Daniel Pryors Around The Grounds for Melbourne Cup Day 3/11/26

The race that stops a nation is upon us once again, with Flemington set to host another huge Melbourne Cup Day featuring competitive racing, plenty of betting opportunities and the chance to land some big dividends.

GTO Form Analyst Daniel Pryor is back with his Melbourne Cup Day selections, including six runners to consider in the $10 million feature, where he believes the 2026 edition is one of the most open in recent years.

With 24 runners set to contest the Cup, finding the winner won't be easy.

Ciaron Maher has seven runners engaged as he chases his first Melbourne Cup victory as an outright trainer, having previously won with Gold Trip in 2022 alongside David Eustace.

International trainer Joseph O'Brien also has a strong hand with five runners, looking to add to his previous Melbourne Cup victories with Rekindling in 2017 and Twilight Payment in 2020.

Together, the two stables account for half the field, but Pryor believes there are winning chances throughout the race.

Beyond the Cup, Daniel has identified several runners worth following, including Amsterdam in the opening race, Tempesti over 2800m and two strong chances in Race 9.

Both the early and late quaddies also present opportunities for punters chasing larger dividends.

Before getting into Tuesday's selections, Pryor looks back at a successful Derby Day that produced several winners, including three free tips.

 

 

Derby Day Recap – Group 1 Highlights

The Next Episode Dominates the Coolmore Stud Stakes

The Next Episode produced one of the standout performances of Derby Day, claiming the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes over 1200m for the Ciaron Maher and Mark Zahra combination.

After settling back in the field, The Next Episode found clear running approaching the 400m before unleashing an outstanding turn of foot.

Within 150m, he had charged into contention, and by the 200m mark, the result looked beyond doubt.

St Gotthard battled on strongly for second, with Mbube finishing third, but neither could match the winner's acceleration.

It was a brilliant performance from a very exciting three-year-old and another successful free tip for followers.

 

 

Stormy Marco Storms Home in the Victoria Derby

Chris Waller and James McDonald combined for an outstanding victory in the Group 1 Victoria Derby with Stormy Marco.

McDonald settled the colt towards the rear of the field, conserving his energy before making his move in the home straight.

The race changed dramatically halfway down the straight as Stormy Marco swept past his rivals, quickly putting the result beyond doubt.

He went on to score by two lengths in an impressive staying performance.

The big-priced Cold Shower fought on well for second, with the on-speed filly Quick Finish finishing third and Murshidi fourth.

It was another outstanding Group 1 success for the Waller and McDonald partnership.

 

 

Lady Shenandoah Wins the Empire Rose Stakes

The Waller and McDonald combination struck again in the Group 1 Empire Rose Stakes, with Lady Shenandoah producing a professional performance.

McDonald gave the mare an excellent ride, controlling the race while keeping her main danger, Concord Connie, positioned to his inside.

Lady Shenandoah was able to dictate proceedings and proved too strong in the closing stages.

Concord Connie finished second, with Idle Flyer third and Sass Appeal fourth.

The victory added another Group 1 success to McDonald's Derby Day tally.

 

Flying For Fun Delivers Another Free Tip Winner

James McDonald completed a four-win day when partnering Flying For Fun to victory in the final race, a Group 3 mares contest.

Trained by Bryce Heys, Flying For Fun was ideally suited by the spacious Flemington straight, where she could build momentum without encountering the traffic problems that have troubled her previously.

After finishing second in the same race last year, she went one better with a strong winning performance.

It was another pleasing result for followers, with Flying For Fun saluting as a free tip.

 

 

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Daniel Pryor’s Melbourne Cup Day Preview, Free Tips & Best Bets

Daniel Pryor’s Melbourne Cup Day Free Tips – Flemington

Race 1 – #2 Amsterdam ($3.60)

Amsterdam is an exciting two-year-old making his debut in the Maribyrnong Plate and looks capable of making an immediate impact.

The colt was purchased for $1.1 million as a yearling and is by champion racehorse Anamoe.

He has the opportunity to become Anamoe's first winner on the racetrack, adding further interest to his debut performance.

Amsterdam has been given two trials in preparation for his first race start, and while both were encouraging, his second trial was particularly impressive.

That performance suggested he's ready to make a competitive debut.

Another major positive is the trainer and jockey combination, who have an excellent record together with a winning strike rate approaching 25%.

At $3.60, Amsterdam looks a strong chance to make a winning start to his career.

Daniel's Verdict: Amsterdam showed plenty of promise in his second trial and has an excellent trainer-jockey combination. He looks well placed to make a successful debut.

 

Race 5 – #4 Tempesti ($6)

Tempesti looks an excellent winning chance after an encouraging performance in Sydney last start.

Daniel tipped the gelding at $31 on that occasion, and he looked the likely winner before being caught late by So You Are.

That form has since received a significant boost, with So You Are going on to win the Bendigo Cup and earning a place among the Melbourne Cup contenders at around $14.

Tempesti's performance behind that runner suggests he's going extremely well.

The step up by another 200m to 2800m should also suit, particularly given the way he finished his latest race.

