Fifty-eight horses remain in contention for the 2026 Melbourne Cup after second declarations were announced on Tuesday, with Ciaron Maher still holding 14 entries for the $10.2 million race.
The Victoria Racing Club confirmed the updated list for the 166th running of the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington, now just three weeks away.
Maher, Victoria’s premier trainer, is headlined by 2025 placegetter Middle Earth. His team also includes Mr Monaco, who is now exempt from the ballot after winning a golden ticket in the Bart Cummings (2520m), and fellow golden ticket winner Shockletz.
Two-time Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Joseph O’Brien has accepted with nine horses, which the VRC described as his strongest hand to date. They include Defiantly, who earned a golden ticket by winning the Group 2 Prix Kergolay (3000m), and James J Braddock.
Waller keeps nine in the mix
Chris Waller has also kept nine runners in the race, led by Aeliana. Group 1 ATC Oaks (2400m) winner Ohope Wins and Pinhole, who won the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) last Saturday, are also among his entries.
Read more: The 10 Greatest Caulfield Cup Winners of All Time
Japan will be represented by Stinger Glass, who is set to be ridden by Christophe Lemaire. The French jockey won the 2011 Melbourne Cup on Dunaden, and this year marks 20 years since Delta Blues gave Japan its first win in the race.
British trainer Harry Charlton is also chasing success on his first trip to Australia with Wine Dark Sea, the Group 3 Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2671m) winner who is among the more favoured runners for Saturday’s Caulfield Cup.
Half Yours chasing more history
Nineteen of the 22 Caulfield Cup hopefuls have accepted for the Melbourne Cup. Half Yours completed the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double last year, and will try to become the first horse since Rising Fast in 1954 and 1955 to win back-to-back Caulfield Cups.
He is then set to carry topweight of 59kg in his bid for a second Melbourne Cup. Other notable entries for both cups include ATC Derby (2400m) winner Green Spaces, Glorious Stakes (2400m) winner Enfjaar and 2024 Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice.
What’s next
Four golden tickets remain for automatic entry into the Melbourne Cup: the Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup, Moonee Valley Gold Cup and Cox Plate. Third declarations close on Monday 26 October.
The full list of second acceptances is available on the VRC website.
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