The capacity 24-horse Melbourne Cup field for the ‘race that stops a nation’ is officially released on the Saturday before the $7.43 million feature takes place on the first Tuesday of November annually. After the racing action on Victoria Derby Day is when punters get a first glimpse at the stayers that will face off in that year’s field.
2021 Melbourne Cup Field & Barrier Draw
The 2021 Melbourne Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw will be released this Derby Day at Flemington after the racing action on Saturday October 30, 2021 revealing the 24 Melbourne Cup Horses.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and international travel restrictions, the 2021 Melbourne Cup field is expected to be dominated by the local Australian-trained stayers.
In 2019 the Danny O’Brien-trained Vow And Declare became the first Australian-bred Melbourne Cup winner since Shocking (2009).
2021 Melbourne Cup Acceptance Dates
- 2021 Melbourne Cup Nominations: Closed on Tuesday August 3, 2021 – attracted 153 entries
- 2021 Melbourne Cup First Declarations: Close on Tuesday September 7, 2021 – drew 124 horses
- 2021 Melbourne Cup Second Declarations: Closed on Tuesday September 28, 2021
- 2021 Melbourne Cup Third Declarations: Closed on Tuesday October 12, 2021 – 60 horses remain
- 2021 Melbourne Cup Final Field: Announced Saturday October 30, 2021 at 4:30pm (local time)
- 2021 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw: Takes place Saturday October 30, 2021 at 7:00pm (local time)
Early market betting odds on the 2021 Melbourne Cup will be displayed below once available. Odds are subject to fluctuation. For current odds on all of our live markets, please visit ladbrokes.com.au.
2021 Melbourne Cup Nominations
Early Melbourne Cup 2021 Nominations featuring a huge list of potential runners in the two mile classic close in August and will be detailed in full below as soon as released.
The official 2021 Melbourne Cup Nominations close on Tuesday August 3, 2021.
The 2021 Melbourne Cup nominations attracted 174 stayers – the exact same number as last season – including the defending champion Twilight Payment who is one of four for last year’s winning trainer Joseph O’Brien and all-in favourite Incentivise now prepared by Peter Moody of Black Caviar fame.
2021 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances
The official Melbourne Cup 2021 first acceptances close on Tuesday September 7, 2021.
The 2021 Melbourne Cup first acceptances attracted 124 early entries led in pre-field betting by the Peter Moody-trained Incentivise and UK visitor Spanish Mission.
The Melbourne Cup First Acceptances feature:
- 6 Internationals
- Last year’s champion Twilight Payment
- 13 for Chris Waller
2021 Melbourne Cup Second Acceptances
The Melbourne Cup 2021 second acceptances closed on Tuesday September 28, 2021.
2021 Melbourne Cup Third Acceptances
The Melbourne Cup 2021 third acceptances closed on Tuesday October 12, 2021.
The 2021 Melbourne Cup third acceptances attracted 60 stayers including the Peter Moody-trained favourite Incentivise, last year’s winner Twilight Payment who is one of three remaining internationally-trained raiders and 10 for the Maher/Eustace stable including their ballot-exempt The Bart Cummings winner Grand Promenade.
