Melbourne Cup Order of Entry 2024

The final Melbourne Cup start list we see each year with 24 horses doesn’t just magically appear. There are initially hundreds of horses that are listed and this is narrowed down over time. This page will take you through everything you need to know about the order of entry.

The weights and handicaps have just been released for the 123 runners who are still in contention for the Melbourne Cup 2024 field. We have put together a table that shows the handicap and weights as provided by the handicapper. Unsurprisingly, the 2023 winner of the Melbourne Cup, Without A Fight, gets the top weight.

See all the details about the Melbourne Cup order of entry here (we will continue to update the table as more information becomes available):

The Melbourne Cup order of entry is a list that includes all the runners that might make an appearance in the field. The top 24 horses on the list will make their way to the confirmed field. You’ll find that the list is primarily organised based on the weights that would be allocated (remember, the Melbourne Cup is a handicap race).

There are also a few ballot exemptions or “golden ticket” races (we will talk more about this soon) and if a runner wins that race, they are automatically in for the Melbourne Cup. Organisers always want to have the best horses competing, so they base the list of the weights that are assigned by Racing Victoria’s chief handicapper.

The heavier the weight, the higher quality that horse is considered. In 2024, the Melbourne Cup weights will be available on Tuesday, September 17. This also means the order of entry will be available on this date. 

Nothing is set in stone though, as any horse that can string quality performances together could catch the eye of the chief handicapper. This may result in the chief handicapper allocating more weight to them, therefore that runner would climb up the order of entry list.

The Melbourne Cup order of entry in 2024 is just one piece of the Melbourne Cup puzzle. There are so many other areas that you should be across for the race, like the tips, form guide, results, field, history and more. We cover all these sections on our Melbourne Cup page if you’re interested in learning more about one of the biggest Group One races.

One area in particular that people are always searching for is horse racing tips on the Melbourne Cup. Well, you’ll be pleased to know that we cover Flemington tips for the Melbourne Cup and for all major races during the Spring Racing Carnival. Our tips also include any horse racing promotions from different bookies if they are available.

There are a few hoops that nominated runners will need to jump through when it comes to the Melbourne Cup order of entry in 2024. Runners are nominated in the first week of August and we can see anywhere between 300 to 400 runners initially nominated. 

The owner of the runner will need to confirm their intention of their horse competing in the Melbourne Cup multiple times before race day. This allows owners to understand the competition that could potentially be up against and make a call on whether they want their horse to contest.

Each time the owner confirms they want to move forward, they will need to pay a fee. At each stage, you’ll see the Melbourne Cup list become more refined and the owners are betting that their runner will be chosen in the final field. Some will end up paying a sizable amount of fees only for their runner not to be included in the final field.

As we previously mentioned, there are some ballot exemptions, which means the winner of that race is automatically qualified for the Melbourne Cup. These winners don’t need to enter the nominations system and go through the normal process.

The winners of Australian races listed below are exempt from the ballot:

• Hotham Stakes
• Cox Plate
• Caulfield Cup
• The Bart Cummings
• Roy Higgins Quality
• Andrew Ramsden Stakes
• Belmont Gold Cup
• Ebor Handicap

The winners of international races listed below are exempt from the ballot:

• Arlington Million (USA)
• San Juan Capistrano Handicap USA)
• Doncaster Cup (England)
• Irish St. Leger (Ireland)
• Tenno Sho (Japan)
• Sankei Sho (Japan) 

Just because a runner wins one of these races, it doesn’t mean they have to compete in the Melbourne Cup, they just have the choice. We’ve seen in the past, the likes of Winx, who won the Cox Plate on several occasions, not go on to contest the Melbourne Cup.

Not only are there ballot exemption races, but thanks to a new tweak to the conditions, any placegetter from a chosen “golden ticket” race or any Group 1 race that is run over a distance of 2000m or more will get through the first ballot. So, it really can pay for horses to put their best foot forward during the Spring Racing Carnival.

When we see an updated Melbourne Cup order of entry list, there are always heaps of international runners included. The process is slightly different for international runners though and tougher measures have been put in place to limit the amount of international horses getting injured in the race.

International horses are now required to complete a series of pre-export tests, to confirm if they have what it takes to compete in this tough race. If an international runner has previously required orthopaedic surgery or suffered a fracture, they will not be allowed to take part.

Those who arrive in Australia will be required to undergo a CT/ MRI of their distal limbs. A scintigraphy is also required if it is requested by Racing Victoria’s veterinary team. Racing Victoria continues to make tweaks to the rules, to ensure the safety of all international runners.

There are some key dates that you should be aware of when it comes to the Melbourne Cup order of entry in 2024. The nomination system allows owners to assess how they stack up with other horses on the list and decide if they want to continue to move forward or not.

Each time they decide to move forward, there’s another fee to pay, so the process is taken seriously. All the key dates that you should be across include:

The order of entry for the Melbourne Cup is quite a unique and complex process, so it’s only natural that you have questions about how it all works. We’ve gone through and found some of the most common questions people have and have answered them in this section.