trained Grosvenor Square, fellow Irish raider Vauban, and Ciaron Maher’s locally-trained Sydney Cup champion Circle Of Fire.

Click here to view the complete list of 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup nominations.

Get a good look at the 2024 Melbourne Cup nominations, because the impressive amount of talent nominated for this year’s edition will surely make picking the winner a challenging task. Not long after, the Melbourne Cup weights are also released. First Declarations will be announced in early October. Second Declarations will occur in late October.

The final Melbourne Cup field will be declared on Victoria Derby Day.

Each year of Melbourne Cup nominations feature more international competitors than previous editions, the race being “internationalised” in 1993 when Dermot Weld won with Irish raider Vintage Crop.

The 2024 Melbourne Cup nominations and weights can also be viewed on the Melbourne Cup field page as soon as announced by Racing Victoria.

Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw

Barrier 5 is the latest Melbourne Cup winning barrier that Knight’s Choice jumped from in 2024. 

The 2024 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw will take place on Victoria Derby Day after the racing action on the Saturday before the Melbourne Cup runs on the first Tuesday of November.

An interesting statistic that can impact betting is the 2024 Melbourne Cup barrier draw.

While theoretically the distance of the race should make the Melbourne Cup barrier draw meaningless to the overall result, there have historically been a few barriers that have done particularly well and barriers that have performed poorly.

Every year the Melbourne Cup barrier draw is conducted live from the home of the great race, Flemington Racecourse, which is Victoria’s premier racetrack.

The Melbourne Cup barrier draw is an event in itself with the connections of the 24 horses engaged in the Melbourne Cup field invited up to select a gate for their runner to jump from the following Tuesday afternoon.

Barrier 11 is historically the most successful Melbourne Cup barrier producing nine wins over the years.

Barrier 5 follows with eight winners including Knight’s Choice (2024).

Other barriers with good numbers producing six winners each are 10 and 14.

In 2021 Verry Elleegant became the first Melbourne Cup winner from Barrier 18 since the current starting system was introduced in 1925.

Most recently barrier five has been the best barrier producing back-to-back winners with Green Moon (2012) and Fiorente (2013) followed by Knight’s Choice (2024).

That said the wider gates have not been a total disadvantage either with the three runners before that jumping from double figure barriers with Without A Fight (16 in 2023), Vow And Declare (21 of 24 in 2019), Cross Counter (19 in 2018), Shocking (21 in 2009), Americain (11 in 2010), Dunaden (13 in 2011), and Protectionist (10 in 2014).

To find out all about how the barrier draw can affect your betting, be sure to read our Melbourne Cup barrier draw page.

Melbourne Cup Tips

CLICK HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE 2024 MELBOURNE CUP TIPS & BEST BETS ON THE CUP

To Win: #13 Onesmoothoperator ($8 at time of publish) 

Onesmoothoperator is short in the Melbourne Cup markets and deservedly so regardless of the scare in the lead-up.

He had a heel cut but was reshoed and re-examined with RV vets passing him fit.

With how stringent they’ve been in ruling horses out, if this guy wasn’t right to run he wouldn’t be lining-up.

Brian Ellison-trained in the UK he made an immediate impact down under winning the Ladbrokes Geelong Cup by over two lengths.

Media Puzzle (2002), Americain (2010), Dunaden (2011) all did the Geelong Cup – Melbourne Cup double as visitors down under and there’s plenty to suggest this in-form Dialied In gelding, who is US bred as was Americain, can be the next.

He is down to just 51kg even with the penalty and big race specialist Craig Williams, who rode Vow And Declare to victory in 2019, retains the ride having locked in this mount right after the Geelong demolition job.

That’s a pretty great endorsement and one that’s seen the market react accordingly.

Looking at his form back home before arriving on Aussie shores, one of his top performances was a seventh in the Ebor. That is one hell of a form race (see Sea King in the Bendigo Cup).

To Challenge: #2 Buckaroo ($6.50 at time of publish) 

Trainer Chris Waller chases his second Melbourne Cup success saddling-up Tuesday’s one-time favourite Buckaroo who presents as the genuine danger despite being yet to win over further than 1800m.

