The latest edition of the Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup ran on Saturday, October 24, 2026 on Ladbrokes Cox Plate Day in Melbourne offering the Ciaron Maher-trained winner Juja Kibo ($7.50), who led a stable trifecta, a ballot exemption for the $10 million Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November. Juja Kibo now holds a place in Melbourne Cup 2026 betting for Flemington on 3 November.
The Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 shapes as a crucial betting race on the road to the Melbourne Cup, with a talented line-up of stayers set to tackle the demanding 2500m journey for valuable black-type success and a coveted ballot exemption into Australia’s greatest race. Despite being staged at Flemington in 2026 during the redevelopment of Moonee Valley Racecourse, the historic Group 2 feature retains its status as one of the key staying contests of the spring. The race regularly attracts Melbourne Cup hopefuls, seasoned distance performers, and progressive stayers looking to peak at the right time of the carnival, creating plenty of intrigue for punters. Follow the latest Moonee Valley Gold Cup odds 2026, market movers, field updates, and expert Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting 2026 predictions at Ladbrokes as the race to secure a place in the Melbourne Cup field intensifies.
2026 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Results
The official Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race is run and won on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
- #2 Juja Kibo
- #9 Kings Valley
- #7 Mr Monaco
The 2026 Moonee Valley Gold Cup results were dominated by the powerhouse Ciaron Maher stable, with Juja Kibo ($7.50) leading home a remarkable stable trifecta over Kings Valley and Mr Monaco in the Group 2 staying feature over 2500m at Flemington. Ridden by Sam Clipperton, the imported son of Belardo unleashed an impressive turn of foot off a slow tempo to score by a half-length in a time of 2:38.68, securing a ballot-free passage into the 2026 Melbourne Cup field after adding the Gold Cup to his earlier spring victory in The Metropolitan. The result significantly reshaped Melbourne Cup 2026 betting, with Juja Kibo firming from $26 into $13, while stablemates Kings Valley shortened from $101 into $51 and Mr Monaco from $51 into $34 with Ladbrokes. The performance further underlined the strength of Maher’s staying brigade heading towards the first Tuesday in November, with Juja Kibo now bidding to become the first horse since Kingston Rule (1990) to complete the coveted Moonee Valley Gold Cup-Melbourne Cup double in the same season.
2026 Moonee Valley Gold Cup Race Replay
2026 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Odds & Finishing Order
The updated Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 betting odds and links to our markets on the Cox Plate Carnival event will be available below the week of the race so stay tuned for the best prices on the Melbourne Cup lead-up followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 2. Juja Kibo (16) 58kg9×321 | |||
| 9. Kings Valley (13) 57kg08795 | |||
| 7. Mr Monaco (9) 57.5kg0x401 | |||
| 11. King Pedro (1) 57kg211×4 | |||
| 20. Jennivamoose (12) 54kgx3339 | |||
| 12. Aethelwulf (15) 55.5kg11112 | |||
| 3. Pinhole (7) 58kg2×311 | |||
| 5. Valiant King (3) 57.5kg0x003 | |||
| 8. Future History (14) 57kg6×324 | |||
| 13. Autumn Mystery (5) 55.5kgx0675 | |||
| 18. Kizlyar (6) 56kg11x2x | |||
| 4. Torranzino (8) 57.5kg15×06 | |||
| 14. Manzor Blue (10) 55.5kg2×464 | |||
| 17. Newfoundland (2) 57kg90×98 | |||
| 10. Deakin (11) 57kg5×388 | |||
| 16. Strictly Business (4) 55kg02×00 | |||
| 1. The Euphrates (10)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 6. So You Are (1)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 15. Point Of Law (6)SCRATCHED: | |||
| 19. Omni Man (11)SCRATCHED: | |||
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Tips
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup tips include looking for proven stayers with winning form over at least a mile and a half, runners with a good record at the track and those under double figures in betting.
Looking for gallopers out of spring lead-up runs including the St. Leger race in Sydney and those to have contested previous editions of the Melbourne Cup from springs gone are other good Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting tips.
Cleveland (2nd in 2023) was the last $500,000 St. Leger graduate from Randwick to win the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in Melbourne next start.
Ladbrokes Tip: Moonee Valley Gold Cup is a good early Melbourne Cup betting guide officially offering the winner a ballot exemption into the $10.2 million classic!
2026 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Predictions & Best Bets
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 betting tips and selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the stayers to lock into your Moonee Valley Gold Cup Trifecta tips.
| 12. Aethelwulf (15) 55.5kg11112 |
| 11. King Pedro (1) 57kg211×4 |
| 8. Future History (14) 57kg6×324 |
Latest News
The Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup runs on Cox Plate Day over 2500m under set weights plus penalties conditions. The stayers in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup field face off for $750,000 in total prize money and many are eyeing a run on the first Tuesday of November in Flemington’s iconic Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) over the two miles.
In 2025 the Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup became an official Melbourne Cup ballot exemption event.
The last horse to complete the Moonee Valley Gold Cup – Melbourne Cup double in the same year was the mighty Kingston Rule (1990). More recently Darren Weir’s 2014 MV Gold Cup winner ran second in the event in 2015 before scoring an upset in the Melbourne Cup at 100/1.
