When is the Melbourne Cup?

The Melbourne Cup is run on the first Tuesday in November every year at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. It is Australia's most famous horse race and is known as the race that stops a nation—many Australians pause to watch or listen to the race at 3:00 PM AEDT (Australian Eastern Daylight Time). In 2025 the Melbourne Cup will be run on Tuesday 4 November.

The race is run over 3200 metres (two miles) and is a handicap for three-year-olds and older. It is the feature of the Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington, which runs over several days and includes other Group 1 races such as the Victoria Derby and the Oaks. The Cup itself is the climax of the Spring Racing Carnival and attracts the best stayers from Australia and overseas.

For full Melbourne Cup results, past winners, and dividends, visit our Melbourne Cup results page. For the current year's field, odds, and tips, use our Melbourne Cup feature race page. The Australian racing calendar has the exact date for the Melbourne Cup and every other major race so you can plan ahead.