Melbourne Cup hub: Leading chance the latest to be withdrawn from the great race

Yet another leading chance in this year's Melbourne Cup has been withdrawn from the race on vet's advice!

Irish import Defiantly was prevalent in the market and was planning on a first-up raid of the great race.

As one of Joseph O'Brien's huge posy of internationals aiming at the first Tuesday in November, it would come as a brutal twist to connections to be left out just three days prior to the race.

As a result, fellow O'Brien runner Kizlyar will take his place at 24th in the order of entry.

“A panel of RV veterinarians re-examined Defiantly (Joseph O’Brien), Wine Dark Sea (Harry Charlton) and Enfjaar (Roger Varian) after those three horses were not passed when inspected on Thursday,” Racing Victoria said in a statement.

“In the opinion of the veterinarians, Defiantly remains unsuitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup and has been withdrawn from the race by order of the Stewards acting on veterinary advice.

“Wine Dark Sea and Enfjaar had made appropriate improvement from Thursday’s inspection and in the opinion of the veterinarians are suitable to accept.

“In addition, the veterinarians re-inspected Small Fry (Joseph O’Brien) and in their opinion the horse is no longer suitable to accept for the Melbourne Cup. Small Fry is currently 33rd in the order of entry.”

The latest market from Sportsbet
(as of Saturday morning October 31)

$6.50 - Point Of Law
$7.50 - Trustyourinstinct
$9.50 - Hopewell Rock
$10 - Shockletz
$11 - James J Braddock
$15 - Juja Kibo
$15 - Middle Earth
$18 - Enfjaar
$26 - Mr Monaco
$26 - So You Are
$26 - Sons And Lovers
$26 - Zahrann
$26 - Zakouma
$31 - Goodie Two Shoes
$34 - Kizlyar $34 - Knight's Choice
$34 - Soul Of Spain
$34 - Wine Dark Sea
$41 - Pinhole
$51 - Future History
$51 - Royal Supremacy
$51 - Vauban
$101 - Litzdeel
$101 - Asterix
$101 - Onesmoothoperator $101 - Strictly Business
$201 - King Pedro
$201 - Manzor Blue
$201 - Omni Man
$201 - Small Fry
$201 - Soulcombe
$201 - Torranzino
$201 - Valiant King

Stinger Glass is now confirmed OUT of the Melbourne Cup. This is the second withdrawal, after Saint George was ruled out on Thursday.

The Japanese raider failed a mandatory vet scan, which has now opened the door for the 2025 Melbourne Cup winning jockey, Jamie Melham, to go back-to-back in the race which stops a nation.

Future History, who Melham will ride, was 25th in the ballot order, but they have now earnt a start after Stinger Glass’ withdrawal.

Five Melbourne Cup hopefuls are under a cloud just days out from the great race at Flemington on Tuesday.

Defiantly (Equal 1st in order of entry), Vauban (13th), Enfjaar (17th), Wine Dark Sea (18th) and Litzdeel (32nd) were not passed as suitable to accept for the race when examined on Thursday.

The quintet will be re-examined by Racing Victoria vets prior to final acceptances.

Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott's Vauban is attempting to run in a fourth straight Cup.

Jennivamoose, The Euphrates and Kings Valley have all been withdrawn by their connections.

The latest market from Sportsbet
(as of Friday morning October 30)

$7 - Point Of Law
$8 - Trustyourinstinct
$9 - Hopewell Rock
$10 - Shockletz
$12 - Defiantly
$12 - James J Braddock
$15 - Juja Kibo
$21 - Middle Earth
$18 - Enfjaar
$26 - Mr Monaco
$26 - So You Are
$26 - Sons And Lovers
$26 - Zahrann
$26 - Zakouma
$31 - Goodie Two Shoes
$34 - Knight's Choice
$34 - Soul Of Spain
$34 - Wine Dark Sea
$51 - Future History
$51 - Royal Supremacy
$51 - Vauban
$51 - Pinhole
$51 - Kizlyar
$101 - Litzdeel
$101 - Asterix
$101 - Onesmoothoperator
$201 - King Pedro
$201 - Manzor Blue
$201 - Omni Man
$201 - Small Fry
$201 - Soulcombe
$201 - Strictly Business
$201 - Torranzino
$201 - Valiant King

The Melbourne Cup’s second favourite Saint George is OUT of the famous race!

After chatting with owner Ozzie Kheir, Gareth Hall has confirmed that Saint George passed the trot up for the Cup, however, did not pass the PET scan.

This means that Saint George is out of the Melbourne Cup and will not race again this spring.

A report from Racing Victoria stewards reads:

Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards, acting on specialist veterinary advice, have today ordered the withdrawal of the Ciaron Maher-trained Saint George from the entries for the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

In accordance with the conditions of the Lexus Melbourne Cup, Saint George was presented this week at the University of Melbourne Equine Centre in Werribee for a compulsory Computed Tomography (CT) scan of its distal limbs.

So You Are in!

Bendigo Cup winner So You Are has entered the top 24 in order of entry for the Melbourne Cup.

The Bjorn Baker-trained galloper received a 1kg penalty for the Group 3 triumph which has seem him move up the rankings from 28th to 24th.

It comes after Saint George was withdrawn from the race.

