Lexus Melbourne Cup (Group 1, 3200 m) · race meeting
Melbourne Cup 2026: start time by zone, where to watch in AU, UK and US
Scheduled. Melbourne Cup 2026 is scheduled to start on Tue 3 Nov 2026, 3:00 pm AEDT local time (04:00 UTC) at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne.
As of 2026-11-02 11:00 UTC · verified 2026-11-02 11:00 UTC · official schedule
Start time in your time zone
| Where | Gates open | First race | Pre-Cup ceremony | Melbourne Cup (Race 7) | Melbourne Cup (Race 7) | Last race |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UTC | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 22:00 UTC | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 23:45 UTC | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 03:15 UTC | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 04:00 UTC | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 04:00 UTC | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 06:15 UTC |
| London | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 10:00 pm GMT | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 11:45 pm GMT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 3:15 am GMT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 4:00 am GMT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 4:00 am GMT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 6:15 am GMT |
| New York | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 5:00 pm EST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 6:45 pm EST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 10:15 pm EST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 11:00 pm EST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 11:00 pm EST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 1:15 am EST |
| Los Angeles | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 2:00 pm PST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 3:45 pm PST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 7:15 pm PST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 8:00 pm PST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 8:00 pm PST | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 10:15 pm PST |
| Sydney / Melbourne (venue) | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 9:00 am AEDT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 10:45 am AEDT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 2:15 pm AEDT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 3:00 pm AEDT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 3:00 pm AEDT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 5:15 pm AEDT |
| Tel Aviv | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 12:00 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 1:45 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 5:15 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 6:00 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 6:00 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 8:15 am IST |
| India | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 3:30 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 5:15 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 8:45 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 9:30 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 9:30 am IST | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 11:45 am IST |
| Lagos | Mon 2 Nov 2026, 11:00 pm WAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 12:45 am WAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 4:15 am WAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 5:00 am WAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 5:00 am WAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 7:15 am WAT |
| Nairobi | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 1:00 am EAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 2:45 am EAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 6:15 am EAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 7:00 am EAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 7:00 am EAT | Tue 3 Nov 2026, 9:15 am EAT |
Converted with the IANA time zone database, daylight saving applied for each zone on the day. Times from www.vrc.com.au, read 2026-11-02.
Where to watch
AU
- Channel 9 (free-to-air) and 9Now (free): all four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival, per the VRC broadcast guide [source, read 2026-11-02]
- Racing.com (website, app, Channel 78 metro and 68 regional) [source, read 2026-11-02]
GB
- Sky Sports Racing (subscription): pay TV; At The Races (Sky Sports Racing's site) lists the race at 04:00 UK time on its racecard [source, read 2026-11-02]
US
- FS2 (FOX Sports 2), streamed on FOX One (subscription): listed on FOX One's schedule (window from 9:30 pm ET Monday 2 Nov); seen in search listings, not read first hand because fox.com showed an error page to our browser [source, read 2026-11-02]
Field
- Sons and Lovers: saddlecloth 1, barrier 3; jockey Dylan Brown McMonagle, trainer Joseph O'Brien
- Trustyourinstinct: saddlecloth 2, barrier 18; trainer Joseph O'Brien
- Knight's Choice: saddlecloth 3, barrier 2; jockey Robbie Dolan, trainers John Symonds and Sheila Laxon
- Middle Earth: saddlecloth 4, barrier 1
- Vauban: saddlecloth 5, barrier 22
- Enjaar: saddlecloth 6, barrier 8
- Royal Supremacy: saddlecloth 7, barrier 21
- Wine Dark Sea: saddlecloth 8, barrier 23
- Asterix: saddlecloth 9, barrier 6
- Goodie Two Shoes: saddlecloth 10, barrier 19; trainer Joseph O'Brien
- Juja Kibo: saddlecloth 11, barrier 14
- Hopewell Rock: saddlecloth 12, barrier 15; jockey Zac Lloyd, trainer George Boughey
- Onesmoothoperator: saddlecloth 13, barrier 13
- Soul of Spain: saddlecloth 14, barrier 5
- Zahrann: saddlecloth 15, barrier 11
- So You Are: saddlecloth 16, barrier 7
- Future History: saddlecloth 17, barrier 12
- James J Braddock: saddlecloth 18, barrier 24; trainer Joseph O'Brien
- Kizlyar: saddlecloth 19, barrier 20; trainer Joseph O'Brien
- Point of Law: saddlecloth 20, barrier 9; trainer Ciaron Maher
- Strictly Business: saddlecloth 21, barrier 4
- Mr Monaco: saddlecloth 22, barrier 16
- Zakouma: saddlecloth 23, barrier 10
- Shockletz: saddlecloth 24, barrier 17
Source: www.vrc.com.au, read 2026-11-02. Final field of 24 and barrier draw published by the Victoria Racing Club on 31 October 2026.
