What time does the Melbourne Cup start? Full schedule, start time for Flemington

Liam O'Loughlin

What time does the Melbourne Cup start? Full schedule, start time for Flemington image

The running of the time-honoured Melbourne Cup is finally here, with 24 of the best staying horses from around the globe set to descend upon Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday afternoon.

Gold Trip, Vauban, Soulcombe and Breakup are set to headline the blockbuster field, while there will be nine other races on a jam-packed day of thoroughbred action.

Thousands of fans are expected to attend the meeting, but all eyes will be on the feature event in the afternoon. 

The Sporting News has all the timing details for this year's Melbourne Cup below. 

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What time is the Melbourne Cup?

The same time as every other year - 3pm AEDT.

Sydney/Melbourne Brisbane Adelaide Perth New Zealand
3pm 2pm 2.30pm 12pm 5pm

How many races are on Melbourne Cup day? 

There will be 10 races at Flemington on Tuesday, with the first set to commence at 10.45am AEDT and the last scheduled fo 5.15pm AEDT, with at least a 40-minute break in between each. 

The feature event will take place at 3pm AEDT - the same time as every other year - with an hour-long break prior to the jump. 

What other races are on Melbourne Cup day?

Time Race (Distance)
10.45am Maribyrnong Plate (1000m)
11.20am The Macca's Run (2800m)
12.00pm Subzero Handicap (1400m)
12.40pm TAB Trophy (1800m)
1.20pm The Schweppervescene Plate (1000m)
1.55pm Furphy Plate (1800m)
3.00pm Melbourne Cup (3200m)
3.50pm In Memory Of Her Queen Elizabeth II (1400m)
4.35pm The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m)
5.15pm MSS Security Sprint (1200m)

 

Liam O'Loughlin

Liam O'Loughlin Photo

Liam has been with The Sporting News since 2019, helping lead both NRL and cricket content, as well as delving into the world of combat sports and NFL. A true rugby league tragic, he has spent the past 20 years playing, coaching and volunteering for his beloved junior club, Penshurst RSL. 

Away from work, Liam has a lifelong passion for all things pro wrestling and has travelled abroad to attend showcase events for WWE, AEW and NJPW.