Happy Melbourne Cup Day!
There’s a video here if you’d prefer this information in video format. Otherwise most of the information is summarised below.
My tips for the 2026 Melbourne Cup
3. Knight’s Choice
5. Vauban
7. Royal Supremacy
13. Onesmoothoperator
(Note: In the video I accidentally refer to Ciaron Maher as the jockey of Royal Supremacy. Ciaron Maher is the trainer. I meant to refer to Ben Allen but looked at the wrong column when preparing my notes and the graphics.)
It’s a wide open field this year without a clear favourite, which to my mind advantages the horses which aren’t in the top tier of the betting market. That said, I’m backing these for a place primarily with a small win bet just in case. They all are paying nice dividends which I consider well above their actual chances.
Of these, Onesmoothoperator is my best bet, followed by Knight’s Choice who I think will be helped by the overnight rain.
The horse who I do not fancy
20. Point Of Law
Won the Geelong Cup recently but has never raced at this distance or at Flemington. The Geelong Cup is over 1000m shorter and I just don’t fancy the chances of this horse maintaining the run over the longer Melbourne Cup trip.
Australian TV broadcasts
Nine is the primary free to air broadcaster. Note that while Seven is airing Randwick races today, they don’t have rights to Flemington. Nine is the official Free To Air Melbourne Cup broadcaster on channels 9, 90, 8 or 80 depending on your location. Also available via Foxtel on channels 100 and 209. Also streaming on 9now.
Sky Racing is the master rights holder for The Melbourne Cup. Available on Foxtel channel 526, the apps of most bookmakers and TAB, and on the big screen at just about every licenced venue and racetrack in the country. Not available on Kayo.
Racing.com is broadcasting on free to air channel 78 or 68 depending on your location. Also streaming on racing.com. Note that the Foxtel, Kayo and 7plus version of Racing.com are contractually unable to air today’s Flemington races.
I have to note that I prefer the Sky and Racing.com broadcasts over Nine as they both focus on the racing and analysis of the racing, and spend less time on the fashions on the field and cross-promotion of other programs.
Australian radio broadcasts
Racing radio stations. Sky Sports Radio (NSW/ACT), RadioTAB (QLD, NT, SA, TAS), RSN (VIC), SENTurf (WA), SENTrack (various locations). These have a frequency in almost every town in the country. Sky and RadioTAB frequencies can be found at https://skyracing.com.au/listen/frequencyFinder while many of the RSN, SENTurf and SENTrack frequencies can be found at https://www.sen.com.au/guide
Triple M: In the capital cities and possibly also being carried on some of their regional station. Also on the Listnr app.
Tapt Media: 2GB Sydney, 3AW Melbourne, 4BC Brisbane, 6PR Perth. Also syndicating to many regional stations. Also available via their website.
ABC Radio: Nationally on ABC Local Radio. On the ABC Sport DAB+ station. Also on the ABC Listen app.
International broadcasts
New Zealand: Trackside 1
United Kingdom: Sky Sports Racing
South Africa: Super Sports Africa
Other countries: Check stations which normally carry horse racing.
Everywhere outside Australia: Racing.com and 9now should be accessible with a VPN. Both require free registration. Racing.com in some cases works without a VPN. Note that Sky Racing World, a paid subscription, does NOT have rights to today’s Flemington races.
Best of luck!
Samuel
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