2026 Melbourne Cup Betting Picks & Tips - 3 runners who can win Australia's showpiece race

Once again a full field of 24 runners will battle it out over two miles at Flemington with Ciaron Maher's seven runners leading the home charge.

The international challenge is headed by Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien, who has five representatives as he chases a third Melbourne Cup victory after winning with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020.

The 2024 Melbourne winner Knight's Choice bids to win again two years on, while Vauban lines up for his fourth attempt at the race. 

Maher's Point Of Law heads the betting following an impressive victory in the Geelong Cup on what was his Australian debut. 

The lightly raced four-year-old carries just 53kg and draws ideally in barrier nine, but will need to produce another improvement stepping up to the 3200m for the first time.

Middle Earth is one of the more interesting runners despite finishing eighth in the Cox Plate last time. He was third in last year's Melbourne Cup and returns to the 3200m for the first time since.

Shockletz is another of the Maher runners who looks well placed with just 51kg. The mare secured her spot in the field with victory in the Archer Stakes, recording a figure around 15 lengths faster than standard.

Juja Kibo has been one of the form horses of the spring, winning The Metropolitan before backing up with victory in the Moonee Valley Cup at Flemington.

So You Are is another who comes into the Cup in excellent form, having won four consecutive races, including the Bendigo Cup for Bjorn Baker.

Zakouma is another lightweight runner worth respecting, with the Grahame Begg-trained galloper having secured his place in the field with victory in the Andrew Ramsden earlier this year. 

The internationals add plenty of intrigue, particularly the O'Brien-trained Trustyourinstinct, who won the Curragh Cup before finishing fourth in the Irish St Leger, and Sons And Lovers, who has been a model of consistency in Europe. 

Goodie Two Shoes was runner-up in last year's Melbourne Cup and returns after winning the Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood, while Hopewell Rock has a progressive profile after finishing runner-up in the Ebor Handicap at York. 

James J Braddock brings English Derby form into the race, while Enfjaar has already shown he can measure up against the locals after finishing third in the Caulfield Cup. 

Zakouma at double-figure odds is the value in the Melbourne Cup. The Grahame Begg-trained galloper has been flying under the radar this spring, but his victory in the Andrew Ramsden back in May is a strong form reference for this. 

He was fifth-up on that occasion and produced a peak performance in a genuinely run race, recording a figure more than 14 lengths faster than standard benchmark while carrying 58.5kg. 

He drops to just 52kg for the Melbourne Cup and comes into this at the same stage of his preparation, having done enough when fifth in the Herbert Power Stakes two starts ago. 

Interestingly, connections then opted for a run over the unsuitable 1600m as a final tune-up, something reminiscent of James Cummings' preparation with Zardozi in 2024, when she contested the Empire Rose Stakes before finishing fourth in the Melbourne Cup. 

It is a method that the legendary Bart Cummings regularly employed with his Cup runners, and Zakouma looks to have been set for this race for some time.

William Pike rides from barrier 10, and if he can reproduce his Andrew Ramsden performance, he will be right in the finish.

Middle Earth is the pick of the locally raced runners on benchmark figures and looks a major player in the Melbourne Cup. 

The Ciaron Maher-trained galloper finished eighth in the Cox Plate last time, but that performance was much better than it reads on paper, recording a figure 12.6 lengths faster than standard benchmark in a strongly run race. 

He was scrubbed along early, produced the fastest 800m-to-600m sectional and kept sticking on to finish seven lengths from the winner, with that performance rating well above the other local lead-up races. 

The seven-year-old has followed an almost identical preparation to last year, when he finished third in the Melbourne Cup, and returns to the 3200m for the first time since. 

Fiorente showed that a horse can return and improve on a previous Cup placing when going from runner-up in 2012 to winner in 2013. 

Middle Earth has previously produced a figure around 17 lengths faster than standard in the Australian Cup, one of the best performances of any runner in this field. 

He rises 2kg to 56.5kg and draws barrier one, which are the obvious concerns, but Mark Zahra knows him well and he looks capable of producing a peak performance.

Shockletz is another of the Ciaron Maher runners who looks well placed in the Melbourne Cup. 

The daughter of Shocking secured her spot in the field with victory in the Archer Stakes back in September, producing some excellent late sectionals in a genuinely run race and recording a figure around 15 lengths faster than standard benchmark. 

She has since finished runner-up in the Tesio Stakes and looks to be building towards a peak performance over the longer journey. 

The five-year-old carries just 51kg, a significant advantage over several of the leading chances, and should appreciate a genuine tempo. 

She will need some luck from barrier 17, but has the closing speed to make her presence felt at the business end.

James J Braddock looks an interesting value play in the Melbourne Cup, despite drawing the outside barrier. 

The Joseph O'Brien-trained galloper fits the proven formula of bringing well-performed Northern Hemisphere three-year-olds to Australia, with Rekindling winning in 2017, Cross Counter following in 2018, Il Paradiso finishing third in 2019 and Tiger Moth runner-up in 2020. 

The lightly raced son of Zarak finished third in the English Derby earlier this year and was subsequently gelded before returning with a sixth in the Kilternan Stakes at Leopardstown, finishing just 1.5 lengths behind stablemate Sons And Lovers. 

He was strong through the line on that occasion and looks capable of improving again stepping up to the 3200m for the first time. 

Craig Williams takes the ride and the four-year-old carries just 53.5kg, while Joseph O'Brien has already demonstrated his ability to prepare this type of horse for the race. 

Barrier 24 is far from ideal and he will likely settle towards the rear, but if the tempo is genuine and Williams can get him into clear running, he is capable of featuring at attractive odds.