Looking for this year’s Geelong Cup betting odds, form guide and tips? The experts at Neds have put together everything you need to know before this year’s race which offers a Melbourne Cup ballot exemption!
2026 Geelong Cup Odds
The latest Geelong Cup odds 2026 offer punters an important guide to the leading stayers aiming to secure success in one of Australia’s premier Melbourne Cup lead-up races. Run over 2400m at Geelong Racecourse, the Group 3 handicap regularly attracts a high-quality field of local hopes, interstate contenders, and international raiders, creating plenty of interest in the betting markets. At Neds, punters can compare the current Geelong Cup odds 2026, monitor market moves, and access expert insights to help shape their Geelong Cup betting 2026 predictions. With a coveted Melbourne Cup ballot exemption on offer and a proven record of producing genuine Cup contenders, the Geelong Cup remains a must-follow betting race throughout the Spring Racing Carnival.
The latest Geelong Cup 2026 odds followed by the official race finishing order after the event will be available below.
Geelong Cup 2026 Tips
Our exclusive Geelong Cup 2026 tips will be detailed here the week of the race and a full betting preview published on the Neds Blog.
Held just a week before ‘the race that stops a nation’, the Ladbrokes Geelong Cup is a key lead-up into the iconic two-mile showdown and has a huge impact on Melbourne Cup betting.
The Group 3 event takes place at Geelong Racecourse on a Wednesday in late October a few days prior to the Cox Plate.
Contested over 2400m and offering $500,000 in prize money, the Geelong Cup field often attracts international interest with a strong recent strike-rate by raiders in the race.
Taking place just a few days earlier, the Caulfield Cup is a good lead in to follow into the Geelong Cup field, which is often the last chance for stayers to make the Melbourne Cup race field.
Notable Geelong Cup winners include the French-trained duo of American (2010) and Dunaden (2011) who both went on to win the Melbourne Cup next race.
Fellow international Prince Of Arran won the 2019 Geelong Cup before a second to Vow And Declare in that year’s official Melbourne Cup results.
The 2022 Geelong Cup form was franked with the winning galloper Emissary going on to finish runner-up to Gold Trip in that year’s Melbourne Cup quinella.
In 2025, the Geelong Cup officially became a ballot exemption race into the $10 million Melbourne Cup.
Geelong Cup 2026 – Quick Information
- Race Day: Wednesday, October 21, 2026
- Track Location: Geelong Racecourse (Ladbrokes Geelong)
- Track Surface: Turf
- Track Direction: Left-handed
- Race Distance: 2,400 metres
- Weight Conditions: Handicap
- Qualification: Open
- Type: Thoroughbred
- Grade: Group 3
- Operator: Geelong Racing Club
- Prize Purse: $500,000
- Inaugural Race: 1872
- 2026 Geelong Cup Winner: TBC
Geelong Cup 2026 Results
The official 2026 Geelong Cup results will be available below once the race takes place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Geelong Cup Betting 2026
There are many different ways to bet on the Geelong Cup, and we have included some of the most popular options below:
| Bet Type | How to Place This Type of Bet on This Year’s Geelong Cup |
|---|---|
| Win Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will take first place in this year’s Geelong Cup. |
| Place Bet | Place your bet on the horse you think will place in the top three finishers at this year’s Geelong Cup. Pays less than a win bet but offers safer odds. |
| Each-Way Bet | If your runner finishes 1st in the Geelong Cup, you will collect both the Win and the Place dividend. If your horse finishes 2nd or 3rd you will collect the Place dividend. |
| Quinella Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in any order, within the Geelong Cup, in order to win the Quinella. |
| Exacta Bet | You must select the runners that finish 1st and 2nd in the correct order, within the Geelong Cup to win the Exacta. |
| Trifecta Bet | You must select runners to finish 1st, 2nd and 3rd in the correct order, within the Geelong Cup to win the Trifecta. |
| First Four | You must select runners that finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th in the correct order, within the Geelong Cup to win the First 4. |
| Quadrella Bet (Quaddie) | You must select the winners of four nominated races to win the Quaddie. This means you would have to select three other races apart from the Geelong Cup, in order to be eligible to place a Quaddie. |
How to Bet on The Geelong Cup in 2026
- Login at neds
- Make a deposit, using your credit card, PayPal or other safe electronic method
- Make sure to check out form guide, once it’s released
- Decide what kind of bet you’re going to place (Win, Place, Each-Way, Trifecta + more betting options, please read our section on Geelong Cup Betting above).
- Select the horse(s) for the race.
Which Horse Will Win the Geelong Cup in 2026?
Factors to consider when picking which horse will win the Geelong Cup in 2026 include:
- Weight – Remember, this race is run under a handicap, that means looking out for horses which will gain an advantage from this.
- Trainers – International stables have seen above average success in this race. Onesmoothoperator (2024) was the last internationally-trained Geelong Cup winner.
- Barriers – There is a 400 metre straight before the first turn, which allows the field to settle on positions in the first fifth of the race.
Geelong Cup 2026 Favourites
Favourites in Geelong Cup 2026 betting will be updated here the week of the race.
Prince Of Arran ($4.20 in 2019) followed by Steel Prince ($3.50 in 2020) and Tralee Rose ($2.60 in 2021) are the latest Geelong Cup favourites to win.
Geelong Cup 2026 Field
The official Geelong Cup 2026 field of final acceptances is announced the Monday of race week and will be published in full below.
Geelong Cup 2026 Nominations
Early 2026 Geelong Cup nominations close at 12:00PM (AEDT) on the Thursday prior to the race.
