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FEATURE RACES
Expert analysis and runner-by-runner comments for the upcoming feature race.
AUSTRALIAN RACING
Friday, 30 October 2026
Free tips and racing information across Australia.
<p>The 2014 Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres at Flemington was led into by Japan's Admire Rakti, who had won the Caulfield Cup on his Australian debut and carried top weight. Red Cadeaux returned for a fourth Cup, and Europe sent the Ebor winner Mutual Regard, the Long Distance Cup winner Royal Diamond and the German stayer Protectionist.</p><p>The best of the locals included Fawkner, second in the Cox Plate, the Metropolitan winner Junoob, the Turnbull Stakes winner Lucia Valentina, and Who Shot Thebarman, the Auckland Cup and Bart Cummings winner.</p>
Protectionist won the 2014 Melbourne Cup by 4 lengths from Red Cadeaux, with Who Shot Thebarman third.
J: Ryan Moore
T: Andreas Wohler
| Runner | Comment |
|---|---|
| 1. Admire Rakti(8) | Japanese stayer who won the Caulfield Cup on his Australian debut. Won the Diamond Stakes in Japan and was fourth in the 2013 Tenno Sho. Zac Purton rides. |
| 2. Cavalryman(3) | Withdrawn from the race. |
| 3. Fawkner(9) | Sixth in the 2013 Melbourne Cup. Won the Caulfield Stakes and was second in the Makybe Diva Stakes and the Cox Plate this spring. Nicholas Hall rides. |
| 4. Red Cadeaux(15) | Ed Dunlop's European stayer, making his fourth Melbourne Cup appearance after seconds in 2011 and 2013. Ran in the Geoffrey Freer and September Stakes in his lead-up. |
| 5. Protectionist(11) | German stayer who won the Hansa-Preis and the Prix Kergorlay, then fourth in the Herbert Power Stakes on his Australian debut. Ryan Moore rides for Andreas Wohler. |
| 6. Sea Moon(18) | Withdrawn from the race. |
| 7. Seismos(1) | Won the Geoffrey Freer Stakes in England, then had his first Australian run in the Caulfield Cup. Trained by Marco Botti. |
| 8. Junoob(7) | Won the Hill Stakes and The Metropolitan, then seventh in the Caulfield Cup. Hugh Bowman rides for Chris Waller. |
| 9. Royal Diamond(6) | Won the Long Distance Cup at Ascot over 3200 metres and was second in the Vintage Crop Stakes. Trained by Johnny Murtagh. |
| 10. Gatewood(22) | Won the 2012 Geelong Cup and the Prix de Reux in France this year. William Buick rides for John Gosden. |
| 11. Mutual Regard(12) | Won the Ebor at York under a big weight for Johnny Murtagh. Damien Oliver rides. |
| 12. Who Shot Thebarman(13) | New Zealand stayer who won the Auckland Cup in March and the Bart Cummings this spring. 13th in the Caulfield Cup. Glen Boss rides for Chris Waller. |
| 13. Willing Foe(17) | Back from a year off with a second in the Geoffrey Freer Stakes and a fourth in the Irish St Leger. James McDonald rides for Saeed Bin Suroor. |
| 14. My Ambivalent(4) | Third in the Sheema Classic and the Coronation Cup and a Group 2 winner. Andrea Atzeni rides for Roger Varian. |
| 15. Precedence(20) | Making his fourth Melbourne Cup appearance for Bart and James Cummings. Fifth in the JRA Cup and Moonee Valley Gold Cup in his lead-up. |
| 16. Brambles(21) | Third in the Turnbull Stakes and fourth in the Caulfield Cup and Mackinnon Stakes for Peter Moody. Luke Nolen rides. |
| 17. Mr O'ceirin(19) | Fourth in the JRA Cup and sixth in the Kingston Town Stakes. Trained by Ciaron Maher. |
| 18. Au Revoir(23) | French stayer for Andre Fabre. Fourth in the Prix Foy, then third in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup on his Australian debut. |
| 19. Lidari(10) | Second in the Turnbull Stakes and sixth in the Caulfield Cup for Peter Moody. Ben Melham rides. |
| 20. Opinion(14) | Second in both the Sydney Cup and The Metropolitan for Chris Waller. Tye Angland rides. |
| 21. Araldo(24) | Third in The Metropolitan and fifth in the Caulfield Cup. Dwayne Dunn rides for Michael Moroney. |
| 22. Lucia Valentina(2) | Won the Tramway Stakes and the Turnbull Stakes, then third in the Caulfield Cup. Kerrin McEvoy rides for Kris Lees. |
| 23. Unchain My Heart(5) | Has won twice over 3200 metres at Flemington. Third in the Harry White Classic. |
| 24. Signoff(16) | Won the Lexus Stakes at Flemington after a second in the Herbert Power Stakes. Joao Moreira rides for Darren Weir. |
