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The Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) will be held at Caulfield on Saturday, October 16 and Bettingpro.com.au provides you with a comprehensive guide to the race.
Caulfield Cup 2026. Australia’s second-richest staying handicap runs on Saturday 17 October 2026 at Caulfield over 2400m — a $5 million Group 1 and the single most important form pointer to the Melbourne Cup. This is our complete Caulfield Cup guide: the 2026 date and start times, the field and how it’s drawn, tips and best bets, live odds, the form guide, how to watch, past winners and FAQs — updated through the spring with the latest field, odds and our best bets.
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Caulfield Cup 2026: Key Details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Race | Caulfield Cup (Group 1) |
| Date | Saturday 17 October 2026 |
| Start time | ~5:15pm AEDT |
| Venue | Caulfield, Melbourne |
| Distance | 2400m |
| Conditions | Open handicap, 3yo & up |
| Field size | 18 runners + 4 emergencies |
| Prize money | $5 million |
| Broadcast | Network Nine & 9Now (free), Sky Racing, Racing.com |
When is the Caulfield Cup & What Time?
The Caulfield Cup is run on the third Saturday of October — in 2026 that’s Saturday 17 October, as the feature on Caulfield Cup Day (the climax of the two-Saturday Caulfield Cup Carnival). The Cup itself jumps at approximately 5:15pm AEDT. Local start times by state:
| State | Local start time |
|---|---|
| VIC / NSW / ACT / TAS | ~5:15pm AEDT |
| Queensland | ~4:15pm AEST |
| South Australia | ~4:45pm ACDT |
| Northern Territory | ~3:45pm ACST |
| Western Australia | ~2:15pm AWST |
Caulfield Cup 2026 Field & Barrier Draw
The Caulfield Cup is a capacity handicap of 18 runners plus four emergencies, the field set by the handicapper’s ratings and a ballot, with weights released in the weeks before. The final field and barrier draw are confirmed on the Wednesday of Cup week. On the draw, Caulfield’s tight, turning circuit and the short run to the first bend make an inside-to-midfield gate an asset — though the staying trip gives runners time to recover, and Incentivise famously won from barrier 18 in 2021. International raiders make up a strong share of the modern field.
Caulfield Cup Tips, Best Bets & Predictions
Our tipsters post their Caulfield Cup best bets, value plays and exotics once the field, barriers and going are confirmed. The 2400m at Caulfield rewards proven middle-distance and staying form, a strong recent lead-up (the Memsie, Makybe Diva, Underwood and Turnbull Stakes, the Caulfield Stakes and the Herbert Power) and a manageable weight. With a capacity 18-runner field the each-way and exotic plays carry real value. Bookmark this page and check back race week for our final selections.
How to Bet on the Caulfield Cup
Win and each-way are the staples, but a capacity field makes the quinella, trifecta and first four attractive, and the Caulfield Cup Day quaddie is a popular play. All-in futures trade through the spring as the lead-ups unfold, so backing a runner before the final field firms is the value angle. For live Caulfield Cup odds and the best price on every runner, compare the leading Australian bookmakers in our toplist below.
Caulfield Cup Odds & Favourites
Markets open through the winter and firm as horses qualify. The Caulfield Cup has a mixed favourites record — Incentivise ($ fav) bolted in in 2021, but Durston won as the first-ever emergency to salute in 2022 and roughies are common in a deep handicap — so each-way and the exotics earn their keep. We track the market all spring; for the latest fixed-odds and futures, see the bookmaker comparison below.
Caulfield Cup Form Guide
The key form lines run through the Caulfield spring: the Memsie, Makybe Diva, Underwood and Turnbull Stakes, the Caulfield Stakes and the Herbert Power Stakes (the main local 2400m lead-up and ballot-exempt path) all feed the field. Overseas, form out of the major European middle-distance and staying races points to the international raiders. Weight, barrier and a genuine 2400m pedigree complete the picture — and the Caulfield Cup is itself the premier Melbourne Cup form line (see below).
Caulfield Cup Recent Winners & 2025 Result
The 2025 Caulfield Cup was won by Half Yours, with Jamie Melham becoming the first female jockey to win the race — before the pair went on to complete the famous Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double. Recent winners:
| Year | Winner | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Half Yours | Jamie Melham — 1st female winner; later won the Melbourne Cup |
| 2024 | Duke De Sessa | Beat Buckaroo by 1.25L |
| 2023 | Without A Fight | Won the Melbourne Cup next start (the double) |
| 2022 | Durston | First-ever emergency to win |
| 2021 | Incentivise | 3.5L romp from barrier 18 as favourite |
The Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup Double
The Caulfield Cup is the most important lead-up to the Melbourne Cup, run just over two weeks earlier over 2400m at weight-for-age-style handicap conditions. The rare Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double is racing’s blue riband — achieved by Without A Fight (2023) and again by Half Yours in 2025. If you’re building a spring staying portfolio, the Caulfield Cup result is the first place to look for your Melbourne Cup play — see our full Melbourne Cup tips, field & guide.
History & Background
First run in 1879, the Caulfield Cup is one of Australia’s oldest and most prestigious staying handicaps, run at the tight, turning Caulfield circuit. It has long been the launchpad for spring staying campaigns and the premier Melbourne Cup pointer, and forms the centrepiece of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival alongside the Caulfield Guineas and the Cox Plate.
How to Watch the Caulfield Cup (Live Stream & TV)
Caulfield Cup Day is broadcast free-to-air on Network Nine and streamed on 9Now, with full race-day coverage on Sky Racing and Racing.com. You can also live stream the race with most licensed Australian bookmakers once your account is funded. Replays go up on Racing.com and the Melbourne Racing Club channels shortly after.
Best Bookmakers for the Caulfield Cup
For a full comparison of the top Australian racing bookmakers — best odds, futures markets and live streaming — see our best horse racing betting sites in Australia guide.
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
#AD 18+ T&Cs Apply Imagine what you could be buying instead. For free & confidential support call 180 0858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Exclusive 365AUCODE referral code: bet365 does not offer bonus codes in Australia and this referral code does not grant access to offers.18+ T&C's Apply. What are you really gambling with? Chances are you're about to lose. Set a Deposit Limit For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au
Caulfield Cup FAQs
When is the Caulfield Cup 2026?
Saturday 17 October 2026 — the third Saturday of October — at Caulfield.
What time is the Caulfield Cup?
Approximately 5:15pm AEDT (around 4:15pm in QLD, 2:15pm in WA).
Who won the 2025 Caulfield Cup?
Half Yours, with Jamie Melham the first female jockey to win the race — the pair then completed the Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double.
How far is the Caulfield Cup?
2400m, run as a Group 1 handicap for three-year-olds and upwards.
How many horses run in the Caulfield Cup?
A capacity field of 18 runners, plus up to four emergencies.
How much is the Caulfield Cup worth?
$5 million in total prize money.
How can I watch the Caulfield Cup?
Free-to-air on Network Nine and 9Now, plus Sky Racing, Racing.com and most bookmaker live streams.
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