2026 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw

Tara Madgwick - Saturday Oct 31

The Melbourne Cup field has been chopping and changing at a rapid rate in recent days with some high profile withdrawals due to pre-race scan issues and a pesky hoof abcess ruling out Joseph O’Brien’s big hope Defiantly, so this is the final top 24 and likely favourite Point of Law (GB) will jump from gate 9.

Point of Law (GB) has drawn gate 9 - image Racing Photos

The Ciaron Maher army consists of seven runners - Point of Law (GB), Middle Earth (GB) , Royal Supremacy (IRE), Mr Monaco (GB), Juja Kibo (IRE), Zahraan (IRE) and Shockletz (NZ)

Can they keep the Cup for Australian owners?

Melbourne Cup field and barriers

1 Sons And Lovers (GB) (6g Study Of Man (Ire)) Joseph O'Brien / Dylan Browne McMongle (3) 57.5kg

2 Trustyourinstinct (Ire) (7g Churchill (Ire)) Joseph O'Brien / James McDonald (18) 57kg

3 Knight’s Choice (7g Extreme Choice) John Symons & Sheila Laxon / Robbie Dolan (2) 56.5kg

4 Middle Earth (GB) (7g Roaring Lion (USA)) Ciaron Maher / Mark Zahra (1) 56.5kg

5 Vauban (Fr) (9g Galiway (GB)) Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott / Jordan Childs (22) 56.5kg

6 Enfjaar (Ire) (7g Lope De Vega (Ire)) Roger Varian / Ray Dawson (8) 56kg

7 Royal Supremacy (Ire) (6g Make Believe (GB)) Ciaron Maher / Ben Allen (21) 56kg

8 Wine Dark Sea (GB) (5g Ulysses (Ire)) Harry Charlton / Damien Lane (23) 56kg

9 Asterix (NZ) (8g Tavistock (NZ)) Chris Waller / Jye McNeil (6) 55kg

10 Goodie Two Shoes (Ire) (8m Fastnet Rock) Joseph O'Brien / Wayne Lordan (19) 55kg

11 Juja Kibo (Ire) (6g Belardo (Ire)) Ciaron Maher / Sam Clipperton (14) 55kg

12 Hopewell Rock (Ire) (5g New Bay (GB)) George Boughey / Zac Lloyd (15) 54.5kg

13 Onesmoothoperator (USA) (9g Dialled In (USA)) Tim Fitzsimmons / Declan Bates (13) 54.5kg

14 Soul Of Spain (Ire) (6g Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) Chris Waller / Tommy Berry (5) 54.5kg

15 Zahrann (Ire) (5h Night Of Thunder (Ire)) Ciaron Maher / Ben Melham (11) 54.5kg

16 So You Are (5g So You Think (NZ)) Bjorn Baker / Rachel King (7) 54kg

17 Future History (GB) (9g Showcasing (GB)) Gregory Hickman / Jamie Melham (12) 53.5kg

18 James J Braddock (GB) (4g Zarak (Fr)) Joseph O'Brien / Craig Williams (24) 53.5kg

19 Kizlyar (Ire) (5g Make Believe (GB)) Joseph O'Brien / Beau Mertens (20) 53.5kg

20 Point Of Law (GB) (4h Frankel (GB)) Ciaron Maher / Ethan Brown (9) 53kg

21 Strictly Business (4m Grunt (NZ)) Thomas Carberry / Dean Yendell (4) 53kg

22 Mr Monaco (GB) (6g Territories (Ire)) Ciaron Maher / Jabes Johnstone(a) (16) 52.5kg

23 Zakouma (6g Crowded House (GB)) Grahame Begg / William Pike (10) 52kg

24 Shockletz (NZ) (5m Shocking) Ciaron Maher / Harry Coffey (17) 51kg

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