Questions
When is the Melbourne Cup 2026?
Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington: the Cup is Race 7 at 3:00 pm AEDT (04:00 UTC), per Racing Australia's official fields.
What time is the Melbourne Cup 2026 in the UK?
4:00 am GMT on Tuesday 3 November 2026 (the UK is on GMT by then); At The Races lists it at 04:00.
What time is the Melbourne Cup 2026 in the US?
11:00 pm ET (8:00 pm PT) on Monday 2 November 2026, which is 3:00 pm AEDT on Tuesday in Melbourne.
Where can I watch the Melbourne Cup 2026 in Australia?
The VRC broadcast guide lists Channel 9 on free-to-air television and 9Now online for all four days of the Carnival, and Racing.com on its website, app and Channel 78 (metro) and 68 (regional).
Where can I watch the Melbourne Cup 2026 in the UK or the US?
UK: live on Sky Sports Racing (pay TV), per its own racecard. US: listed on FOX One's schedule on FS2 from 9:30 pm ET Monday (not confirmed first hand).
How long is the Melbourne Cup race?
3200 metres (about two miles), run at Flemington Racecourse.
How much prize money is the Melbourne Cup 2026 worth?
The VRC race day page lists prizemoney of A$8,660,000 for the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup, while the VRC's field announcement of 31 October 2026 calls it the $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup. Both figures are the VRC's own.
How many horses run in the Melbourne Cup 2026?
24. The VRC confirmed the final field and drew the barriers on 31 October 2026, after Victoria Derby Day.
What time is the Melbourne Cup 2026 in Israel and India?
6:00 am in Tel Aviv and 9:30 am in India on Tuesday 3 November 2026 (04:00 UTC).
Sources
- https://www.racingaustralia.horse/FreeFields/Form.aspx?Key=2026Nov03%2CVIC%2CFlemington read 2026-11-02: Racing Australia free fields: 'Race 7 - 3:00PM Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200 METRES)', Tuesday 03 November 2026, times in local time of the meeting; prize money 'Of $10,200,000'
- https://www.attheraces.com/racecard/Flemington/03-November-2026/0400 read 2026-11-02: At The Races (Sky Sports Racing): '04:00 Flemington (Australia) 03 Nov 2026', 24 declared
- https://www.vrc.com.au/race-days-and-events/2026-2027/lexus-melbourne-cup-day/ read 2026-11-02: VRC race day page: date, gates, first and last race, pre-Cup ceremony, 3200 m, prizemoney A$8,660,000; the Cup's own start time is not stated
- https://www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/lexus-melbourne-cup-field-and-barriers-announced-for-166th-running/ read 2026-11-02: VRC news, 31 Oct 2026: final field of 24, saddlecloths and barriers, $10.2 million
- https://www.vrc.com.au/racing/broadcast-guide/ read 2026-11-02: VRC broadcast guide: Nine, 9Now, Racing.com, the international stream
- https://www.vrc.com.au/melbourne-cup-carnival/melbourne-cup-carnival-2026/ read 2026-11-02: VRC carnival page: Derby Day 31 Oct, Cup Day 3 Nov, Oaks Day 5 Nov, Stakes Day 7 Nov 2026
- https://www.racing.com/form/2026-11-03/flemington read 2026-11-02: Racing.com form page renders by script only, race times could not be read; no fact taken from it
Changes to this record
- 2026-11-02 11:00 UTC start time updated
- 2026-11-02 11:00 UTC where to watch updated
- 2026-11-02 06:57 UTC record added
This page records the schedule and the broadcasters as published by the organiser and the broadcasters. It carries no predictions and no odds. Times can change: check the official schedule on the day.