The Melbourne Cup
31st October - 7th November 2026
Attending the Melbourne Cup is far more than witnessing Australia’s most iconic horse race – it’s immersing yourself in the excitement, elegance, and unrivalled spectacle of racing at its finest.
At RacingBreaks.com, we craft bespoke travel experiences with personalised itineraries, exclusive events, and official tickets and hospitality to ensure your Melbourne Cup trip is truly extraordinary.
You can explore our recommended experience below – get in touch for more information and a personalised quote!
Frankie Dettori
RacingBreaks.com Founder & Ambassador
Our Melbourne Cup 2026 Experiences
Our Melbourne Cup packages have been carefully curated to deliver an unforgettable experience with exclusive added extras to make your trip more than just a day at the races.
Every trip with Racing Breaks is fully customisable to suit your preferences, so should you wish to extend your time in Melbourne, or head to another destination before or after your trip, we can help.
Our 2026 experiences will be available soon, register your interest now to be first to hear.
Six Night Experience |
29th October - 4th November 2026
from £4,695.00
Over 7 days you'll immerse yourself in the best of racing, premium hospitality and more! This experience includes Derby Day & Melbourne Cup Day as well as a host of other excursions. There's also plenty of time to get out and explore Melbourne's vibrant culture, cuisine & shopping!
Experience Includes
- 6 nights accommodation in Melbourne (trip extensions available)
- Breakfast each morning
- Welcome dinner & drinks
- Derby Day eve luncheon & after party
- Return river cruise on Derby Day
- Premium hospitality on Penfolds Victoria Derby Day (Saturday)
- Call of the Card luncheon
- Premium hospitality on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday)
- Services of experienced guide throughout
- Transfers throughout
Experiences coming soon - register interest now!
Coming Soon!
Ten Night Experience |
29th October - 8th November 2026
from £6,695.00
Over 11 unforgettable days you'll immerse yourself in the best of racing, premium hospitality and more! Our ultimate experience includes all four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival as well as a host of other excursions. There's also plenty of time to get out and explore Melbourne's vibrant culture, cuisine & shopping!
Experience Includes
- 10 nights accommodation in Melbourne (trip extensions available)
- Breakfast each morning
- Welcome dinner & drinks
- Derby Day eve luncheon & after party
- Return river cruise on Derby Day
- Premium hospitality on Penfolds Victoria Derby Day (Saturday)
- Call of the Card luncheon
- Premium hospitality on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day (Tuesday)
- Admission on Crown Oaks Day (Thursday) & TAB Champions Stakes Day (Saturday)
- Services of experienced guide throughout
- Transfers throughout
Experiences coming soon - register interest now!
Coming Soon!
Our Itinerary
Our Melbourne Cup itinerary is carefully crafted to deliver an unforgettable racing experience, but every trip with Racing Breaks is fully customisable to suit your preferences.
Whether you wish to extend your stay in Melbourne to explore the city in more depth, or combine your Melbourne Cup adventure with another destination, we can tailor every detail - from flights and accommodation to exclusive experiences - to create a trip that’s truly your own.
Thursday 29th October 2026 | Arrival, Welcome Drinks & Dinner
Upon arrival into Melbourne make your way to the hotel.
That evening you will be met by your tour host and head out for some welcome drinks and dinner at a great Melbourne venue to enable you to meet other members on the trip.
Friday 30th October 2026 | Derby Day Eve Luncheon
After a quiet morning, you will head out to the big First Light Racing Derby Day Eve Luncheon.
With high-quality racing guests and entertainment (previous guests have included Michelle Payne, Daryl Braithwaite, Taxiride & Living Legend Apache Cat - to name a few), this is a great way to start the week. There is also a great after-party for those keen to kick on with some racing luminaries.
Saturday 31st October 2026 | Derby Day at Flemington
After breakfast you will head off on a beautiful cruise along the Yarra & Maribyrnong Rivers to Flemington Racecourse including a few champagnes and nibbles.
Enjoy Penfolds Victoria Derby Day.
After the massive day, you will return on the cruise with nibbles & drinks.
Sunday 1st November 2026 | Free Day in Melbourne
Today is a rest day for you to recover from a busy first few days.
You may wish to head off to a winery in the Yarra Valley, visit Living Legends farm or just do some shopping and enjoy everything else Melbourne has to offer.