He has been leading the markets for a few weeks but has eased out now post-barrier draw when getting posted out in gate 21.

The ‘Magic Man’ Joao Moreira will need to slot in and find his position early from the alley, but the past six Melbourne Cup winners have all saluted from double-digits including Vow And Declare (2019) from this alley.

He looks very well weighted with 54.5kg in the compressed weights in a race lacking depth this year.

The distance is obviously a query, but the way he charged through the line for a Caulfield Cup second over 2400m last time out with the same weight was eye-catching.

The Caulfield Cup historically is the superior form line into the Melbourne Cup and could prove to be again in 2024.

You cannot say he’s not going great guns since being gelded.

Put 3.5 lengths on his closest rival in the Group 1 Underwood over 1800m with 59kg at WFA and then went down the barest of margins here in the Group 1 Turnbull over 2000m behind stablemate Via Sistina.

What she went on to do in the Cox Plate was astronomical and bodes very well for this guy.

If he runs it out, he wins.

To Feature: #12 Okita Soushi ($11 at time of publish) 

Okita Soushi lined-up as an Irish-trained raider for Joseph O’Brien in the race last year and returns now with top trainer Ciaron Maher.

Cannot believe the move on this guy since the field and barriers were locked in Saturday evening.

Preferred the better 20/1 offering but he has been absolutely smashed into $11 now, and still finding it hard not to follow that money trail with lots of boxes ticked by this guy.

He is more seasoned, acclimatised, and has the benefit of a year down under in his second attempt.

Eleventh last year from gate 20, he is drawn for a sweet run this season in barrier 10.

Some of the punters’ money is explained by the booking of Jamie Kah following her outstanding Saturday last weekend that included the VRC Derby victory on Goldrush Guru.

She is riding in outstanding style and this Galileo entire is going equally as good coming off a Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) win under the lights.

Has won over the two miles so no distance queries, comes back to 51kg, and the black silks statistically are a good thing!

To Improve: #4 Warp Speed ($23 at time of publish) 

Warp Speed from Japan was one of the big hype Melbourne Cup hopes earlier in the season and one of the early favourites.

That was until he ran in the Caulfield Cup and performed like he was just having a barrier trial at best.

The Drefong six-year-old was flat, no arguing with that, when 13th beaten over 16 lengths.

Since then he’s been left alone in betting for the second leg of the Spring Cups in Australia, but still think he could give a much better performance at Flemington.

Delta Blues (2006) is the only Japanese-trained Melbourne Cup winner to date.

Not saying Warp Speed will be the second, but if you look back over his form at home that includes a fifth in the prestigious Tenno Sho with plenty of weight and winning form up to 3000m, then there’s plenty to indicate huge improvement at a price.

He’s shaken off the cobwebs and has settled right in at Melbourne and gets a sweet run from barrier three.

Got a Slow track at Caulfield and will appreciate the Good going for Australia’s biggest race day.

His trainer remains confident and think he’ll be right there when it counts.

To Surprise: #8 Land Legend ($20 at time of publish) 

Land Legend is one of five for Waller and he’s at an incredible price really considering he is more than double that of Buckaroo despite his form being equally as impressive this season.

The Galileo five-year-old beat Zardozi narrowly to win the Group 1 The Metrop (2400m) with a light weight in Sydney two back and then ran out of his skin for a Caulfield Cup third.

He might of been six lengths off the winner but he was finishing off strongly and there’s suggestions he might even see out the two miles better than his better fancied stablemate Buckaroo who was second in the same key lead-up race over the 2400m.

Hong Kong’s Zac Purton rides, barrier 18 might not be ideal but it is the one that produced Waller’s other Cup champion Verry Elleegant when she broke the hoodoo.

When a raider with James Ferguson last year he won the Sydney St. Leger over 2600m in record time by 2.7 lengths.

He’s building to something, and the odds are generous.

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Melbourne Cup tips are the most sought after set of racing predictions all year in Australia.

Early Melbourne Cup betting tips favour proven stayers that may have run in the previous year’s race or run well in the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m).

Without A Fight (2023) is the last horse and 12th in history to complete the Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double.

