Point Of Law won the 2026 Melbourne Cup, ridden by Ethan Brown, with Zahrann second and Juja Kibo third. Sons And Lovers completed the first four in the 3,200-metre race at Flemington on Tuesday, November 3.
The result delivered Brown’s first Melbourne Cup victory and an outstanding afternoon for trainer Ciaron Maher, who prepared all three placegetters.
Twenty-three horses contested the race following the scratching of Asterix. Vauban finished last.
Full Melbourne Cup 2026 finishing order
The table below lists every runner’s finishing position, saddlecloth number and jockey. Horse numbers are distinct from barrier numbers.
| Finish | Horse number | Horse | Jockey |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | 20 | Point Of Law | Ethan Brown |
| 2nd | 15 | Zahrann | Ben Melham |
| 3rd | 11 | Juja Kibo | Sam Clipperton |
| 4th | 1 | Sons And Lovers | Dylan Browne McMonagle |
| 5th | 7 | Royal Supremacy | Ben Allen |
| 6th | 24 | Shockletz | Harry Coffey |
| 7th | 18 | James J Braddock | Craig Williams |
| 8th | 16 | So You Are | Rachel King |
| 9th | 12 | Hopewell Rock | Zac Lloyd |
| 10th | 4 | Middle Earth | Mark Zahra |
| 11th | 2 | Trustyourinstinct | James McDonald |
| 12th | 3 | Knight’s Choice | Robbie Dolan |
| 13th | 14 | Soul Of Spain | Tommy Berry |
| 14th | 23 | Zakouma | William Pike |
| 15th | 6 | Enfjaar | Ray Dawson |
| 16th | 19 | Kizlyar | Beau Mertens |
| 17th | 22 | Mr Monaco | Jabez Johnstone |
| 18th | 21 | Strictly Business | Dean Yendall |
| 19th | 8 | Wine Dark Sea | Damian Lane |
| 20th | 17 | Future History | Jamie Melham |
| 21st | 13 | Onesmoothoperator | Declan Bates |
| 22nd | 10 | Goodie Two Shoes | Wayne Lordan |
| 23rd | 5 | Vauban | Jordan Childs |
Scratched: No. 9 Asterix.
The published full result confirms Point Of Law’s victory and Vauban’s 23rd-place finish. Racing Post
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Melbourne Cup 2026 One Pool dividends
Point Of Law returned a reported A$7.80 win dividend and A$3.10 place dividend. Zahrann’s place dividend was A$11.00, while Juja Kibo paid A$4.40.
| Finishing position | Horse | Win dividend | Place dividend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Point Of Law | A$7.80 | A$3.10 |
| 2nd | Zahrann | — | A$11.00 |
| 3rd | Juja Kibo | — | A$4.40 |
These are the reported One Pool dividends, rather than fixed odds applicable across every betting provider.
Quinella, exacta, trifecta and first four
| Result type | Winning combination | Reported dividend |
|---|---|---|
| Quinella | 20 and 15 | A$141.00 |
| Exacta | 20–15 | A$239.60 |
| Trifecta | 20–15–11 | A$2,644.50 |
| First four | 20–15–11–1 | A$50,275.10 |
The published exotic dividends confirm a first-four return of A$50,275.10 for the combination headed by Point Of Law, Zahrann, Juja Kibo and Sons And Lovers. Individual returns depend on the applicable pool and ticket stake or percentage. Just Horse Racing
How Point Of Law won the Melbourne Cup
Royal Supremacy established a substantial lead, leaving the chasing field with a difficult judgement about when to close the gap.
Brown said Point Of Law settled further back than he would have preferred. He concentrated on getting the horse comfortable before noticing that Royal Supremacy was around 20 lengths clear.
Rather than rush into the chase, Brown remained patient and trusted his mount’s finishing acceleration.
Point Of Law delivered in the straight, catching the leader and finishing ahead of stablemates Zahrann and Juja Kibo. Royal Supremacy held on for fifth behind Sons And Lovers.
What the leading jockeys said
Ethan Brown: patience proved decisive
Brown’s post-race assessment centred on Point Of Law’s turn of foot. Although his position was further back than planned, he believed the horse had the acceleration needed to make up ground once the race developed.
His decision to keep the horse settled helped preserve that finishing effort.
Ben Melham: Zahrann looked a winning chance
Runner-up jockey Ben Melham said Zahrann enjoyed a good run and felt capable of winning at the top of the straight.
He credited Point Of Law’s exceptional finish for settling the contest.
Sam Clipperton: Juja Kibo exceeded expectations
Clipperton was delighted with Juja Kibo’s third-place effort and said there was a brief moment when he thought victory was possible.
He praised the horse’s performance and thanked Maher and the owners for the opportunity.
Dylan Browne McMonagle: strong finish from Sons And Lovers
Browne McMonagle reported that the fourth-place finisher secured a favourable position and finished well after the pace steadied during the race.
Sons And Lovers was the first horse home outside Maher’s leading trio.
A runaway leader, but a different experience in the chasing field
Royal Supremacy’s large advantage did not mean every runner experienced a consistently fast race.
Several jockeys described the pace within the chasing group as slow or uneven. James McDonald, Ray Dawson, Zac Lloyd and William Pike each indicated that the tempo made it difficult for their mounts to produce their best performance.
Harry Coffey described a stop-start contest before a sprint home, which he felt did not ideally suit sixth-placed Shockletz.
Those reactions explain an important feature of the race: the leader created a striking visual gap, while riders further back were managing horses through a different rhythm.
Royal Supremacy’s jockey Ben Allen said establishing such a large lead had not been the plan. He nevertheless praised the horse’s toughness in finishing fifth.
Who finished last in the 2026 Melbourne Cup?
Vauban finished 23rd and last, ridden by Jordan Childs.
Childs said Vauban travelled into a rhythm after being asked for an early effort but tired late. He suggested that tackling 3,200 metres on the horse’s second start of the preparation had not worked out.
Goodie Two Shoes finished 22nd, with Onesmoothoperator in 21st.
Where did Future History finish?
Future History finished 20th, ridden by Jamie Melham.
Melham said the horse briefly appeared a chance around the 600-metre mark but did not see out the distance at that level. She suggested shorter races over approximately 2,000 to 2,500 metres would be more suitable.
Which horse was scratched?
Asterix, horse number nine, was scratched before the race, reducing the field to 23 starters.
The withdrawal left Point Of Law to head the final result, with Maher’s runners occupying the first three positions and Brown celebrating his maiden Melbourne Cup win.
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