The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most celebrated horse race, held on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. In 2026 it takes place on November 3. Known as 'The Race That Stops a Nation,' the Melbourne Cup is a national institution — a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne, with sweepstake tickets sold across Australia and an estimated 5 million Australians tuning in to watch.
The Melbourne Cup 2026 is held on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. It is always run on the first Tuesday of November at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne.
Yes — Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday in metropolitan Melbourne and some regional areas of Victoria. Many other states observe an unofficial half-day or stop for the race.
The Melbourne Cup is run over a distance of 3,200 metres (2 miles), making it one of the longest major flat races in the world.
Use the live countdown above to see the exact number of days, hours, minutes, and seconds until Melbourne Cup.
The Melbourne Cup race starts at 3:00 PM AEDT (UTC+11) at Flemington Racecourse.