Monday 2nd November 2026 | Call of the Card
In the afternoon you will head off to the Call of the Card Luncheon where Australia’s biggest punters take on our best bookies to set the scene for the Cup.
An all-inclusive three-course meal and drinks with interviews with leading jockeys, trainers and bookies will give the edge to find the Cup winner.
Tuesday 3rd November 2026 | Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington
Today you will head to Flemington for the running of the 163rd Melbourne Cup.
You will enjoy amazing hospitality for the day in the Skyline Lounge with a reserved seat and views of the finish line, beautiful fresh food, premium wines and beer, a fantastic spot to soak up all the atmosphere of “the race that stops the nation”.
Wednesday 4th November 2026 | Free Day in Melbourne
Today is another free day for you to head out and explore Melbourne!
You may wish to head off to a winery in the Yarra Valley, visit Living Legends farm or just do some shopping and enjoy everything else Melbourne has to offer.
Thursday 5th November 2026 | Oaks Day at Flemington
Today we'll head back to Flemington for Crown Oaks Day
We'll have tickets so that we can get out and explore more of the racecourse and experience more of the incredible atmosphere that is creating during cup week.
Following the racing you'll be transferred back to the hotel and have the evening at leisure.
Friday 6th November 2026 | Free Day in Melbourne
Today is another free day for you to head out and explore Melbourne!
You may wish to head off to a winery in the Yarra Valley, visit Living Legends farm or just do some shopping and enjoy everything else Melbourne has to offer.
Saturday 7th November 2026 | Champion Stakes Day at Flemington
Today we'll head to Flemington for the final raceday of the week, TAB Champion Stakes Day.
We'll have tickets so that we can again get out and explore more of the racecourse and experience more of the incredible atmosphere that is creating during cup week. Following the racing you'll be transferred back to the hotel and have the evening at leisure.
Sunday 8th November 2026 | Trip Concludes
After a fun filled, action pocked week, and hopefully with some winnings in your pocket you'll head back to the airport to head home.
Or...if you aren't ready to depart just yet, you could extend your trip, either in Melbourne, another Australian city or a destination enroute back to England.
The Melbourne Cup with RacingBreaks.com
Derby Day Eve Luncheon & After Party
On Derby Day eve, we'll head down to The River's Edge for the famous First Light Racing Luncheon.
You'll enjoy a drinks reception and 3 course meal alongside a complimentary bar throughout the afternoon. With high-quality racing celebrities and entertainment (in 2024 we were joined by Group 1 winning jockeys Harry Coffey & Ethan Brown), this is a great way to whet the appetite for a cracking week ahead!
There is also a great after-party for those looking to kick on into the evening.
Derby Day River Cruise
On Derby Day we will arrive in style...
You're in for a real treat as we've hired a boat to transfer us to the racecourse.
You'll enjoy spectacular views with a complimentary bar and canapes throughout the journey whilst you cruise along the Yarra and Maribyrnong Rivers direct to Flemington Racecourse.
Call of the Card Luncheon
On Monday, the day before the Melbourne Cup, we'll attend the famous Call of the Card luncheon held at the Crown Casino.
Enjoy an all-inclusive three course meal with interviews from leading jockeys and trainers.
This all precedes a spectacle like no other whereby the country's biggest punters take on the bookies for the following day's Melbourne Cup, staking up to a million dollars per bet!
Trip Extensions
With most flights connecting enroute to Melbourne, why not use this as an excuse to stop off and see more of another destination? Fly via Singapore or Dubai and spend a few days on your way, or way back. Or alternatively why not see more of Australia by travelling onto another city?
Our recommended trip extensions are outlined below, for more information please enquire.
Flights
If required, we can include flights to Melbourne within any of our experiences.
There are connecting flights from most major UK airports with a range of airlines and also one direct flight option with Qantas from London Heathrow.
Extended stopovers are possible for those looking to spend a few nights whilst connecting in locations such as Dubai or Singapore.
Flight upgrades are available to Premium Economy, Business & First Class.
About the Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is one of the most famous horses races on the planet, dating all the way back to 1861.
It's the centrepiece of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival and, of course, the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
It's also the richest 'two-mile' handicap event in the world, with a total prize pool of $8 million.
Reviews
"Just returned from our trip to the Melbourne cup 2024. Stunning experience. Superb service from our initial welcome break to check out. Couldn’t have wished for better."
Happy Welshman, 2024