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Race Info
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Track: Moonee Valley (Flemington in 2026)
- Distance: 2500m
- Conditions: Set Weights + Penalties
- Status: Group 2
- Prize Money: $750,000
- First Run: 1883
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Betting
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting odds are led by proven stayers with form over at least 2400m and runners with previous experience at the tight Moonee Valley track. Past Group performers and staying types with an eye on a Melbourne Cup run also sit high up the Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting markets.
Recent winners to salute at double-figures in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting odds include Prince Of Penzance ($11 in 2014) and Vatuvei ($10 in 2012). Prince Of Penzance ran second in the following year’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup before saluting in the Melbourne Cup results in 2015 at a blowout price of $101!
More recently in 2020 Miami Bound scored an upset in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup winning as a $25 outsider in betting on the Melbourne Cup lead-up. She went on to run third in the next year’s Sydney Cup trifecta over the two miles at Randwick.
The mares also won in 2021 with Lunar Flare ($12).
Francesco Guardi ($3.30 in 2022) and Onesmoothoperator ($4.20 in 2025) are the latest favourites in Moonee Valley Gold Cup betting to win.
In 2024 Okita Soushi saluted at $11.
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Field
The Moonee Valley Gold Cup race field attracts a quality line-up of stayers each season including increasingly a number of international raiders heading towards a run in the world’s richest handicap – the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on the first Tuesday of November.
Runners in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup field may come off a run in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2040m) at the same track earlier in the month, a race that last produced a winner with The United States (6th) in 2015.
Another good lead-up race is the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) a fortnight before at Caulfield a race Bohemian Lily ran third in before her third next-up in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in 2015.
Okita Soushi (2nd in 2024) was the last Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner to come via a lead-up run in the Herbert Power.
In 2014 Prince Of Penzance won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup before returning for a second in the race in 2015 that lead to his upset Melbourne Cup victory as a $101 roughie.
The Group 3 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) on Champions Stakes Day is the other most popular next-up option for Moonee Valley Gold Cup graduates. In 2014 the MV Cup winner Prince Of Penzance ran second in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes behind Le Roi who improved on a MV Cup second that spring. Third in that year’s Moonee Valley Gold Cup Au Revoir meanwhile won the Group 2 Sandown Classic (2400m) two runs later, a race Prince Of Penzance finished third in. Americain is the other recent Melbourne Cup winner to have also won the Moonee Valley Gold Cup in 2010 and 2011 respectively.
The last galloper to complete the Moonee Valley Gold Cup – Queen Elizabeth Stakes double was Precedence in 2013. Precedence also won the 2010 Moonee Valley Gold Cup on the back of a Herbert Power Stakes third and a JRA Cup victory.
2026 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Final Field & Barrier Draw
The official Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 Final Field & Barriers are set for release on the Wednesday leading up to the race and will be published below so stay tuned to see what potential Melbourne Cup horses making the line-up.
The Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 final field features a capacity line-up of potential Melbourne Cup hopes including the Matthew Smith-trained favourite Aethelwulf coming off a Group 1 The Metrop second in Sydney, Chris Waller’s winner of that key lead-up Juja Kibo with a nasty barrier to overcome and the rails-drawn King Pedro second-up off a second fresh in the Group 2 Hill Stakes behind Cox Plate contender Attrition.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. The Euphrates (10) Scratched: | |||||
|
2. Juja Kibo
J: Sam Clipperton
T: Ciaron Maher |
39×321 | G | 16 | 58kg | |
|
3. Pinhole
J: James McDonald
T: Chris Waller |
12×311 | G | 7 | 58kg | |
|
4. Torranzino
J: Celine Gaudray
T: Paul Preusker |
215×06 | G | 8 | 57.5kg | |
|
5. Valiant King
J: Jye Mcneil
T: Chris Waller |
70×003 | G | 3 | 57.5kg | |
| 6. So You Are (1) Scratched: | |||||
|
7. Mr Monaco
J: Jabez Johnstone
T: Ciaron Maher |
10×401 | G | 9 | 57.5kg | |
|
8. Future History
J: William Pike
T: Gregory Hickman |
36×324 | G | 14 | 57kg | |
|
9. Kings Valley
J: Jamie Melham
T: Ciaron Maher |
x08795 | G | 13 | 57kg | |
|
10. Deakin
J: Lachlan Neindorf
T: Phillip & Tommy Stokes |
x5x388 | G | 11 | 57kg | |
|
11. King Pedro
J: Damian Lane
T: John O’shea & Tom Charlton |
2211×4 | G | 1 | 57kg | |
|
12. Aethelwulf
J: Craig Williams
T: Matthew Smith |
511112 | G | 15 | 55.5kg | |
|
13. Autumn Mystery
J: Teo Nugent
T: Rory Hunter |
3×0675 | G | 5 | 55.5kg | |
|
14. Manzor Blue
J: Michael Dee
T: Lisa Latta |
12×464 | M | 10 | 55.5kg | |
| 15. Point Of Law (6) Scratched: | |||||
|
16. Strictly Business
J: John Allen
T: Thomas Carberry |
802×00 | M | 4 | 55kg | |
|
17. Newfoundland
J: Declan Bates
T: Shane Jackson |
190×98 | G | 2 | 57kg | |
|
18. Kizlyar
J: Ben Melham
T: Joseph O’brien |
011x2x | G | 6 | 56kg | |
| 19. Omni Man (11) Scratched: | |||||
|
20. Jennivamoose
J: Harry Coffey
T: Ciaron Maher |
4×3339 | M | 12 | 54kg | |
2026 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Nominations
The early Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 nominations are taken the Monday of race week with the full list of potential Melbourne Cup-bound stayers to be listed below.
The Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 nominations attracted a bumper 36 stayers eyeing the Melbourne Cup ballot exemption led in all-in betting by Ciaron Maher’s impressive last-start Group 1 The Metropolitan winner in Sydney Juja Kibo.
Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Form Guide
The Moonee Valley Gold Cup form guide features essential facts and stats like the jockeys, trainers, barriers and lead-up runs of the stayers in the field.
In recent years the Moonee Valley Gold Cup form has held up in better spring features like the Melbourne Cup a number of times including in 2002 when Mr Prudent ran third and second respectively and in 2000 when Brew won the Melbourne Cup after a second to Yippyio in the MV Cup.
More recently Americain won the 2011 Moonee Valley Gold Cup a year after saluting in the Melbourne Cup, while in 2015 Prince Of Penzance ran second when failing to defend his Moonee Valley Gold Cup title before success in that year’s Melbourne Cup as a triple-figure roughie.
In 2021 the Moonee Valley Gold Cup runner up Floating Artist went on to run a good fourth behind Verry Elleegant in that year’s Melbourne Cup results.
In 2024 the Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner, Otaki Soushi, went on to place third in that year’s Melbourne Cup trifecta.
2026 Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Moonee Valley Gold Cup 2026 Form Guide will be available below for punters the week of the race.
Past Moonee Valley Gold Cup Results
There have been more favourites than roughies saluting for the punters in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup race results over the past decade.
Many quality gallopers have taken out the race and standout recent Moonee Valley Gold Cup winners include UK raider Onesmoothoperator (2025), Miami Bound (2020), Prince Of Penzance (2014), Americain (2011), and Zipping (2006).
Lunar Flare (2021) was the last Moonee Valley Gold Cup winning mare. Lunar Flare also finished runner-up in 2022 and fourth as the beaten favourite with excuses in 2023.
Recent Moonee Valley Gold Cup Winners
Recent Moonee Valley Gold Cup winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | 2nd | 3rd | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Juja Kibo | Kings Valley | Mr Monaco | 2:38.68 |
| 2025 | Onesmoothoperator | Athabascan | Scary | 2:36.77 |
| 2024 | Okita Soushi | Serpentine | Sharp ‘N’ Smart | 2:34.77 |
| 2023 | Cleveland | Vow And Declare | Future History | 2:35.20 |
| 2022 | Francesco Guardi | Lunar Flare | Persan | 2:39.3 |
| 2021 | Lunar Flare | Floating Artist | Sound | 2:40.1 |
| 2020 | Miami Bound | Shared Ambition | Oceanex | 2:39.6 |
| 2019 | Hunting Horn | Mr Quickie | Downdraft | 2:39.4 |
| 2018 | Ventura Storm | Trap For Fools | Libran | 2:34.3 |
| 2017 | Who Shot Thebarman | Libran | Cismontane | 2:37.3 |
| 2016 | Grand Marshal | Who Shot Thebarman | Pentathlon | 2:41.4 |
| 2015 | The United States | Prince Of Penzance | Bohemian Lily | 2:34.4 |
| 2014 | Prince Of Penzance | Le Roi | Au Revoir | 2:36.0 |
| 2013 | Precedence | Shoreham | Gotta Take Care | 2:36.9 |
| 2012 | Vatuvei | Reuben Percival | Ironstein | 2:35.7 |
| 2011 | Americain | Tullamore | Illo | 2:36.4 |
| 2010 | Precedence | Above Average | Capecover | 2:38.9 |
| 2009 | The Sportsman | Irazu | Think Money | 2:37.3 |
| 2008 | Gallopin | Baughurst | Ice Chariot | 2:36.5 |
| 2007 | Gallic | Lazer Sharp | Jukebox Johnny | 2:36.5 |
| 2006 | Zipping | Show Barry | Gallic | 2:38.9 |
| 2005 | Umbula | Bazelle | Kindjhal | 2:45.1 |
| 2004 | Another Warrior | Rizon | Hard To Get | 2:37.1 |
| 2003 | Frightening | Legible | County Tyrone | 2:38.5 |
| 2002 | Thong Classic | Rain Gauge | Mr Prudent | 2:40.9 |
| 2001 | Rain Gauge | Spirit Of Westbury | Big Pat | 2;37.6 |
| 2000 | Yippyio | Brew | Cronus | 2:41.3 |