Melbourne Cup 2026 Betting Odds - Aeliana & Half Yours Set the Pace
The 2026 Melbourne Cup is set for November 3 at Flemington, featuring top Australian and international stayers over 3200m. Early betting sees Aeliana and last year’s winner, Half Yours, as joint favorites at $10, both coming off impressive past seasons. European raider James J Braddock and local star Sir Delius are also considered strong prospects at $13 each. The Melbourne Cup remains a global highlight for both racing fans and punters, known for its deep field and challenging form lines.
- Aeliana and Half Yours are early $10 joint favourites for the 2026 Melbourne Cup
- Strong international contenders like James J Braddock challenge local stars
- The Melbourne Cup remains one of the world's most competitive and popular betting races
Half Yours winning the 2025 Melbourne Cup. (Getty)
The race that stops the nation returns to Flemington on Tuesday, November 3, with the 2026 Melbourne Cup again bringing together the leading local stayers and a strong international contingent over 3200m.
Aeliana and defending champion Half Yours share favouritism at $10 with Neds in an early market that remains wide open more than two months out from the race.
Aeliana surged into Melbourne Cup calculations during the autumn, with the Chris Waller-trained mare producing back-to-back Group 1 victories in the Ranvet Stakes and Tancred Stakes.
Already an Australian Derby winner over 2400m, the daughter of Castelvecchio has shown all the attributes of a genuine staying mare and is being prepared on a Cox Plate-Melbourne Cup path this spring.
Half Yours is also quoted at $10 as he prepares to defend the Melbourne Cup crown he claimed in remarkable fashion last year.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding completed the coveted Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double in 2025, becoming just the 13th horse to achieve the feat, before later being crowned Victorian Racehorse of the Year.
His autumn campaign produced four unplaced runs, but connections have been pleased with his early spring work and Jamie Melham is set to retain the ride as Half Yours builds towards another Melbourne Cup attempt.
James J Braddock and Sir Delius share the next line of betting at $13.
James J Braddock brings a strong European staying profile, highlighted by his third placing in the Epsom Derby behind Christmas Day and Maltese Cross in June.
The Joseph O'Brien-trained colt has been earmarked for an Australian spring campaign and is among a sizeable international contingent being aimed towards the major Cups.
Sir Delius rounds out the leading quartet after an outstanding 2025/26 season in which he established himself among Australia's premier weight-for-age horses.
The Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott-trained entire won the Underwood Stakes and Turnbull Stakes during the spring before adding the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick in the autumn.
His immediate spring focus is on the Cox Plate, with connections indicating a Melbourne Cup start will be considered after that assignment.
Melbourne Cup 2026 Betting Odds
| Runner | Win Odds |
|---|---|
| Aeliana | $10.00 |
| Half Yours | $10.00 |
| James J Braddock | $13.00 |
| Sir Delius | $13.00 |
| Defiantly | $15.00 |
| Green Spaces | $15.00 |
| Wine Dark Sea | $15.00 |
| Stinger Glass | $17.00 |
| Croix Du Nord | $21.00 |
| Hopewell Rock | $21.00 |
| Middle Earth | $21.00 |
| Varandir | $21.00 |
| Others | $26.00+ |
Odds provided by Neds & correct on 24/08/2026.
Melbourne Cup History
The Melbourne Cup is one of the world's most prestigious staying races and a highlight on the Australian sports calendar.
Being a 3200m handicap that attracts runners from across the globe, 'the race that stops a nation' is traditionally one of the toughest for punters, given the many different form lines.
Despite it being a challenging contest for all, the Melbourne Cup is the most popular betting race in Australia and one of the world's most famous sporting events.
Without A Fight (2023), Knight's Choice (2024) and Half Yours (2025) have won the last three editions of the Melbourne Cup.
Top Betting Sites
Betting offers
Upcoming Events
25 August 2026
- Valencia v Real Betis -
- Soccer
- LASK Linz v Celtic -
- Soccer
- Bodo/Glimt vs NEC Nijmegen -
- Soccer
- Daniil Medvedev vs Martin Damm -
- Tennis
- Maya Joint vs Panna Udvardy -
- Tennis
26 August 2026
- Doomben - August 26 -
- Horse Racing
- Canterbury - August 26 -
- Horse Racing
- Bendigo - August 26 -
- Horse Racing
- Belmont - August 26 -
- Horse Racing
- Preston Lions v South Melbourne -
- Soccer
- Nikita Tszyu vs Ben Mahoney -
- Boxing
27 August 2026
- Ipswich - August 27 -
- Horse Racing
- Wagga - August 27 -
- Horse Racing
- Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm -
- Rugby League
Load More
