The 2026 Melbourne Cup is fast approaching, with anticipation building ahead of Australia's greatest race.
Half Yours was a popular winner 12 months ago, sent off 8/1 under Jamie Melham off the back of a brilliant victory in the Caulfield Cup just three weeks prior.
The six-year-old was very much in the mix for a repeat bid, however, an injury he sustained when falling in the Caulfield Cup ended his title defence.
So, the Cup will head the way of a new horse this year...
Aeliana (14/1) is one for the home team and boasts a very interesting profile. A three-time Group 1 wins, she is a very classy individual and may not have hit her ceiling as a five-year-old. Her best performance came when she was stretched to a mile-and-a-half in the Tancred Stakes, providing hope that she will see relish the two miles at Flemington.
She is likely to be taken on by Point Of Law (6/1), sold by King Charles and Queen Camilla over the summer. Now with Ciaron Maher, the rapidly-improving three-year-old swept aside Small Fry (50/1) and Omni Man (80/1) with ease in the Geelong Cup, teeing him up perfectly for 3rd November.
Maher, fresh off the back of Everest success with Tempted, also has Herbert Power sixth Shockletz (14/1) who looks to have the perfect profile and improvement in the locker when stepped up to 2m.
Outside of the domestic runners, there are a whole host coming over from the UK & Ireland with a chance - a great majority of them trained by Joseph O'Brien.
Rekindling and Twilight Payment have provided O'Brien with two victories in the past and he is still has nine in contention at this stage. Trustyourinstinct (10/1), Defiantly (11/1) is the current favourite and James J Braddock (12/1) and Good Two Shoes (25/1) make up his leading four chances.
The latter, who was runner-up in 2025, broke through at Group 2 level earlier this summer when winning the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood; sent-off a relatively unfancied 8/1 on the day.
One name that might be familiar to British fans is Zahrann (28/1). He was trained by Johnny Murtagh in his younger years and even finished runner-up in the King Edward VII Stakes behind Amiloc at Royal Ascot. The Night Of Thunder colt has made two starts since switching to Maher, winning on debut in a handicap before being well beat in the Turnbull Stakes.
Melbourne Cup Antepost odds
(Odds will display when market is available)
Any odds displayed were correct at the time of writing and are subject to fluctuation.
