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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 2021 Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres at Flemington, worth $8 million, was run in front of a crowd capped at 10,000 under COVID-19 rules, with every runner CT scanned beforehand.</p><p>The story of the spring was Incentivise, who arrived on a long winning run through the Makybe Diva Stakes, Turnbull Stakes and Caulfield Cup, chasing the first Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double since Ethereal in 2001. The defending champion Twilight Payment returned from Ireland, Chris Waller's star mare Verry Elleegant came in as a multiple Group 1 winner, and Andrew Balding sent out Spanish Mission.</p>
Verry Elleegant won the 2021 Melbourne Cup by 4 lengths from Incentivise, with Spanish Mission third.
J: James Mcdonald
T: Chris Waller
| Runner | Comment |
|---|---|
| 1. Twilight Payment(2) | The 2020 Melbourne Cup winner, back for Joseph O'Brien. Won the Irish St Leger Trial and was second in the Irish St Leger this year. Jye McNeil rides again. |
| 2. Incentivise(15) | Peter Moody's Queenslander on a long winning run, including the Makybe Diva Stakes, the Turnbull Stakes and the Caulfield Cup. Brett Prebble rides. |
| 3. Spanish Mission(14) | British stayer for Andrew Balding, runner-up in the Lonsdale Cup at York before the trip. Craig Williams rides. |
| 4. Verry Elleegant(18) | Chris Waller's champion mare, already a multiple Group 1 winner and the reigning Australian Racehorse of the Year. James McDonald rides. |
| 5. Explosive Jack(4) | Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and ridden by John Allen. |
| 6. The Chosen One(5) | The only New Zealand-trained runner, for Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman. Damian Lane rides. |
| 7. Delphi(3) | Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman and ridden by Damien Oliver. |
| 8. Ocean Billy(13) | Won the 2021 Auckland Cup before joining Chris Waller. |
| 9. Selino(23) | Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Ron Stewart. |
| 10. Johnny Get Angry(21) | Trained by Denis Pagan and ridden by Lachlan King. |
| 11. Knights Order(9) | Trained by Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott and ridden by Daniel Stackhouse. |
| 12. Persan(11) | Trained by Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and ridden by Luke Currie. |
| 13. Carif(8) | Trained by Peter and Paul Snowden and ridden by Blaike McDougall. |
| 14. Master Of Wine(6) | Trained by Jay Bernardini and ridden by Fred Kersley. |
| 15. Pondus(1) | Trained by Robert Hickmott and ridden by Rachel King. |
| 16. Grand Promenade(20) | Irish-bred stayer for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with a consistent six months of racing behind him. Kerrin McEvoy rides. |
| 17. Miami Bound(16) | Trained by Danny O'Brien and ridden by Patrick Moloney. |
| 18. Port Guillaume(22) | Trained by Ben and JD Hayes and ridden by Harry Coffey. |
| 19. She's Ideel(19) | Trained by Bjorn Baker and ridden by Craig Newitt. |
| 20. Future Score | Withdrawn from the race. |
| 21. Tralee Rose(12) | New Zealand-bred mare trained by Symon Wilde. Dean Holland rides. |
| 22. Floating Artist(10) | British-bred stayer for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, coming off the Moonee Valley Gold Cup. |
| 23. Great House(7) | Trained by Chris Waller and ridden by Mick Dee. |
| 24. Sir Lucan(17) | Bought by the Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott stable with the Cup in mind. Glen Boss, a three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, rides. |
