Live: British raider starts Melbourne Cup Day as favourite

British horse Hopewell Rock begins Melbourne Cup Day as the favourite for the race that stops the nation.The four-year-old colt is one of 24 horses preparing to start the 166th edition of the Cup at Flemington this afternoon. Tue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:41amTue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:41amMelbourne Cup Day 2026Tue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:50amTue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:50amMelbourne Cup 2026 field, horses and form guidePoint Of Law, a horse bought from King Charles only a few months ago, remains the punters' elect ahead of Tuesday's Melbourne Cup.He'll be having only his sixth career start and is one of a record seven runners in the race for leading trainer Ciaron Maher.Explore our interactive form guide to all the horses set to line up in the 166th Melbourne Cup, by tapping the link below.Tue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:45amTue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:45amWhat time is the Melbourne Cup?Here are the start times for the Melbourne Cup in each state and territory, including New Zealand.3pm AEDT: Victoria, NSW, Tasmania, ACT2:30pm ACDT: South Australia2pm AEST: Queensland1:30pm ACST: Northern Territory12pm AWST: Western Australia5pm NZDT: New ZealandTue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:41amTue 3 Nov 2026 at 9:41amWelcome to the ABC Sport Melbourne Cup blogGood morning, Australia.Welcome to ABC Sport's live digital coverage of the 2026 Melbourne Cup.British horse Hopewell Rock begins Melbourne Cup Day as the favourite for the race that stops the nation.There has been rain in Melbourne over the previous 24 hours, with the Flemington track currently rated a Soft 5.Join Andrew McGarry and me throughout the day, and be part of the conversation in the comment section.