“Yesterday’s win, based on weights and the quality of opposition, was the best of So You Are’s recent victories, carrying 58.5kg and proving too strong for all rivals,” chief handicapper David Hegan said.

“He is a difficult horse to assess, having been extremely well placed recently while not winning by extensive margins.

“However, based on his overall profile and handicap performance ratings that are benchmarked internationally, a 1kg penalty to 54kg is the appropriate re-assessment against his potential competitors on Tuesday when considering the raised weight scale in this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup.”

Juja gets a run

Juja Kibo gained a spot in the $10 million 2026 Melbourne Cup (3200m) by virtue of an explosive win in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday.

The Ciaron Maher-trained stayer is among six runners who have gained a ballot exempt entry to the Cup - the others are Defiantly (Joseph O'Brien), Point Of Law, Mr Monaco and Shockletz (both Ciaron Maher), and Zakouma (Grahame Begg).

Juja Kibo has been hit with a 1.5kg penalty after his win on the weekend and will now carry 55kg.

Maher has nine runners in the mix, UK-based Joseph O'Brien has eight, and Chris Waller has five.

There are 38 runners remaining after connections opted to scrap Cup plans for Waller's Aeliana following her third in the Cox Plate.

Read about some of the main chances below:

Juja Kibo

The talented stayer also out of the Maher stable who impressively won the Group 2 Metropolitan at Randwick before coming from the rear of the field to win the Gold Cup in fine fashion.

A very strong lightweight hope for the race that stops the nation.

Mr Monaco

After winning the Group 3 Lexus Bart Cummings, Mr Monaco has stamped himself into Cup conversations as one of the key chances.

The imported gelding was far too strong for his opposition at Flemington on October 3 and now will incur a 1.5kg penalty for the Melbourne Cup.

Mr Monaco loomed to win the Gold Cup last Saturday before finishing third behind stablemates Juja Kibo and King's Valley. A nice Cup tune up.

Point Of Law

The talented import won the Geelong Cup (2400m) with an impressive first-up win on Australian soil.

The northern hemisphere three-year-old (four in Australian racing) is the current $6.50 favourite on the back of that win.

Ciaron Maher has a strong team on his hands.

Trustyourinstinct

One of Joseph O’Brien’s travelling cohort of seriously good stayers.

This guy saluted in the Group 2 Curragh Cup (2816m) - the same race O’Brien’s two Cup winners Rekindling and Twilight Payment won en route to Cup glory.

Will have to carry 57kg but he’s in the right stable.

Shockletz

Taking out the Archer Stakes in flying fashion, the five-year-old Ciaron Maher trained mare now has cemented herself in the Melbourne Cup market.

Maher credited the major victory to the application of blinkers for the first time in her 18-start career. The gear changes obviously proved successful putting over two lengths on the crafty field.

She then tuned up for the Cup with a lovely second behind Soverato in the Tesio Stakes (2040m) at Flemington on Cox Plate Day.

The daughter of 2009 winner Shocking.

Royal Supremacy

After scoring in the Group 3 JRA Cup (2000m) at Caulfield, Royal Supremacy has once again entered the Cups conversation.

He ran 15th of 18 in the Caulfield Cup, beaten 17 lengths.

Wine Dark Sea

The four-year-old gelding trained by Harry Charlton in the United Kingdom has arrived in Melbourne ahead of a Melbourne Cup campaign.

His talent was on display in the Group 3 Highclere Thoroughbreds Racing Geoffrey Freer Stakes (2671m) at Newbury in August, as he won in impressive fashion.

Horses like Mount Athos (2012) and Furthur (2025) won this race, then consequently targeted the Melbourne Cup – illustrated the viable Cups path it provides stayers.

Wine Dark Sea ran 11th in the Caulfield Cup after sitting on the speed from a wide draw.

James J Braddock

Craig Williams has taken the ride on Joseph O’Brien’s star stayer for the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Although he is nominated for the Caulfield Cup on October 17, O’Brien is programming the preparation purely around a Melbourne Cup berth for the Stallion.

His key victory came in the Derby Trial Stakes at Group 3 level in Leopardstown, following in the footsteps of Anthony Van Dyck (2020) who took this route toward a Melbourne Cup.

Goodie Two Shoes

Another Joseph O’Brien trained mare is returning to Melbourne in the coming weeks before looking to go one better after last year’s prominent Melbourne Cup performance.

She had a brave win in the Group 2 Qatar Lillie Langtry Stakes at Goodwood last month, looking destined to once again run well at Flemington.

Defiantly

The fast-running stayer, who won the Group 2 Prix Kergorlay at Deauville in France on August 23, has firmed as one of the favourites for the Cup.

This race has proved an incredibly serviceable lead-up run towards a Melbourne Cup with past winners Protectionist, Dunaden and Americain using it as a springboard towards ultimate success at Flemington.

He is trained by Joseph O’Brien who has a knack for the Melbourne Cup having two winners already to his name with Rekindling (2016) and Twilight Payment (2020).

Hopewell Rock

An English gelding that has the genuine profile of a Melbourne Cup winner trained by George Boughey.

Hopewell Rock ran fantastically in The Ebor (approximately 2800) at York Racecourse, narrowly missing out on the win in a tight finish.

The Ebor is England’s most significant handicap, and a genuine runway to the Melbourne Cup.

What are you prepared to lose today? Set a deposit limit. For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au