Melbourne Cup 2021 date and UK & Ireland start time

*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change

One of the greatest races in the world, the 2021 renewal of the Melbourne Cup is finally here.

Branded the ‘race that stops the nation’ by the Aussies, it’s a handicap slog over two miles at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Victoria.

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Twilight Payment, trained by Joseph Patrick O’Brien, secured more than £2m in prize money for winning the race in 2020 and is among the field of 24 runners that will go to post.

Below you’ll find the date, UK & Ireland start time and Paddy Power’s betting odds for the Melbourne Cup 2021.

Melbourne Cup 2021 Date and UK & Ireland Start Time

The Melbourne Cup traditionally takes place on the first Tuesday of November. It’s no different in 2021 with the race scheduled to be held on Tuesday November 2.

Now here’s where things get a bit tricky for those wishing to watch in the UK & Ireland. As anyone with the most basic grasp of geography knows, Australia’s on the other side of the globe so the time difference is quite extreme. The Melbourne Cup 2021 is slated to start at 3pm local time which converts to 4am GMT. It’ll either be an early start or a late night…

Melbourne Cup 2021 Odds

Caulfield Cup winner Incentivise is the hot favourite for the Melbourne Cup 2021 ahead of Spanish Mission, who lost by a head to Stradivarius August’s thrilling Lonsdale Cup.

Twilight Payment has to carry top weight as he bids to defend his crown but heads into the race in decent form after placing second behind Sonnyboyliston in September’s Irish St Leger.

Incentivise – 6/4
Spanish Mission – 5/1
Twilight Payment – 7/1
Tralee Rose – 10/1
Verry Elleegant – 11/1
Grand Promenade – 12/1
Floating Artist – 14/1

The rest of Paddy’s betting market for the Melbourne Cup 2021 is priced from 201 to 100/1.