Melbourne Cup 2026 Time: Derby Day Starts 9:20 p.m. ET Friday, Cup Day Starts Nov. 2 in the U.S.

Howden Victoria Derby Day, the first day of the 2026 Melbourne Cup Carnival at Flemington, starts tonight, Friday, Oct. 30, at 9:20 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) in the U.S., which is 12:20 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31 in Melbourne, according to the Victoria Racing Club (VRC). The Lexus Melbourne Cup itself is on Tuesday, Nov. 3 in Melbourne, which is Monday night, Nov. 2 in the United States. The VRC lists four race days for the carnival. The table below puts each one in Melbourne, Eastern, Pacific and London time.

What are the Melbourne Cup Carnival 2026 dates and times?

The VRC gives its times in Melbourne local time, Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), which is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) plus 11 hours (UTC+11). The U.S. and UK columns are our conversion, not an official schedule. Pacific Time (PT) and Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) are shown; the United Kingdom has been on GMT since Oct. 25.

Race day (Melbourne date)	Event	Melbourne (AEDT)	Eastern (ET)	Pacific (PT)	UK (GMT)
Derby Day, Sat., Oct. 31	First race	12:20 p.m.	9:20 p.m. EDT Fri., Oct. 30	6:20 p.m. PDT Fri., Oct. 30	1:20 a.m. Sat., Oct. 31
Derby Day, Sat., Oct. 31	Last race	5:40 p.m.	2:40 a.m. EDT Sat., Oct. 31	11:40 p.m. PDT Fri., Oct. 30	6:40 a.m. Sat., Oct. 31
Melbourne Cup Day, Tue., Nov. 3	First race	10:45 a.m.	6:45 p.m. EST Mon., Nov. 2	3:45 p.m. PST Mon., Nov. 2	11:45 p.m. Mon., Nov. 2
Melbourne Cup Day, Tue., Nov. 3	Trophy ceremony	2:15 p.m.	10:15 p.m. EST Mon., Nov. 2	7:15 p.m. PST Mon., Nov. 2	3:15 a.m. Tue., Nov. 3
Melbourne Cup Day, Tue., Nov. 3	Last race	5:15 p.m.	1:15 a.m. EST Tue., Nov. 3	10:15 p.m. PST Mon., Nov. 2	6:15 a.m. Tue., Nov. 3
Crown Oaks Day, Thu., Nov. 5	First race	1:00 p.m.	9:00 p.m. EST Wed., Nov. 4	6:00 p.m. PST Wed., Nov. 4	2:00 a.m. Thu., Nov. 5
Champions Stakes Day, Sat., Nov. 7	First race	12:40 p.m.	8:40 p.m. EST Fri., Nov. 6	5:40 p.m. PST Fri., Nov. 6	1:40 a.m. Sat., Nov. 7

The abbreviations are Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), Eastern Standard Time (EST), Pacific Daylight Time (PDT) and Pacific Standard Time (PST). U.S. clocks fall back on Sunday, Nov. 1, so Derby Day falls on daylight time and the other three race days fall on standard time. That is why Derby Day is 15 hours behind Melbourne in Eastern time and the later days are 16 hours behind. Our U.S. and Australia time difference story covers the gap in more cities.

What time is the Melbourne Cup in the US?

The VRC has not published a race-by-race timetable for Cup Day on its page, which we read on Oct. 30, 2026. It lists the gates opening at 9:00 a.m., the first race at 10:45 a.m. and the last race at 5:15 p.m. Melbourne time on Tuesday, Nov. 3. By our conversion, that is 6:45 p.m. EST for the first race and 1:15 a.m. EST on Tuesday for the last race.

The VRC says the Lexus Melbourne Cup Trophy Ceremony starts at 2:15 p.m. in the Mounting Yard, before the race. It opens with a Welcome to Country, followed by a performance by Robbie Williams, the arrival of the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup and the Australian National Anthem. That is 10:15 p.m. EST on Monday, Nov. 2. The Cup race follows the ceremony. Check the VRC site for the full race times once the final field is set. Robbie Williams also performs after the last race on The Elms Live Stage, the VRC says.

The VRC lists the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup over 3200 metres as an Open Handicap, with prizemoney of A$8,660,000 (Australian dollars, A$).

What time is Victoria Derby Day 2026?

Howden Victoria Derby Day is Saturday, Oct. 31. Gates open at 10:00 a.m., the first race is at 12:20 p.m. and the last race is at 5:40 p.m. in Melbourne, according to the VRC. For viewers in the U.S., the first race is at 9:20 p.m. EDT tonight and the last race is at 2:40 a.m. EDT early Saturday. The feature is the Group 1 Victoria Derby over 2500 metres, with A$2,000,000 in prizemoney.

What time is the Melbourne Cup in the UK?

In the United Kingdom, Cup Day starts at 11:45 p.m. GMT on Monday, Nov. 2, by our conversion, and the trophy ceremony is at 3:15 a.m. GMT on Tuesday, Nov. 3. Derby Day’s first race is at 1:20 a.m. GMT on Saturday, Oct. 31.

When are Crown Oaks Day and Champions Stakes Day?

Crown Oaks Day is Thursday, Nov. 5, with a first race at 1:00 p.m. Melbourne time, the VRC says, and the Group 1 Crown Oaks over 2500 metres. Champions Stakes Day is Saturday, Nov. 7, with a first race at 12:40 p.m. The VRC lists three Group 1 races that day, each worth A$3,000,000: the Champions Stakes (2000 metres), the VRC Champions Mile (1600 metres) and the VRC Champions Sprint (1200 metres).

Where can you watch the Melbourne Cup in the US and UK?

The VRC pages we read do not name 2026 television or streaming channels for the United States or the United Kingdom. Check your racing broadcaster’s listings for the carnival before race day.

Who won the Melbourne Cup in 2025?

In 2025, Half Yours won the Lexus Melbourne Cup with jockey Jamie Melham, by 2 3/4 lengths from Goodie Too Shoes, the VRC reported on Nov. 4, 2025.

Free Melbourne Cup Carnival 2026 race-day planner

Our printable lists the four race days with the Melbourne time and U.S. Eastern Time of each first race, plus the Cup trophy ceremony, on one page. Mark the week on your October 2026 printable calendar and your November 2026 printable calendar. Other race times by time zone are in our Breeders’ Cup 2026 post times and Mexico City Grand Prix 2026 schedule stories.