Vow And Declare (2nd in 2019) is another recent Melbourne Cup winner to come out of the Caulfield Cup.

In 2021 Verry Elleegant, winner of the 2020 Caulfield Cup, defeated that year’s Caulfield Cup champion Incentivise in the Melbourne Cup quinella.

In 2022 Gold Trip became the first horse in five years to run in all three Melbourne Spring Carnival majors finishing second in the Caulfield Cup, ninth in the Cox Plate and winning the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

International raiders making the trip to Flemington Racecourse to line-up in the Melbourne Cup field are also popular when it comes to Melbourne Cup tipping each spring.

The best 2024 Melbourne Cup tips can be found by following the link to our dedicated page.

Melbourne Cup Form Guide

The Melbourne Cup form guide is a detailed run down of all the 24 horses making up that season’s Melbourne Cup field.

In the form guide for the Melbourne Cup 2024 punters will find all the must know information including: Melbourne Cup saddlecloth numbers, Melbourne Cup barriers, Melbourne Cup jockeys, Melbourne Cup trainers, lead-up form, weights, record at the track / distance as well as the winning percentages of all the Melbourne Cup horses.

Using the Melbourne Cup form guide and its facts / stats is the best way to predict the Melbourne Cup results.

For the best 2024 Melbourne Cup form guide check out Ladbrokes.com.au and see our dedicated Melbourne Cup form guide page.

Melbourne Cup History

Melbourne Cup history has been fascinating since the very first race in 1861, when Archer took the Melbourne Cup in a field of 17 horses. While Archer has the honour of being the first (and second) Melbourne Cup winner, he also retains the slowest time to date at 3:52.00. For years this was blamed on Archer travelling to the race by foot, but it has since been established that the legendary horse was transported by steam ship, so it appears the esteemed Melbourne Cup just wasn’t as competitive in the early days.

It didn’t take long for the Melbourne Cup to become one of the most popular races in Australia, and many of the race’s longest standing traditions began to form in the 1870s. For instance, the race began to be run on a Tuesday in 1875, and the first golden cup design of a Melbourne Cup trophy was used in 1876.

Throughout the early Melbourne Cup years, Etienne de Mestre was the most prominent trainer, with 5 of his horses winning from 1861 to 1878. However, he had a fierce rival in John Tait, who managed to train a Melbourne Cup winner 4 times in that same period.

The Melbourne Cup continued to grow throughout the late 1800s, and it was well established as the most important race in Australia by the time Mark Twain visited in 1895 and documented the unique character of the event. By this point, none could contest how central the Melbourne Cup had become to Australian culture – possibly the first Australian tradition that no one could deny.

More than a century later, with the 2010 Melbourne Cup marking the 150th running of the race, there have been many legendary horses that have contested the Cup. The most famous may be Phar Lap, who won in 1930, but other legends are Rain Lover, Think Big, Kingston Rule, Let’s Elope, Rogan Josh, and three-time winner Makybe Diva. Trainer Bart Cummings also belongs in any list of Melbourne Cup legends, as he has a dozen Melbourne Cup wins under his belt.

If you want to learn more about the legends of the Melbourne Cup, please visit our dedicated Melbourne Cup history section.

Melbourne Cup Facts and Statistics

In a race with as much history as the Melbourne Cup, you can bet that some fascinating records have been set. Here are some of the most interesting Melbourne Cup facts and statistics:

• Most Wins – Horse: Makybe Diva, 3 wins (2003, 2004, 2005)
• Most Wins – Jockey: Bobby Lewis, 4 wins (1902, 1915, 1919, 1927); Harry White, 4 wins (1974, 1975, 1978, 1979)
• Most Wins – Trainer: Bart Cummings, 12 wins (1965, 1966, 1967, 1974, 1975, 1977, 1979, 1990, 1991, 1996, 1999, 2008)

• Fastest Time: Kingston Rule, 3:16.30
• Slowest Time: Archer, 3:52.00

• Longest Odds Winners: The Pearl, Wotan and Old Rowley all at 100 to 1
• Shortest Odds to Win: Phar Lap at 8/11 (about $0.73 or so)
• Percentage of favourites to win: 21%

• First woman to train a winner: Sheila Laxon with Ethereal in 2001

For more, please visit our Melbourne Cup facts and statistics page.

