2026 Melbourne Cup Tip

Saint George – 22nd in 2024; Alenquer – 21st in 2023; Interpretation – Pulled Up in 2022; The Chosen One – 5th in 2021; Mustajeer – 19th in 2020; That is my roll call of shame in the Melbourne Cup. I didn’t even bother putting a horse up for the race that stops a nation last year, hopefully the break might spark a change of luck for my 2026 Melbourne Cup tip. I won’t be holding my breath.

Europeans To The Fore

As ever, European bred horses are to the fore in the 2026 Melbourne Cup market. Point Of Law, a Frankel colt that was bred by King Charles III, is at the head of the market. Trustyourinstinct, trained by Joseph O’Brien and owned by JP McManus is next best in the betting, closely followed by the George Boughey trained Hopewell Rock.

However, at a bigger price, I think Zakouma might be capable of a bold show for Grahame Begg and jockey William Pike. He’s a 6yo gelding by Crowded House, a British stallion, but his dam is by Zabeel, one of New Zealand’s premier stallions, and she is a full sister to G1 winners Zabeelionaire and Gandoroko, so the pedigree is there.

Festival Form

Zakouma’s day in the sun came at last year’s spring carnival when he booked his ticket to the big one by winning the Andrew Ramsden Plate, a 1m6f Listed contest. Produced late by Jordan Child, he stayed on strongly to win by 0.75l and the further he went, the better he looked.

That proved he acts around this track and ever since then, surely he’s been campaigned with this race in mind. This year he’s had two runs over 1m, which he finished fairly well held in, but it was much better in a 1m2f G3 handicap and a 1m4f Group 2, both at Caulfield, where he was beaten 1.75l into sixth in the former race (denied a clear run) and just 2.25l into fifth in the latter.

I think it is very easy to forgive his below par run at Flemington over 1m ten days ago and he now steps back up to what should be a much more suitable trip. With five places on offer from a couple of firms, Zakouma gets the e/w vote for the 2026 Melbourne Cup at odds of 25/1. 

2026 Melbourne Cup Tip: Zakouma e/w @ 25/1 (5 places)

-DaveStevos