Melbourne Cup 2026 Preview - The European Challenge

Jon Vine

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Last updated: Sat 31 Oct 2026 14:20

Jon Vine 58 minutes ago

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Here's our look at the European raiders who will run in the 2026 Melbourne Cup
Trustyourinstinct arrives as a leading contender
Positive mentions also for Sons And Lovers, Wine Dark Sea and James J Braddock

Goodie Two Shoes (second left) finishing second to Half Yours (right) in last year's Melbourne Cup. (Getty)

The racing world will tune in to watch "the race that stops a nation" on Tuesday, as Flemington racecourse stages the 2026 Melbourne Cup.

Eight talented European horses have made it into the final Melbourne Cup field. Here's our verdict on all of the international challengers.

Sons And Lovers

Dylan Browne McMonagle will get the leg-up aboard Joseph O'Brien's top weight, who seems likely to make a bold bid from the front after being drawn low in stall three.

Sons And Lovers is no stranger to carrying this sort of weight in a valuable handicap. Joseph O'Brien's gelding made all to land the Red Sea Turf Handicap in Riyadh in February, comfortably holding a couple of decent stayers at bay on the long run to the line.

O'Brien's five-year-old may have to give weight to the field, but Sons And Lovers is a proven traveller, a Graded winner in three different countries and a dependable conveyance over a variety of distances. He's certainly not one to be underestimated.

Trustyourinstinct

Like his stablemate, Trustyourinstinct has claimed Group Two honours this season. Joseph O'Brien's six-year-old claimed a narrow victory in the Curragh Cup before running a fine race when fourth behind the excellent Scandinavia in the Irish St Leger in September.

Trustyourinstinct jumped hurdles as a younger horse but has found his niche on the Flat in recent seasons. O'Brien's gelding has won Pattern races over ten, 12 and 14 furlongs and has acquitted himself well against Group One horses on a number of occasions.

James McDonald has been booked to ride Trustyourinstinct on his handicap debut at Flemington. Even with that wide draw in stall 18, O'Brien's six-year-old clearly holds a leading chance.

Enfjaar

Enfjaar went close on his Australian debut in the Caulfield Cup. Ray Dawson found a lovely position from his draw on the rail, hitting the front with a furlong to travel, only to be run down in the closing stages by Kingswood and Saint George.

Varian's six-year-old has a similar profile to former stablemate Without A Fight, who won this famous handicap two years ago. Enfjaar saw out a mile and a half well in the Caulfield Cup, as he did when winning at Goodwood on his previous start. However, two miles could prove a stretch for a horse who has spent most of his career running over ten furlongs, and Enfjaar will shoulder three pounds more than he carried at Caulfield.

Wine Dark Sea

Going into the Caulfield Cup, I feared that a mile and a half would be on the sharp side for Wine Dark Sea. Harry Charlton's raider broke well from his wide draw and travelled comfortably behind a moderate pace for much of the contest.

Upon entering the final bend, the pace really began to pick up. Damian Lane committed turning for home, but that move proved to be a little premature, as Wine Dark Sea was swamped at the two-furlong pole and wasn't given a hard time of things late on.

Charlton's four-year-old has landed another wide draw, but this step back up in distance is a big plus for Wine Dark Sea. A fast early pace would suit him too. I expect to see a much-improved performance from this progressive four-year-old in Tuesday's main event.

Goodie Two Shoes

Goodie Two Shoes returns to Flemington after a fine second under 8-2 12 months ago. Wayne Lordan found a lovely position from stall 20 and powered into the lead with two furlongs to travel. Half Yours, who had conserved energy on the rail for much of the contest, soon had Goodie Two Shoes in his sights and stretched clear under Jamie Melham to claim a convincing victory.

Joseph O'Brien's seven-year-old has been in good form since that defeat. Goodie Two Shoes went close in Group Three company at Fairyhouse and produced a career-best effort on her penultimate start at Glorious Goodwood, where she stuck her nose out just in time to beat a very classy stayer in Santorini Star and win the Lillie Langtry Stakes.

Wayne Lordan takes the ride again, and he's been drawn wide once more in stall 19. Goodie Two Shoes will have to shoulder seven pounds more this time around, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see her contend once again.

Hopewell Rock

George Boughey will be represented in the Melbourne Cup for the first time when Hopewell Rock enters stall 15 at Flemington. Boughey had once hoped that his four-year-old would run in an Epsom Derby, but those dreams were dashed by an early-season setback last term, and Hopewell Rock endured a tricky second half of his three-year-old campaign.

A gelding operation soon followed, and Hopewell Rock has risen to new heights this term. Boughey's four-year-old took down some classy rivals to land a valuable 14-furlong handicap at Glorious Goodwood before running a cracker in the Ebor at York, where he was touched off by old foe Daiquiri Bay.

Boughey has booked the excellent Zac Lloyd for this assignment, and Hopewell Rock should be suited by this step up in distance. However, you do still need a sharp turn of foot in the Melbourne Cup, and this one-paced gelding could be found a little wanting in the speed department.

James J Braddock

Skipton was the last three-year-old to win the Melbourne Cup back in 1941, but that hasn't dissuaded Joseph O'Brien from sending James J Braddock over to Flemington.

O'Brien's charge won the Cashel House at Leopardstown in May before having a crack at the Epsom Derby. James J Braddock was backed when the rain arrived at Epsom, but Dylan Browne McMonagle's mount was very coltish in the preliminaries and was given too much work to do, staying on from the rear to finish third behind Christmas Day.

James J Braddock was gelded after a limp showing in the Irish Derby and ran a decent race to finish sixth on his prep run for Flemington on Irish Champions Weekend. Craig Williams' mount could turn out to be well handicapped, and I fancy the trip will suit. Any softening in the Flemington ground would also be to his advantage.

Kizlyar

Defiantly's withdrawal sees his stablemate Kizlyar make it into the final Melbourne Cup field. Joseph O'Brien's four-year-old enjoyed a memorable day in the sun at Royal Ascot, where he kept on well from the front to beat Defiantly in the Ascot Stakes handicap.

Kizlyar then ran well behind future Group One winner Queenstown in the Irish St Leger Trial before O'Brien sent his Royal Ascot winner down to Australia. Joseph's four-year-old was backed into favouritism for the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, where he attempted to make all but was passed much earlier than expected and hung right as he faded under pressure.

Returning to a more testing distance will suit this strong stayer. However, Kizlyar doesn't seem to be particularly well treated, and a wide draw could make it hard for Beau Mertens to find a favourable early position.

Verdict

Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup Tips:

Trustyourinstinct

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Sons And Lovers

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Wine Dark Sea

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