Melbourne Cup Betting

Australia is a nation of punters, and that is no more apparent when it comes to 2024 Melbourne Cup betting. Whether you are a dedicated racing fanatic or not, having a bet on the Melbourne Cup field on the first Tuesday of November is an Aussie tradition.

Everyone is keen to get in on the Melbourne Cup betting action on the famous Flemington Race 7 and Melbourne Cup sweeps are hugely popular.

Melbourne Cup betting is open at bookmakers around the country including Ladbrokes.com.au pretty much all year round. Futures Melbourne Cup betting odds on possible runners to line-up in the Melbourne Cup barriers come race day offer generous all-in pricing, while waiting for the official field to be announced on Derby Day offers more secure Melbourne Cup betting markets.

Exotic Melbourne Cup bet types like the Melbourne Cup quinella, trifecta and first four also give punters more than just the Melbourne Cup winner to invest in each spring.

For a full guide on betting and exotic bets, please visit our extensive Melbourne Cup betting section.

Melbourne Cup Trifecta

The 2024 Melbourne Cup trifecta is one of the most popular Melbourne Cup betting markets and involves picking the first three over the line in correct order in the ‘race that stops a nation’.

Not only do you have to predict which horse will join the prestigious list of Melbourne Cup winners, but you also have to successfully tip which two stayers will finish second and third in the official Melbourne Cup finishing order. That’s why a Melbourne Cup Box Trifecta is a popular option because it means your three horses can finish in any order and you still win.

To learn more about picking and placing a winning trifecta or box trifecta, please visit our Melbourne Cup trifecta page.

Melbourne Cup Quinella

Of all the exotic Melbourne Cup betting options, the quinella is the simplest. In a Melbourne Cup quinella, you must choose the first two finishers of the race, but the order they finish in does not matter.

This flexibility can be very helpful when there are two strong favourites in the race, as a Melbourne Cup quinella saves you from having to decide between two great horses when the statistics suggest it is an even race.

To learn all about making a winning quinella, please visit our Melbourne Cup quinella page.

Melbourne Cup Exacta

The Melbourne Cup exacta is a bit harder than the quinella, as it requires you to choose the first two finishers in exact order. It may seem odd that this is a popular Melbourne Cup betting option given the flexibility of the quinella, but a winning Melbourne Cup exacta pays out significantly better than a quinella.

As with the other less flexible exotic Melbourne Cup bets, many punters place a box exacta to cover multiple combinations of the first two finishers. This allows you to get the flexibility of the quinella at a higher cost, but with the massive payout of a Melbourne Cup exacta.

For more on placing a winning exacta, please read our Melbourne Cup exacta page.

Melbourne Cup First Four

The ultimate Melbourne Cup betting challenge is to correctly pick the Melbourne Cup First Four, and boy can it pay well. In a Melbourne Cup First Four bet, you must choose the first four finishers in correct order. It goes without saying that most punters go with a boxed Melbourne Cup First Four if they take on the challenge at all.

While a Melbourne Cup First Four bet pays off just extravagantly in years when the favourite wins, it will pay life changing sums of money any time a couple of outside chances finish in front. Forget 100 to 1 payouts – a correctly chosen Melbourne Cup First Four bet can payout hundreds of thousands of dollars per dollar wagered!

To learn more about placing a First Four bet, visit our Melbourne Cup First Four page.

Melbourne Cup Results

The 2024 Melbourne Cup results will be known when the race runs on Tuesday, November 5, 2024. 

Please see the Melbourne Cup Results page for all the past Melbourne Cup winners and place-getters in the two-mile classic.

More often than not a roughie chance in Melbourne Cup betting gets up to dominate the Melbourne Cup results, including in 2015 when Prince Of Penzance ($101) saluted at triple-figures.

One of the most incredible Melbourne Cup results in recent years happened in 2006 when two Japanese trained horses took the first two places. Trainer Sumii Katsuhiko had the pleasure of being the first Japanese trainer to produce a Melbourne Cup winner in Delta Blues and also picked up the quinella at the same time with his horse Pop Rock.

