In the News · Racing · Australia
Melbourne Cup 2026: Point Of Law Starts Favourite as Ciaron Maher Sends Out Seven Runners
Twenty-four horses line up for the A$10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup over 3,200 metres at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November. The Geelong Cup winner Point Of Law has drawn barrier 9 and leads the betting.
Published Nov. 2, 2026, 08:50 GMT
Last updated: 2 Nov 2026References
The race
The 166th Melbourne Cup is a Group 1 handicap over 3,200 metres for A$10.2 million in prize money, run at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November. It is Race 7 on the card. Cup Day is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne.
The favourite
Point Of Law (saddlecloth 20, barrier 9, 53kg), trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Ethan Brown, became favourite after winning the Geelong Cup on his Australian debut. Bookmakers had him at about $6 to $7 after the draw. If he wins on his sixth career start, races.com.au says he will be the most lightly raced Cup winner of the modern era. Barrier 9 last produced a winner with Efficient in 2007.
Trainers to know
- Ciaron Maher, Australia's leading trainer, has seven runners: Point Of Law, Middle Earth, Royal Supremacy, Juja Kibo, Zahrann, Mr Monaco and Shockletz.
- Joseph O'Brien, 33, from Ireland, has five: Sons And Lovers, Trustyourinstinct, Goodie Two Shoes (second last year), James J Braddock and Kizlyar. He has won the Cup twice, with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020.
The draw that matters
| Horse | Barrier | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Point Of Law | 9 | Favourite with an ideal draw. |
| Trustyourinstinct | 18 | O'Brien's leading hope, ridden by James McDonald. |
| Knight's Choice | 2 | Won the race in 2024 with Robbie Dolan, who rides again. |
| Middle Earth | 1 | The inside gate. |
| James J Braddock | 24 | Widest gate, on his first Australian start. The last winner from barrier 24 was Gala Supreme in 1973. |
| Zahrann | 11 | Barrier 11 is the joint most successful in Cup history, with nine winners. |
| So You Are | 7 | Late inclusion in strong form, ridden by Rachel King. |
History is a guide, not a rule: six of the last eight winners started from double-figure barriers, and quality stayers have won from both ends.
The same day
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How we wrote this: our staff read the reporting listed below, checked the facts against more than one source where possible, and wrote this piece in our own words. Anything not confirmed is labelled. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
