Joseph O’Brien has won the Lexus Melbourne Cup twice and stated he could run as many as 10 horses in this year’s race, but who are they?
We run the rule over the potential cast list heading for the Flemington feature on November 3 and highlight a best bet at current antepost odds.
Sons And Lovers - 57.5kg (9st 1lb)
Latest odds: 25/1 (Sky Bet, Paddy Power)
Form: 144512
Started the season with a lucrative staying handicap success in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia so the nature of the race could be right up his street, especially if the ground is riding on the quick side. Has a big weight to contend with but that's due to his good Hardwicke run and subsequent Group 2 victory in France, while his latest latest to Arabian Crown was a cracking effort as well. He can't be the worst each-way play around 25/1.
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Trustyourinstinct - 57kg (9st)
Latest odds: 16/1
Form: 721214
Seems to save his best form for the Curragh and back to winning ways there when upped to 1m6f for the first time on quick ground in July. Back from a break with a reasonable run behind Scandinavia in the Irish St. Leger, a race in which O’Brien latest Melbourne hero, Twilight Payment, had finished third en route to Aus.
Defiantly - 56.5kg (8st 13lb)
Latest odds: 9/1 favourite
Form: 04211
Unexposed four-year-old with proven stamina and a proven ability to handle soft and much faster conditions, so what’s not to like? Looked best when dominating from the front in testing ground at Deauville last time out and hard to see him repelling all-comers if ridden in the same way at Flemington. He might struggle to justify his position at the head of the market.
Highwayman - 56.5kg (8st 13lb)
Latest odds: 14/1
Form: 008111
Unraced at two and looked fairly clueless when first rocking up on the track at Cork in May. Not a lot better on his next two starts either but showed more promising signs when eighth in a Naas maiden by June, since when he’s three from three including a straightforward – and historic – Betfred St Leger success under Saffie Osborne. Hard to tell quite where his ceiling may lie but this would be another step up in terms of competition and racing keenly as he did at Doncaster wouldn’t help his chances by any means.
Goodie Two Shoes - (55kg/8st 9lb)
Latest odds: 25/1
Form: 2-8210
Quality mare who finished a fine second at a big price in last year's Cup, although she's returning with a higher weight this time around and hasn't exactly been a model of consistency throughout the 2026 campaign. Needs to bounce back from a low-key run when last of 10 at Leopardstown but the 1m4f trip was too sharp and easy enough to excuse that effort.
Starford - (55kg/8st 9lb)
Latest odds: 50/1
Form: 7-5163
Has yet to win a race beyond 1m3f so there has to be a small question mark against his stamina for a test like this but he's got a touch of class and clearly knows where the winning post is given his 4-11 career strike-rate. Does have a clear preference for softer conditions, though, and unlikely to come up really testing which would naturally help slow some of the others down a bit.
James J Braddock - 53.5kg (8st 6lb)
Latest odds: 12/1
Form: 51366
Always seemingly held in very high regard and, after winning the Derby Trial Stakes at Leopardstown second time out this year, he duly ran a belter to finish third in taxing conditions in the Betfred Derby at Epsom in spite of getting a bit upset at the start. Fluffed his lines in the Irish Derby but has been gelded and returned with a much more promising effort at the Irish Champions Festival recently and no surprise if connections have been working back from a trip Down Under for a good while now. Every chance he's creeping in here with a rating that can be exploited and the step up in trip shouldn't hold too many fears (dam closely related to The Reverend who is a winning hurdler for Willie Mullins).
Kizlyar - 53.5kg (8st 6lb)
Latest odds: 20/1
Form: 1-0112
Ex-French recruit who went hurdler last winter without success before returning to the Flat and bringing up a tidy double in the Ascot Stakes (2m4f) at this summer's Royal meeting where he edged out Defiantly in receipt of a couple of pounds. Well-held second in a Group 3 on his return from a break at the Curragh in August should serve as a reasonable prep but there's a suspicion he'll lack the requisite class to win at Flemington.
Small Fry – 51.5kg (8st 2lb)
Latest odds: 25/1
Form: 99-621
Talented performer previously with Gary and Josh Moore and he's gradually come to the boil for this yard this year, ultimately winning with any amount in hand in what looked a fairly competitive 2m handicap at York's Ebor Festival. Lacks that bit of Group-race form possessed by some of his stablemates but no question he's still on the up and he appears such a straightforward individual who could settle well and really take to this unique test. The current 25/1 widely available is not to be sniffed at.
Omni Man – 51kg (8st)
Latest odds: 33/1
Form: 98543
Hasn't got his nose in front since landing a Qatar Goodwood Festival handicap last summer and he's just looking a bit more exposed than most of his travelling companions. He looks likely to find this a very tall order unless there's plenty of cut in the ground.
Nil Bua Gan Dua – Entered but not expected to travel
VERDICT
An incredibly strong hand for Joseph O'Brien and it'll be fascinating to see how many actually line up but he seems to have a few bases covered no matter the ground conditions. Highwayman might have won the St Leger but James J Braddock is arguably the classy three-year-old with most to recommend him and Craig Williams is reportedly already booked for the ride, although those pre-race antics wouldn't want to be rearing their head again. Preference at the prices is to side with SMALL FRY each-way as he scored with ease at York and just looks a push-button ride for whoever is fortunate enough to end up riding him on the big day. There are no concerns over trip or ground and he's still got a bit more to offer for his new yard having started out with the Moores.
Published at 15:20 BST on 20/09/26
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