How to use these Melbourne Cup tips
The card above shows the three horses the TipMeerkat community rates highest for the Melbourne Cup, along with the share of tipsters who picked each one. With up to 24 runners, opinion is usually spread thin. A horse picked by half the tipsters is a strong consensus in this race, and the second and third picks are often where the value is.
The final field is only settled after the last race on Derby Day, the Saturday before the Cup, so tips appear here from that weekend and keep updating until the race is run. You can open the full Cup Day card to see each tipster's selections for every race, then add your own to join the leaderboard.
How to pick a Melbourne Cup winner
- Stamina first. The Cup is run over 3200 metres, further than most of the field has ever raced. Favour horses with winning or placed form at 2400 metres and beyond over those stepping up sharply in distance.
- Check the weights. It is a handicap, so the best-credentialed horses carry the most. A lightly weighted improver often has the edge over a topweight asked to give away kilos over two miles.
- Respect the internationals. Overseas-trained and imported stayers have won a large share of recent Cups. European staying form stacks up well at Flemington.
- Look at the lead-up races. The Caulfield Cup, Cox Plate, Geelong Cup and the Derby Day staying races are the usual paths into the field. A strong finish in one of them counts for more than a win over a shorter trip.
- Do not rule out a roughie. Prince of Penzance won in 2015 at 100-1 under Michelle Payne, the first woman to ride a Cup winner, and Knight's Choice won at around 90-1 in 2024.
For a fuller method, see our guide on how to pick winners.
Betting the Melbourne Cup
A field this size changes the way most people bet:
- Each-way: with 24 runners and long prices throughout the field, each-way betting gives you a return if your horse runs a place.
- Trifectas and first fours: boxing several runners covers more combinations and can pay very well when a roughie fills a placing. Our trifecta guide explains how the costs add up.
- Value over favourites: the favourite rarely wins the Cup, so it pays to compare each horse's price against its real chance. See value betting.
Set a budget before the day and stick to it. Our bankroll management guide covers the basics.
Melbourne Cup history in brief
First run in 1861, the Melbourne Cup is held on the first Tuesday of November and is known as the race that stops a nation. Makybe Diva is the only horse to win it three times, in 2003, 2004 and 2005. Half Yours won the 2025 running.
Melbourne Cup 2026 FAQ
When is the 2026 Melbourne Cup?
The 2026 Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday 3 November 2026 at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. The race is run at 3:00pm AEDT.
What time is the Melbourne Cup in the US and UK?
The 3:00pm AEDT start on Tuesday is 11:00pm Eastern and 8:00pm Pacific on Monday 2 November in the US, and 4:00am on Tuesday in the UK.
How many horses run in the Melbourne Cup?
The field is limited to 24 runners. The final field is decided after the last race on Derby Day, the Saturday before the Cup.
How far is the Melbourne Cup?
The Melbourne Cup is run over 3200 metres, about two miles, on the turf at Flemington.
Where do these Melbourne Cup tips come from?
Every tip on this page comes from the TipMeerkat community. Each tipster selects up to three horses per race, and the consensus ranks horses by those selections, with a first choice counting for more than a second or third.
Picks are opinions from community tipsters, not guarantees. Please bet responsibly.
Card last refreshed Nov 1, 6:46 PM ET.
