A total of 71 horses remain in the running for Australia’s most iconic race, the Group 1 $10.2 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m), following today’s first acceptances.

Australia’s leading trainer Ciaron Maher has the largest representation in the Lexus Melbourne Cup first acceptances, with 14 horses remaining in contention, headlined by Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes winner Shockletz, Middle Earth and Group 3 Naturalism winner, Zahrann.

Champion trainer, Chris Waller also holds a strong hand in this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup with 9 horses featuring in the acceptances. Several of his runners are also nominated for this Saturday’s Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington including Aeliana, Birdman, Asterix, Ohope Wins, Soul Of Spain, Valiant King and Soulcombe, who finished second in the 2023 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Reigning champion Half Yours features prominently in the first acceptances after galloping at Flemington today and will contest the Group 1 TAB Turnbull Stakes.

Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy said he was delighted with Half Yours condition ahead of this weekend and encouraged by his progress towards a defence of his Lexus Melbourne Cup crown.

“He looks great, and he looks fit. I thought he looked to work very well this morning,” Mr McEvoy said.

“I think he’s going better (than last year). He has to step up to weight for age now and he is high in the handicaps and rating but I think his first up run in the Makybe Diva (Stakes) was fantastic.”

“An extra 400m this Saturday at Flemington, I think he can turn the tables on a couple of them.”

A total of 13 international horses remain in contention for Australia’s most iconic race. The first shipment of international horses arrived in Melbourne across the weekend, including Small Fry, Kizlyar, Omni Man, Starford (Joseph O’Brien, Ireland), Wine Dark Sea (Harry Charlton, England), Enfjaar (Roger Varian, England) and Point of Law (Ciaron Maher).

While the second shipment has entered pre-export quarantine internationally including Sons and Lovers, Trustyourinstinct, Defiantly, James J Braddock, Goodie Two Shoes (Joseph O’Brien, Ireland), Stinger Glass (Yasuo Tomomichi, Japan) and Hopewell Rock (George Boughey, England).

Horses will have further opportunities to secure their place in the Lexus Melbourne Cup through a series of ballot-exempt races, beginning this Saturday with the Group 3 Lexus Bart Cummings at Flemington.

Other pathways include the Caulfield Cup (2400m) on October 17, Geelong Cup (2400m) on October 21, and the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) and Cox Plate (2040m) on October 24.

The full list of first acceptances for the Lexus Melbourne Cup can be found here.

Second declarations for the Lexus Melbourne Cup must be submitted by noon on Tuesday 13 October.

The 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival begins with Howden Victoria Derby Day on Saturday 31 October, followed by Lexus Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday 3 November, Crown Oaks Day on Thursday 5 November and TAB Champions Stakes Day on Saturday 7 November.

Photo: Colin Bull