Melbourne Cup 2026 sweep

The field, and when it lands

1. Any time now Draw the numbers 1 to 24. Just as random before the field exists as after.
2. Sat, 31 Oct Field declared Final acceptances and the barrier draw. This page fills in.
3. Tue, 3 Nov They jump at 3:00pm Match your numbers to the saddlecloths and watch.

The twenty-four

Not declared until Saturday 31 October 2026. Until then these are the twenty-four you draw, and the numbers are all you need — names get matched to them on the day.

1. 1
2. 2
3. 3
4. 4
5. 5
6. 6
7. 7
8. 8
9. 9
10. 10
11. 11
12. 12
13. 13
14. 14
15. 15
16. 16
17. 17
18. 18
19. 19
20. 20
21. 21
22. 22
23. 23
24. 24

Two things that catch people out

• Barrier is not saddlecloth. A sweep draws the saddlecloth number, set by weight. The barrier is only where the horse jumps from.
• Scratchings run right up to race morning. Settle the house rule before you draw — the rules page has the three usual answers.

Draw it with the Cup sweep generator in about a minute, or on the printable sheet (there's an A4 PDF for the tearoom printer). Not twenty-four people, or an office that can't take cash? Sweep ideas covers both.

Common questions

When is the Melbourne Cup in 2026?

Tuesday 3 November 2026, jumping at 3:00pm AEDT at Flemington in Melbourne. It is always the first Tuesday in November.

When is the 2026 Melbourne Cup field declared?

Final acceptances and the barrier draw happen on the Saturday before the race — 31 October 2026. Until then there is no official field of 24.

Can you run a sweep before the field is announced?

Yes, and it is the easier way to do it. Draw the numbers 1 to 24 and match them to the saddlecloths on the day. The draw is just as random, and everyone has their runner before race morning.

How many horses are in the Melbourne Cup?

24 — the maximum field, and the number a standard sweep is built around. Scratchings can reduce the number that actually jumps.