Melbourne Cup First Acceptances 2026

Melbourne Cup 2026 First Acceptances: Defending Champion Half Yours Among 71 Still in the Hunt

The road to the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup took another significant step forward on Tuesday with first acceptances closing for Australia’s most famous race, leaving 71 horses still in contention for a place in the final field at Flemington on Tuesday, November 3.

After attracting 101 nominations earlier this season, the countdown to the 166th running of the Group 1 $10.2 million Melbourne Cup (3200m) is beginning to intensify, with the pool of contenders now reduced to 71 including 13 international challengers from England, Ireland and Japan.

A handful of spring standouts have already emerged in the latest Melbourne Cup 2026 betting, while several of the nation’s biggest stables continue to hold a dominant hand as the race for a coveted spot in the final 24 gathers momentum.

Defending Melbourne Cup champion Half Yours remains firmly on track to chase back-to-back victories in Australia’s greatest race this spring paying $10 in the latest markets at Ladbrokes!

2026 Melbourne Cup First Acceptances Quick Glance

• 71 horses remain in contention for the 2026 Melbourne Cup
• 58 Australian-trained runners and 13 international contenders survive the first acceptance stage
• Ciaron Maher leads all trainers with 14 acceptors
• Chris Waller has 9 horses remaining in this year’s Melbourne Cup field race
• Half Yours remains on track to defend his 2025 Melbourne Cup crown
• Defiantly ($9) heads the latest all-in Melbourne Cup betting at Ladbrokes
• Shockletz ($13) has been one of the major market movers after her Lexus Archer Stakes victory
• Zahrann ($15) continues to firm following his Naturalism Stakes success
• International contenders represent Ireland, England and Japan
• Key ballot-free pathways still to come include the Bart Cummings, Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup, Moonee Valley Gold Cup, and Cox Plate
• Second declarations close on Tuesday, October 13

Maher Holds the Strongest Hand

Fresh from a remarkable weekend at Caulfield where he landed multiple feature races including the Manikato Stakes, Ciaron Maher remains the best represented trainer among the 2026 Melbourne Cup first acceptances.

The powerhouse horseman has 14 horses still in contention, headed by leading local hopes Zahrann, Shockletz, and Middle Earth.

Naturalism Stakes winner Zahrann has emerged as one of the best-backed Australian chances in futures betting, while fellow Maher galloper Shockletz has enjoyed a meteoric rise in the market after securing her Melbourne Cup berth via a dominant victory in the Lexus Archer Stakes.

The daughter of 2009 Melbourne Cup champion Shocking has shortened dramatically from $101 into $13 in all-in betting and now sits among the leading contenders.

Maher’s depth across the staying ranks again positions the stable as one of the key players heading towards Flemington’s spring showpiece.

Waller’s Cup Dream Remains Alive

Champion trainer Chris Waller also remains heavily involved in the race with nine contenders progressing beyond first acceptances.

His team includes a host of talented stayers and middle-distance performers, several of whom are set to continue their Melbourne Cup campaigns in this Saturday’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

Among Waller’s key Melbourne Cup 2026 hopes are:

• Aeliana
• Birdman
• Asterix
• Ohope Wins
• Soul Of Spain
• Valiant King
• Soulcombe

The latter remains a particularly intriguing Cup prospect after Soulcombe finished runner-up in the 2023 Melbourne Cup results and he looks set to again build towards the major staying features of the spring.

The Turnbull Stakes is shaping as a crucial Melbourne Cup form race with a host of first acceptors expected to clash at weight-for-age level this weekend.

Half Yours Chasing Rare Repeat

One of the biggest stories of this year’s race remains defending champion Half Yours, who remains firmly on track to attempt a successful Melbourne Cup defence.

The popular stayer returned with an encouraging performance in the Makybe Diva Stakes and is expected to strip fitter when he lines up in Saturday’s Turnbull Stakes.

Currently sitting on the second line of Melbourne Cup 2026 odds at $10, Half Yours is chasing a feat not achieved since the legendary Makybe Diva completed her historic three-peat between 2003 and 2005.

Should he salute again in November, Half Yours would become the first horse in over two decades to go back-to-back in the race that stops a nation.

International Raiders Still Loom Large

Although the overseas challenge has been reduced from 23 nominees to 13 remaining contenders, the internationals continue to have a strong presence in the market.

Several overseas hopefuls have already arrived in Australia, including:

• Small Fry
• Kizlyar
• Omni Man
• Starford
• Wine Dark Sea
• Enfjaar
• Point Of Law

Another wave of contenders remains in quarantine abroad, including:

• Defiantly
• Goodie Two Shoes
• Sons And Lovers
• Trustyoursinstict
• James J Braddock
• Stinger Glass
• Hopewell Rock

At the head of the market sits Irish-trained Defiantly, who continues to hold favouritism at $9 following his dominant 5.5 length victory in the Group 2 Prix Kergolay (3000m) in France.

The Joseph O’Brien-trained stayer has attracted consistent support and currently headlines Melbourne Cup futures betting.

Key Qualification Races Still to Come

With just 71 horses remaining, several opportunities remain for contenders to secure automatic qualification into the Melbourne Cup field.

The next major ballot-free race arrives this Saturday via the Group 3 The Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington.

Further golden-ticket races include:

• Group 1 $6.55 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) – Caulfield Racecourse, October 17
• Group 3 $500,000 Ladbrokes Geelong Cup (2400m) – Ladbrokes Geelong, October 21
• Group 2 $750,000 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) – Flemington Racecourse, October 24
• Group 1 $6 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) – Flemington Racecourse, October 24

These races are expected to significantly reshape the Melbourne Cup market and could see several lower-ranked contenders surge into final field calculations.

Next Key Date

The next important milestone on the path to Flemington arrives on Tuesday, October 13, when second declarations are due for the 2026 Melbourne Cup.

With the field continuing to take shape and major spring races still to come, punters can expect further movement in the Melbourne Cup 2026 odds as Australia’s best stayers and a talented international contingent continue their quest for glory in the nation’s most iconic race.

Key 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup Nominations & Acceptance Dates

Entry & Acceptance Stages	Date
Nominations/Entries	12:00pm Tuesday 1 September
Late Nominations	12:00pm Tuesday 8 September
Weights Released	12:00pm Thursday 17 September
First Declarations	12:00pm Tuesday 29 September
Second Declarations	12:00pm Tuesday 13 October
Third Declarations	10:00am Monday 26 October
Final/Fourth Declarations	4:30pm Saturday 31 October