$6 million Cup – Caulfield raises stakes, boosts ballot-free races for 150th running of 2400m handicap

This year’s Caulfield Cup will be worth a record $6 million as the Melbourne Racing Club looks to reward connections from first to last and increase international participation in the 150th running of Victoria’s signature 2400m handicap.

The MRC on Tuesday unveiled a suite of changes to the race, headlined by the $6 million pool, a quartet of overseas qualifying races and a redistribution of the allocated prize money.

In a first for the race, every runner in the 2026 Sportsbet Caulfield Cup will earn prize money, with starters finishing outside the top 10 to receive $60,000. 

The move brings the race into line with the Melbourne Cup, where horses outside the first 12 receive one per cent of the total prize money pool.

With an additional $1 million in prize money on offer for the Caulfield Cup this year, the winner’s purse will increase to $3.3 million. Trophies awarded to the winning owner, trainer and jockey will also be boosted, with their values going up from $330,000 to $550,000.

“The Caulfield Cup is one of Australia’s great races and the Melbourne Racing Club has a responsibility to ensure it remains there,” Melbourne Racing Club chief executive Tanya Fullarton said.

“The 150th running gives us the right moment to elevate the race, ensuring it remains a compelling target for the best available staying horses.

“The Caulfield Cup will remain the world’s richest 2400m handicap race supported by the increased prizemoney pool, which in distributing money to every starter, recognises the considerable commitment required to prepare a horse for a race of this scale.”

The MRC also hopes to further internationalise the Caulfield Cup with the addition of four ballot-free European races, starting with this week’s Listed Wolferton Stakes (2004m) at Royal Ascot and a trio of Group 3 races, the Glorious Stakes (2412m) at Goodwood, the Prix de Reux (2500m) at Deauville and Ballyroan Stakes (2414m) at Leopardstown.

“These races staged at premium European venues have been selected to provide a more current and practical pathway for British, Irish and French-trained horses with a genuine Caulfield Cup profile,” Fullarton said.

“The Caulfield Cup has an extraordinary past. These changes are about making sure it has an equally strong future.”

Last year’s Caulfield Cup, won by local Half Yours, had four internationally trained runners, with the Alessandro Botti-prepared Presage Nocturne the best-performed by finishing fourth.

Japan’s Mer De Glace won the Caulfield Cup in 2019, five years after compatriot Amire Rakti won the race, while the Mikel Delzangles-trained Dunaden won it in 2011.

Godolphin also won the race in 2008 for Godolphin with the Saeed Bin Suroor-trained fly-in runner All The Good.

“The Sportsbet Caulfield Cup is an integral part of the rich heritage of Victorian, and indeed, Australian racing, and this year marks a momentous occasion with the 150th edition of this great handicap race,” Racing Victoria chief executive  Aaron Morrison said.

“The MRC’s additional prize money investment celebrates that incredible milestone and will help to ensure another outstanding field of stayers from across Australia and abroad will target the race.”

Last year’s Melbourne Cup was worth $10 million while the Cox Plate, which is to be run at Flemington this year while Moonee Valley is out of action due to its redevelopment, was worth $6 million. 

The Caulfield Cup meeting will be staged at Caulfield on Saturday, October 17, running alongside Randwick’s Everest meeting in Sydney.