The Melbourne Cup Third Acceptances feature:
- 3 Internationals
- Last year’s champion Twilight Payment
- 10 for the Maher/Eustace stable
| |
Last 10 |
Horse |
Sex |
Age |
Trainer |
Ballot |
Weight |
Penalty |
Hcp Rating |
| 1 |
x62251x006 |
REALM OF FLOWERS |
M |
5 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
1 |
51kg |
|
102 |
| 2 |
x221211251 |
GRAND PROMENADE (GB) |
G |
6 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
2 |
52kg |
1.0kg |
99 |
| 3 |
7x3112x214 |
VERRY ELLEEGANT (NZ) |
M |
6 |
Chris Waller |
3 |
57kg |
|
1 |
| 4 |
1131×33912 |
TWILIGHT PAYMENT (IRE) |
G |
9 |
Joseph O’Brien |
4 |
58kg |
|
1.5 |
| 5 |
x794159x36 |
SIR DRAGONET (IRE) |
H |
6 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
5 |
57.5kg |
|
116 |
| 6 |
0x34x52x3x |
GOLD TRIP (FR) |
H |
5 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
6 |
57kg |
|
2.5 |
| 7 |
17x2513x2x |
SPANISH MISSION (USA) |
H |
6 |
Andrew Balding |
7 |
57kg |
|
2.5 |
| 8 |
1132113×95 |
EXPLOSIVE JACK (NZ) |
H |
4 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
8 |
54kg |
|
108 |
| 9 |
8111111×11 |
INCENTIVISE |
G |
5 |
Peter G Moody |
9 |
55.5kg |
|
112 |
| 10 |
3x6345x321 |
MONTEFILIA |
M |
4 |
David Payne |
10 |
52kg |
1.0kg |
4.5 |
| 11 |
329431×009 |
JOHNNY GET ANGRY (NZ) |
G |
4 |
Denis Pagan |
11 |
53kg |
|
105 |
| 12 |
x3253x527x |
AWAY HE GOES (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Ismail Mohammed |
12 |
54.5kg |
|
5 |
| 13 |
4x2606x342 |
THE CHOSEN ONE (NZ) |
H |
6 |
Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
13 |
54kg |
|
107 |
| 14 |
2821121×36 |
DUAIS |
M |
4 |
Edward Cummings |
14 |
51kg |
|
5.5 |
| 15 |
x86541x084 |
SELINO (GB) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
15 |
53.5kg |
|
6 |
| 16 |
878333×009 |
MIAMI BOUND (NZ) |
M |
5 |
Danny O’Brien |
16 |
52kg |
|
105 |
| 17 |
308×826845 |
MIRAGE DANCER (GB) |
H |
8 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
17 |
53.5kg |
|
104 |
| 18 |
3x75232x52 |
YOUNG WERTHER (NZ) |
G |
4 |
Danny O’Brien |
18 |
52kg |
|
100 |
| 19 |
32324×3719 |
SHE’S IDEEL |
M |
6 |
Bjorn Baker |
19 |
52kg |
|
6 |
| 20 |
71x610x505 |
OCEAN BILLY (NZ) |
G |
6 |
Chris Waller |
20 |
53.5kg |
|
6 |
| 21 |
1111x6x421 |
DELPHI (IRE) |
H |
5 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
21 |
53.5kg |
1.0kg |
103 |
| 22 |
75810×0520 |
QUICK THINKER |
H |
5 |
Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman |
22 |
53kg |
|
6.5 |
| 23 |
15x1244x37 |
PERSAN |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
23 |
53kg |
|
104 |
| 24 |
43x8511x90 |
KNIGHTS ORDER (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
24 |
53kg |
|
103 |
| 25 |
211x2x03x6 |
KING OF LEOGRANCE (FR) |
G |
7 |
Robert Hickmott |
25 |
53kg |
|
104 |
| 26 |
13616x2x00 |
DAWN PATROL (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Robert Hickmott |
26 |
53kg |
|
103 |
| 27 |
112114×332 |
TRALEE ROSE (NZ) |
M |
5 |
Symon Wilde |
27 |
51kg |
|
100 |
| 28 |
1x07422x47 |
CARIF |
G |
6 |
Peter & Paul Snowden |
28 |
52.5kg |
|
7 |
| 29 |
241441×060 |
ATTORNEY (FR) |
G |
7 |
Matthew Smith |
29 |
52.5kg |
|
7 |
| 30 |
5x57170x50 |
LE DON DE VIE (GB) |
G |
6 |
Anthony & Sam Freedman |
30 |
52.5kg |
|
103 |
| 31 |
x73590x003 |
CHAPADA |
G |
6 |
Michael Moroney |
31 |
52.5kg |
|
102 |
| 32 |
0x22x722x5 |
PONDUS (GB) |
G |
6 |
Robert Hickmott |
32 |
52.5kg |
|
103 |
| 33 |
8x663x0003 |
MASTER OF WINE (GER) |
G |
7 |
Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
33 |
52.5kg |
|
7 |
| 34 |
1x1510x060 |
PORT GUILLAUME (FR) |
G |
5 |
Ben & JD Hayes |
34 |
52kg |
|
101 |
| 35 |
622x32x057 |
CHARMS STAR (NZ) |
M |
4 |
Chris Waller |
35 |
50kg |
|
8 |
| 36 |
53x6133x08 |
