Melbourne Cup weights: Defending champion Half Yours handed 59kg topweight

Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Half Yours will need to achieve something not done for more than half a century after being handed 59kg for his title defence.

Racing Victoria released weights for the 2026 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups on Thursday, with the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours sitting at the top of the Melbourne Cup weights.

No horse has carried 59kg or more to victory in the Melbourne Cup since Rain Lover carried 60.5kg to victory in 1969.

Half Yours carried 53kg when completing the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double last spring and has been given 59kg at Flemington this year, but will carry 57.5kg should connections elect to defend his Caulfield Cup crown.

The difference comes because three-time Group 1 winner Sir Delius, who heads the Caulfield Cup weights with 59kg, was not nominated for the Melbourne Cup.

Without Sir Delius, Melbourne Cup entrants above the 51kg minimum have effectively received an additional 1.5kg to ensure the race meets the requirement for a 59kg topweight.

Racing Victoria Head of Handicapping David Hegan said Half Yours had been weighted accordingly after his dominant Cups campaign last spring.

“Half Yours was the dominant Caulfield and Melbourne Cup champion in 2025 and has been weighted accordingly. He effectively rises 4.5kg from his Melbourne Cup performance before the additional 1.5kg was applied to ensure a 59kg topweight,” Hegan said.

VRC Chief Racing Officer Leigh Jordon said the release of weights represented another important milestone on the road to the first Tuesday in November.

“The release of the weights for the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup represents another significant step towards the race that stops a nation,” Jordon said.

“Our reigning Lexus Melbourne Cup champion, Half Yours, under a masterful ride from Jamie Melham, couldn’t have been more impressive winning the 2025 edition with 53kg and will see an increase in weight this year.”

Chris Waller has 12 Melbourne Cup nominations, with Aeliana and Birdman both allocated 58kg.

Japanese entrant Stinger Glass and Joseph O’Brien-trained Trustyourinstinct have both received 57kg, while Sons And Lovers, another of O’Brien’s sizeable Melbourne Cup team, has 57.5kg.

O’Brien has 11 nominations as he chases a third Melbourne Cup victory, including ballot-exempt Defiantly on 56.5kg following his Group 2 Prix Kergorlay victory in France. UK racing media have reported he may run up to ten horses in the Cup!

Last year’s runner-up Goodie Two Shoes has 55kg, while American-trained Belmont Gold Cup winner Tawny Port has 55.5kg and is already guaranteed a start.

“With such a strong international contingent nominated for our great race this year, it’s hard to overlook Joseph O’Brien, looking for his third win in the race, already with his biggest set of nominations this year,” Jordon said.

Shockletz remains on the 51kg minimum despite the adjustment to the Melbourne Cup weights. The Ciaron Maher-trained mare guaranteed herself a place in the field by winning last Saturday’s Group 3 Archer Stakes at Flemington.

Grahame Begg’s Zakouma, who is also exempt from the ballot courtesy of his Andrew Ramsden victory, has been allocated 52kg.

In the Caulfield Cup, Buckaroo and Light Infantry Man sit immediately below Sir Delius with 57kg, while Birdman and Aeliana have both been allocated 56.5kg.

ATC Derby winner Green Spaces has 54.5kg, the same weight as international contenders Enfjaar and Wine Dark Sea.

Attention now turns to the remaining ballot-exemption races as connections attempt to secure their place in the Melbourne Cup field.

“As the Lexus Melbourne Cup picture becomes clearer, the importance of win-and-you’re-in races will increase for horses hoping to secure their place in the field, with an exciting few weeks ahead as the final line-up begins to take shape,” Jordon said.

The next Melbourne Cup ballot exemption is available through the Group 3 Bart Cummings (2500m) at Flemington on October 3, followed by the Caulfield Cup, Geelong Cup, Moonee Valley Gold Cup and Cox Plate later in October.

The $6.55 million Caulfield Cup will be run over 2400m on October 17, with the $10.2 million Melbourne Cup staged over 3200m at Flemington on Tuesday, November 3.

The Markets (courtesy of TAB)

Reigning champion Half Yours is the $9 favourite for the 2026 Melbourne Cup after weights were released on Thursday, while Defiantly ($11) and Trustyourinstinct ($13) are the only other runners shorter than $15 in the early market.

Half Yours is also a $26 chance to defend his Caulfield Cup crown, where Saint George and Zahrann share favouritism at $11 ahead of Green Spaces ($13).