He looks fit and ready to produce another strong staying performance.

Although the weather forecast suggests conditions may remain relatively fine, any additional rainfall would be a significant advantage.

Tempesti appreciates rain-affected ground, and a softer surface would only strengthen his winning claims.

Daniel's Verdict: Tempesti was narrowly beaten by subsequent Bendigo Cup winner So You Are last start. The rise to 2800m looks ideal, and any rain would further improve his chances.

 

Race 7 – Melbourne Cup 2026 Tips & Selections

The 2026 Melbourne Cup looks an extremely even contest, with Daniel identifying six runners capable of figuring prominently in the finish.

With 24 runners and several leading stables holding multiple chances, this year's race presents a genuine challenge for punters.

Rather than relying on one standout selection, Daniel has identified a group of contenders to consider when constructing trifectas and first fours.

Runner	Price
#24 Shockletz	$10
#11 Juja Kibo	$11
#12 Hopewell Rock	$10
#23 Zakouma	$23
#20 Point Of Law	$6.50
#2 Trustyourinstinct	$8

Daniel's Verdict: This is a very even Melbourne Cup field. Shockletz heads my selections, but Juja Kibo, Hopewell Rock, Zakouma, Point Of Law and Trustyourinstinct all warrant consideration. There could be excellent value in the trifecta and first four dividends if the selections feature prominently.

 

Race 9 – #8 Terilee ($6)

Terilee looks well suited by the expected race shape in Race 9, with a strong tempo likely to provide her with the opportunity to finish over the top of her rivals.

She generally settles towards the rear of the field, so a genuinely run race is important to her chances.

Her latest performance was encouraging, making up ground to finish third behind Shadhavar.

That form puts her right in contention for Tuesday's assignment.

Although Terilee is having her first start at Flemington, the spacious circuit and long home straight should suit her racing style.

If the leaders maintain a strong tempo, she should have every opportunity to build momentum and finish powerfully.

Daniel's Verdict: Terilee should appreciate a fast tempo and the spacious Flemington circuit. Her latest third behind Shadhavar suggests she's capable of figuring prominently at $6.

 

Race 9 – #2 Shadhavar ($3.50)

Shadhavar has been racing in excellent form throughout this preparation and looks one of the leading chances in Race 9.

The on-pace mare was a dominant winner last start, continuing her strong recent performances.

While the track pattern favoured runners racing near the lead on that occasion, Shadhavar still produced an impressive effort.

Her ability to race prominently should give her another tactical advantage on Tuesday.

Craig Williams retains the ride and knows the mare well, which is a significant positive.

Although she's making her first appearance at Flemington, Williams should be able to position her favourably and give her every chance to continue her winning form.

At $3.50, she looks extremely difficult to beat.

Daniel's Verdict: Shadhavar is racing in outstanding form and should enjoy another favourable on-speed run. With Craig Williams aboard, she's a major winning chance.

Daniel Pryor’s Melbourne Cup Day Best Bets & Selections

Race	Runner	Price
R1	#2 Amsterdam	$3.60
R5	#4 Tempesti	$6
R7 – Melbourne Cup	#24 Shockletz	$10
R7 – Melbourne Cup	#11 Juja Kibo	$11
R7 – Melbourne Cup	#12 Hopewell Rock	$10
R7 – Melbourne Cup	#23 Zakouma	$23
R7 – Melbourne Cup	#20 Point Of Law	$6.50
R7 – Melbourne Cup	#2 Trustyourinstinct	$8
R9	#8 Terilee	$6
R9	#2 Shadhavar	$3.50

 

Derby Day Winners & Dividends

Saturday's Derby Day meeting delivered several excellent results, including three successful free tips.

Winner	Dividend	Exotics
Agent Zero	$4.80	—
The Roaring Sun	$7.00	Quinella $10.25 / Exacta $14.30
Regal Ambition (Free Tip)	$3.00	—
De Armas	$3.60	—
Stand My Ground	$11.10	—
The Next Episode (Free Tip)	$3.20	—
Stormy Marco	$4.40	—
Lady Shenandoah	$1.85	Quinella $7.20 / Exacta $8.90
Flying For Fun (Free Tip)	$2.25	—

It was a successful start to the Melbourne Cup Carnival, with Regal Ambition, The Next Episode and Flying For Fun all saluting as free tips.

The Group 1 victories of The Next Episode, Stormy Marco and Lady Shenandoah were particular highlights, while James McDonald's four-win day was another memorable feature of the meeting.

Hopefully, that winning form can continue into Melbourne Cup Day.

 

Daniel Pryor’s Melbourne Cup Carnival Tips Packages

For punters looking to follow Daniel's complete selections throughout the Melbourne Cup Carnival, two subscription options are available.

Package	Price
Melbourne Cup Day Daily Subscription	$15
Consecutive Four-Day Subscription	$45

The daily package provides access to Daniel's Melbourne Cup Day selections, while the four-day package covers the consecutive Flemington carnival meetings.

Good Luck and Giddyup Punters!

 

There are loads of tips for today's racing in our Horse Racing Tips market at theGreatTipOff.com.