FUTURE SCORE (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Matt Cumani |
36 |
51.5kg |
|
100 |
| 37 |
34100×6673 |
FUN FACT |
G |
6 |
Bjorn Baker |
37 |
51.5kg |
|
8 |
| 38 |
8x0x574x08 |
SHERWOOD FOREST |
G |
5 |
Tony Pike |
38 |
51kg |
|
97 |
| 39 |
x855167x03 |
GOOD IDEA |
G |
7 |
Phillip Stokes |
39 |
51kg |
|
95 |
| 40 |
x41x81x248 |
SIR LUCAN (IRE) |
H |
4 |
Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
40 |
50kg |
|
8.5 |
| 41 |
51716×8078 |
MOSH MUSIC |
M |
7 |
Archie Alexander |
41 |
50kg |
|
99 |
| 42 |
780x9x5992 |
YOUNG RASCAL (FR) |
G |
7 |
Richard & Michael Freedman |
42 |
50.5kg |
|
9 |
| 43 |
2×54151163 |
HARPO MARX (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Bjorn Baker |
43 |
50.5kg |
|
9 |
| 44 |
34×1327515 |
GREAT HOUSE (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Chris Waller |
44 |
50kg |
|
9.5 |
| 45 |
211131×482 |
HIGH EMOCEAN (NZ) |
M |
5 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
45 |
50kg |
|
90 |
| 46 |
122x05x644 |
ZEYREK (FR) |
G |
5 |
Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
46 |
50kg |
|
84 |
| 47 |
2x547x7713 |
HASTA LA WAR |
G |
6 |
Sue Murphy |
47 |
50kg |
|
9.5 |
| 48 |
x121x41x80 |
AMADE (IRE) |
G |
8 |
Phillip Stokes |
48 |
52.5kg |
|
102 |
| 49 |
11166×8244 |
DEFIBRILLATE (NZ) |
G |
7 |
Patrick Payne |
49 |
52kg |
|
103 |
| 50 |
0x31851447 |
THE GOOD FIGHT (NZ) |
G |
7 |
Michael Moroney |
50 |
50.5kg |
|
98 |
| 51 |
x0x0558x96 |
CONSTANTINOPLE (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Aaron Purcell |
51= |
50kg |
|
89 |
| 52 |
1x2031x27 |
EMISSARY (GB) |
G |
5 |
Michael Moroney |
51= |
50kg |
|
80 |
| 53 |
75x55x0111 |
FLOATING ARTIST (GB) |
G |
6 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
51= |
50kg |
|
94 |
| 54 |
5x111733x7 |
KING’S CHARISMA (IRE) |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
51= |
50kg |
|
76 |
| 55 |
x31222x232 |
MANKAYAN (IRE) |
G |
6 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
51= |
50kg |
|
78 |
| 56 |
4x2x22x586 |
PESTO (GB) |
G |
6 |
Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes |
51= |
50kg |
|
76 |
| 57 |
00x00x5030 |
ROSTROPOVICH (IRE) |
G |
7 |
Ben & JD Hayes |
51= |
50kg |
|
95 |
| 58 |
x79288611x |
TOKEN SPIRIT |
G |
4 |
Robbie Griffiths & Mathew de Kock |
51= |
50kg |
|
71 |
| 59 |
3×11222117 |
TOORADIN |
G |
5 |
Ciaron Maher & David Eustace |
51= |
50kg |
|
92 |
| 60 |
388×3116 |
FORGOT YOU (NZ) |
C |
3 |
Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
51= |
49kg |
|
69 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
The Melbourne Cup field features no emergencies so if a horse is scratched after final acceptances than the two-mile showdown will run under capacity. There are plenty of lead-up races offering a chance for runners outside the Melbourne Cup ballot order of 24 to make the field including the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate.
Betting on the possible horses in the Melbourne Cup field is open nearly all year round, but the Melbourne Cup odds really firm once the final line-up is confirmed.
Each year the presence of internationally-trained horses outside of Australia and New Zealand in the Melbourne Cup field is growing and the raiders have a strong record running in the Melbourne Cup trifecta. There are many lead-up races horses can run in leading-up to taking their spot in the Melbourne Cup field including the Geelong Cup.
Before the official Melbourne Cup field is announced there are a number of nomination and entry stages. The original Melbourne Cup nominations close in late August or early September followed by Melbourne Cup weights around a week later. The nominations are followed by first acceptances in early October and second acceptances later that month.