Geelong Cup 2026 Weights
Handicap conditions apply to this race. Final 2026 Geelong Cup weights must be declared by 4:00PM (AEDT) on the Friday prior to the race and will be published in our above Geelong Cup Field section.
2026 Geelong Cup Topweight:
- TBC
Geelong Cup 2026 Acceptances
2026 Geelong Cup final acceptances must be declared before 9 AM on the Monday of race week and will be published in our above Geelong Cup Field section.
Geelong Cup 2026 Barrier Draw
The 2026 Geelong Cup barrier draw takes place a few days before the race takes place and will be published in our above Geelong Cup Field section.
Geelong Cup 2026 Jockeys
Riders must be declared by 12 PM on the Monday of race week and the official 2026 Geelong Cup jockeys will be published in our above Geelong Cup Field section.
Geelong Cup Race Day 2026
2026 Ladbrokes Geelong Cup Day will take place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026. Along with the Group 3 Geelong Cup the other key feature race on the card is the Listed Geelong Classic (2200m).
Geelong Cup Race Time 2026
The 2026 Geelong Cup is set to run as Race 8 at 4:10 PM Australian Eastern Daylight Time. Geelong Cup start times for various states appear in the table below.
| State | Start Time |
|---|---|
| Western Australia | 1:10 PM |
| Queensland | 3:10 PM |
| Australian Capital Territory | 4:10 PM |
| Tasmania | 4:10 PM |
| Victoria | 4:10 PM |
| New South Wales | 4:10 PM |
| Northern Territory | 2:40 PM |
| South Australia | 1:40 PM |
Geelong Cup Scratchings 2026
2026 Geelong Cup scratchings close at 7:30 AM on Wednesday, October 21, 2026.
Geelong Cup Prize Money 2026
The 2026 Geelong Cup prize purse is worth $500,000 in total, distributed from places first through to eighth.
| Place | Prize Money |
|---|---|
| 1st | $300,000 |
| 2nd | $90,000 |
| 3rd | $45,000 |
| 4th | $22,500 |
| 5th | $12,500 |
| 6th | $10,000 |
| 7th | $10,000 |
| 8th | $10,000 |
Geelong Cup Race Number 2026
The 2026 Geelong Cup race number is TBC for Wednesday, October 21, 2026. There are nine races in total that day at Ladbrokes Geelong.
Geelong Cup Form Guide 2026
The final form guide will be available the week of the race. You can check below for a link to our full 2026 Geelong Cup Form Guide following final acceptances.
Geelong Cup Live 2026
You can watch or listen to the 2026 Geelong Cup live, across the following mediums.
Telecast: Channel Seven
Free to air television: Channels 78 (and 68 in regional areas)
Pay television: Sky Racing 1 (channel 526 on Foxtel)
Radio: Radio Sport National
Streaming: 7Live; Racing.com
Mobile: Neds App
Geelong Cup Winners
Winners of the Geelong Cup going back to 1999 are displayed in the table below. If you would like to view the full list of Geelong Cup winners, going all the way back to 1872, please visit our Geelong Cup winners’ page.
| Year | Winner | Trainer/s | Jockey | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD |
| 2025 | Torranzino | Paul Preusker | Celine Gaudray | 2:31.59 |
| 2024 | Onesmoothoperator | Brian Ellison | Craig Williams | 2:27.98 |
| 2023 | Amade | Phillip Stokes | Zac Spain | 2:30.70 |
| 2022 | Emissary | Michael Moroney | Blake Shinn | 2:28.50 |
| 2021 | Tralee Rose | Symon Wilde | Dean Holland | 2:27.04 |
| 2020 | Steel Prince | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Jye McNeil | 2:30.36 |
| 2019 | Prince Of Arran | Charlie Fellowes | Michael Walker | 2:26.84 |
| 2018 | Runaway | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Stephen Baster | 2:28.46 |
| 2017 | Vengeur Masque | Michael Moroney | Patrick Moloney | 2:29.35 |
| 2016 | Qewy | Charlie Appleby | Kerrin McEvoy | 2:28.98 |
| 2015 | Almoonqith | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | James McDonald | 2:28.90 |
| 2014 | Caravan Rolls On | Danny O’Brien | Craig Williams | 2:31.22 |
| 2013 | Ibicenco | Peter Moody | Brad Rawiller | 2:35.17 |
| 2012 | Gatewood | John Gosden | Glen Boss | 2:34.10 |
| 2011 | Dunaden | Mikel Delzangles | Craig Williams | 2:30.14 |
| 2010 | Americain | Alain de Royer Dupre | Gerald Mosse | 2:30.35 |
| 2009 | Leica Ding | Darren Weir | Danny Nikolic | 2:27.52 |
| 2008 | Bauer | Luca Cumani | Damien Oliver | 2:30.16 |
| 2007 | The Fuzz | David Hayes | Craig Williams | 2:27.06 |
| 2006 | Mandela | Richard Yuill | Craig Williams | 2:28.29 |
| 2005 | On A Jeune | Peter Montgomerie | Kerrin McEvoy | 2:26.73 |
| 2004 | Pacific Dancer | Shaun Dwyer | Brad Rawiller | 2:26.51 |
| 2003 | Zazzman | Tony Vasil | Kerrin McEvoy | 2:30.02 |
| 2002 | Media Puzzle | Dermot K Weld | Damien Oliver | 2:25.92 |
| 2001 | Karasi | David Hall | Glen Boss | 2:32.07 |
| 2000 | Savrocca | Jeff Rogers | Craig Williams | 2:29.91 |
| 1999 | Bohemiath | Robert Smerdon | Jason Patton | 2:29.12 |