WINNO'S WINNERS: FLEMINGTON, MELBOURNE CUP DAY
By Darren Winningham | Monday, November 2, 2026
The first Tuesday of November – an iconic day for Australian racing and sport - Melbourne Cup Day – at FLEMINGTON! The track is rated ‘Good’. The rail is out 3 metres for the entire track.
NB: As these selections were made prior to race-day, please check for any changes to track conditions and for any scratchings on the day.
Race MARIBYRNONG PLATE – GROUP 3
A Group 3 race over 1000 metres for two-year-old runners kicks off the big day.
Selections:
7 – Funded
9 – Rain Bender
1 – Royal Press
2 – Amsterdam
Rough chance – (3) Jetsetter
Race 2
A BM80 race over 2000 metres.
Selections:
5 – Politely Dun
7 – Johnich
8 – Federer
13 – Yauson
Rough chance – (10) Chispa
Race 3
A Listed class race over 1800 metres.
Selections:
8 – Fringilla
1 – Mister Whiskers
2 – Star Of Macedon
4 – Gilgeous
Rough chance – (5) Cab Franc
Race 4
An Open class race over 1000 metres.
Selections:
4 – Peyton
12 – Parcae
13 – Fovea
15 – Sanctuary
Rough chance – (6) Splendacious
Race 5
A BM98 race over 2800 metres.
Selections:
17 – Autumnheat
9 – Autumn Mystery
11 – Grand Pierro
2 – Athabascan
Rough chances – (5) Jennivamoose
Race 6
A Listed race over 1800 metres.
Selections:
6 – Al Duca
10 – Darkbonee
4 – Sabaj
5 – St Lawrence
Rough chance – (2) Relentless Voyager
Race 7 LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP – GROUP 1
First leg of the Quaddie. The Group 1 Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres.
I suppose with seven runners – can the Ciaron Maher stable bag the trifecta in our big race!
The Group 2 Metropolitan form has been solid over the years – with this year’s winner Juja Kibo (11) backing it up by winning the Moonee Valley Cup which, ironically, was run here on this track two weeks ago. He looks like he can stay all day this one. He is trained by Ciaron Maher. The story here is surely the return to the saddle for jockey Sam Clipperton after hanging up his saddle and whip and heading to the Hunter Valley caring for cattle. Fast forward a comeback in November 2025 at Hawkesbury and the five-time Group 1 winner is looking for his biggest win of his career.
Ciaron Maher also trains the early favourite – Point Of Law (20) with Ethan Brown to ride. Here from Europe in the Maher yards, he has made a dramatic entry to Australian racing winning the Group 3 Geelong Cup. A solid run and then a barnstorming finish to put pave to the opposition. He is a threat in this race.
The other Maher trained runner I think is a chance is Shockletz (24) with Harry Coffey due to ride. Coffey came down on Derby Day and has suffered an injury to his right collarbone that underwent surgery on Sunday. It looks unlikely he will take the ride. Michael Dee is the jockey next in line to ride the five-year-old mare. She is looking to emulate the feat of Verry Elleegant who the last mare was to win the race in 2021. She did that for the Waller and McDonald combination. This runner is very lightly raced with 20 career starts for 7 wins and 4 placings. She has been racing this preparation from early August, but the Maher team has spaced her runs out and freshened her up on a few occasions. Her win here in the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500metres) in September announced her arrival as being a contender for this race. What I really like about this runner is her track stats – nine starts for three wins and two seconds. She loves this place and she will perform on firm and soft going.
Then, when you go wider, you find the horse that ran second in the Cup last year in the Cup – Goodie Two Shoes (10). Her recent efforts do not suggest that she is going as well as last year and she is now an eight-year-old.
Enfjaar (6) is probably the best exposed form of the overseas invaders. He comes off a solid run in the Caulfield Cup when he was flashing late and savaging the line. With that effort he must have a chance here. Trained by Roger Varian and regular jockey Ray Dawson will ride. The stable has reported that he has continued to thrive since that first up run at Caulfield.
So You Are (16) trained by Bjorn Baker and will be ridden by Rachel King. These two have been in sensational form in recent weeks. This runner was transferred from Stirling Osland to Baker after an unlucky run in the 2026 Grafton Cup back in July. Since then, he has just got better as the distances have got longer. Now he faces his toughest career test. This runner has always shown a lot of potential – he has the distance in his legs with his sequence of winning runs covering 9800 metres in his past four starts. He is a genuine roughie – just a shame I cannot get him in my top four!
Hopewell Rock (12) is trained by George Boughey with the young sensation Zac Lloyd looking to ride his first Melbourne Cup winner – what a story. I remember when he won his first Stradbroke – he told me – “my old man (Jeff Lloyd) did not win this race!” I suppose he gets the opportunity to use the same line if he can get the job done here on this overseas five-year-old gelding. Hopewell Rock has been racing consistently in restricted grades in Europe – in saying that his 10 career starts have resulted in 3 wins and 5 placings. He is one that must be kept safe – I am just not sure how he measures up against the opposition.
Zahrann (15) has the addition of blinkers for this run. Another runner for Ciaron Maher – with Ben Melham to ride. He thrives on a firm track and really resents a shifting surface – if the rain comes – stay away from him. However, if the track remains firm he is a genuine threat. He was untested in the final 250 metres of the Caulfield Cup – climbing over the back of his opposition. Could not get a real crack at them late – hopefully he will get out and have a genuine rush at them late!
Selections:
11 – Juja Kibo
24 – Shockletz
20 – Point Of Law
6 – Enfjaar
Rough chance – (16) So You Are & (12) Hopewell Rock & (15) Zahrann
Race 8
First leg of the Treble. A Listed race at 1400 metres.
Selections:
2 – Barracks
5 – Ranarsson
1 – Milsons Point
4 – Beautiful You
Rough chances – (3) Our Emperor & (9) Harry Lime
Race 9 HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB STAKES
A Group 3 race over 1400 metres.
Selections:
2 – Shadhavar
11 – Gold Medalist
4 – Dance To The Boom
8 – Terilee
Rough chance – (1) Stylish
Race 10
A BM90 race over 1400 metres.
That brings us to the end of the Day – there will be history created and written today!
Selections:
4 – Space Rider
5 – Surf’s Up
7 – Jett Smash
6 – He’ll Rip
Rough chances – (1) Buccleuch & (13) No Fuss
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Early Quaddie (races 3 to 6)
1,2,8 / 4,12,13,15 / 9,11,17 / 4,5,6,10 - cost is $144 to $1.
Value Early Quaddie (races 3 to 6)
8 / 4,12,13 / 9,17 / 6,10 - cost is $12 to $1
Quaddie (races 7 to 10)
6,11,16,20,24 / 2,5 / 2,4,11 / 4,5,6,7 - cost is $120 to $1
Value Quaddie (races 7 to 10)
11,20,24 / 2,5 / 2,4,11 / 4,5,7 - cost is $54 to $1
Treble (races 8 to 10)
2,5 / 2,4,11 / 4,5,6,7- cost is $24 to $1.
BIG 6 (races 5 to 10)
9,17 / 4,6,10 / 11,20,24 / 2, 5 / 2,4,11 / 4,5,7 - cost is $324 to $1
Jockey Challenge
A very close battle here. I am going out on a limb – James McDonald will not ride a winner on Cup Day. Now that means that you have Blake Shinn, Ben Melham, Mark Zahra and Craig Williams to choose from. Williams has been out of luck all Carnival – look for him to get the job done!
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