Defending champion among 58 still standing after Melbourne Cup second acceptances

Fifty-eight horses remain in contention for the Melbourne Cup after second acceptances closed on Tuesday, three weeks out from the 3200-metre race at Flemington.

The field has been cut from the 71 first acceptors on September 29. It is still larger than at the same stage in each of the past three years: 53 horses remained in 2025, 55 in 2024 and 51 in 2023. Thirteen of the 58 are overseas horses.

Ciaron Maher has the biggest hand. The official acceptance list names 12 of his runners, Chris Waller and Irish trainer Joseph O’Brien have nine each. Waller’s team includes ATC Oaks winner Ohope Wins, Herbert Power Stakes winner Pinhole and Aeliana.

Defending champion Half Yours is still in. He is the race’s 59kg topweight and first defends his Caulfield Cup crown on Saturday. No horse has won successive Caulfield Cups since Rising Fast in 1954 and 1955.

The VRC said 19 of the 22 Caulfield Cup acceptors have also been paid up for Flemington, including 2024 Melbourne Cup winner Knight’s Choice, which drew wide at Caulfield.

Among the internationals is Japan’s Stinger Glass, to be ridden by Christophe Lemaire. Harry Charlton’s Geoffrey Freer Stakes winner Wine Dark Sea has also accepted.