2026 Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw Results And Derby Day Replays

The barrier draw for the 2026 Melbourne Cup is officially complete, with Ciaron Maher’s Geelong Cup winner Point Of Law drawing barrier nine as the $6 favorite for Tuesday’s two-mile test at Flemington. The 3200-metre race at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne’s inner northwest features a final field of 24 horses competing for a $10.2 million purse, including $4.5 million for the winning owner, trainer, and jockey.

Point Of Law will carry 53kg and be ridden by Ethan Brown, with trainer Ciaron Maher describing the gate as ideal. Barrier nine, ideal. He needed, I thought he needed a decent enough draw. Happy with nine, Maher said. He needs to get the first half of the race right and I think nine will enable him to do that. Maher added, Each day he’s just settled into the routine. I think he’s thrived. Historically, the Melbourne Cup favorite has not won since 2013, with the favourite finishing on the podium only four times since 2006, while the average odds of the winner this century sit around $19.

Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien received mixed results with his international contingent. We would’ve loved a lower draw, said Kevin Blake, a representative for O’Brien, regarding James J Braddock. But there’s only going to be one way to ride him from there. We have Craig Williams, a master of this place and a top, top man. So we’re living the dream. We’re here, and what will be will be. Blake also noted, We feel his European form will be stronger than Point Of Law’s, and they’re now carrying a very similar weight after Point Of Law’s being penalised. James J Braddock is a 4-year-old British-bred gelding named after the 1930s world heavyweight boxing champion, entering the Cup at only his eighth career appearance following a third in the English Derby and a sixth in the Irish Derby.

Additional Melbourne Cup barrier allocations include Middle Earth in barrier one with Mark Zahra, Zahrann in 11 with Ben Melham, Juja Kibo in 14 with Sam Clipperton, Shockletz in 17, Zakouma in 10 for William Pike, Enfjaar in 8 for Ray Dawson, Wine Dark Sea in 23 under Damian Lane, and Royal Supremacy in 21 for Ben Allen. Whether Harry Coffey will ride Shockletz on Tuesday remains uncertain following a fall and suspected broken collarbone at Flemington on Derby Day.

Horses Win Notable Races at Flemington and Randwick

Saturday’s action at Flemington and Randwick featured notable wins across multiple races.

More on Melbourne Cup: Ciaron Maher and Joseph O'Brien dominate Melbourne Cup field