The closest of all Melbourne Cup results was in 2011 when the French raider Dunaden only just held off Red Cadeaux in a photo finish.

Melbourne Cup Fashion

Ever since the beginning of the race, Melbourne Cup fashion has been a major part of the festivities at Flemington. While the focus on fashion started with women, in recent years the male attendees have been getting into Melbourne Cup fashion as well. To savvy up on the latest fashions, be sure to check out our Melbourne Cup fashion section.

Melbourne Cup Hats

One of the unique aspects of 2024 Melbourne Cup fashion is the focus on hats. Melbourne Cup hats tend to be a bit more flamboyant than day-to-day headwear, and the real stylistas have their Melbourne Cup hats custom made to really make a statement. To learn more about getting your own unique hat, please visit our Melbourne Cup hats page.

Melbourne Cup Fascinators

The most authentic Melbourne Cup fashion statement you can make is to wear a fascinator, as Melbourne Cup fascinators are one of the most striking features of the fashion scene at the Flemington Spring Carnival. You’ll want to visit a professional milliner for fascinators that really stand out, so check out our Melbourne Cup fascinators page for suggestions.

Women’s Race Wear

Women’s race wear at the Melbourne Cup changes every year, and it pays to read up on the latest fashions before putting an outfit together. From the dress to the shoes to the hat or fascinator, our women’s race wear page tells you all you need to know to make a splash at the 2024 Melbourne Cup.

Men’s Race Wear

Men’s race wear at the Melbourne Cup is a bit more timeless, but it is important to wear the right style and get your suit fitted properly. For tons of tips on men’s fashion for the Melbourne Cup, read our men’s race wear page.

Melbourne Cup Birdcage

The Melbourne Cup birdcage is the premium marquee area, where socialites and business leaders rub elbows while wearing the very best Melbourne Cup fashion. To learn more about the Melbourne Cup birdcage (and how you can get in) be sure to check out our dedicated page on the Melbourne Cup birdcage.

Melbourne Cup Design Award

Possibly the most important part of the Fashions on the Field events is the presentation of the Melbourne Cup Design Award. Celebrating the achievements of Australia’s top race wear designers, you can learn more about the Melbourne Cup Design Award on our info page.

Flemington Spring Fashion Lunch

The Flemington Spring Fashion Lunch is a major showcase of Melbourne Cup fashions, with people around Australia holding their own fashion functions when they cannot make it to Flemington or a local racecourse. To learn more about it, visit our Flemington Spring Fashion Lunch page.

Melbourne Cup Lunches & Events

Aside from the celebrations at Flemington, many Melbourne Cup lunches and events are held around the country on Cup day. The biggest events are held at racecourses and Turf Clubs around Australia, but most people just have a catered lunch at work or turn up to the pub to watch the race. For more information on organising fun events, please visit our Melbourne Cup lunches and events page.

Hotels in Melbourne

Aside from providing accommodation, many hotels in Melbourne also offer special events to entertain visitors to Melbourne. Visit our dedicated page on hotels in Melbourne to find out about special packages for staying near Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Melbourne Cup Restaurants

If you are in Melbourne and looking for a good restaurant to celebrate your Melbourne Cup winnings at, then check out our guide to Melbourne Cup restaurants! Covering many different kinds of cuisine, our guide will see you eating in style.

Melbourne Cup Tickets

It can be a bit tricky getting Melbourne Cup tickets, as the general admissions tend to sell out quickly once released. They also have conditions that you may not be aware of prior to purchase, as Flemington tends to keep ticketing for businesses restricted to marquees while general admissions are reserved for the public.

While getting Melbourne Cup tickets can sometimes seem like more of a challenge than picking the Melbourne Cup trifecta, it is easy enough if you simply know how the ticketing system works and which ticket types are restricted to VRC members. Please visit our Melbourne Cup tickets page to find out more!

Whatever you want to know about the Melbourne Cup and Melbourne Cup betting, you will be sure to find the information you need in one of our many Melbourne Cup pages. If you are simply looking for a place to bet on the Melbourne Cup, we recommend starting with Ladbrokes.com.au.