Melbourne Cup live stream 2023: how to watch for FREE online from anywhere – runners and riders, race time

Melbourne Cup 2023 live stream

Horse racing fans can watch the Melbourne Cup 2023 for FREE on 10Play and Racing.com in Australia, Virgin Media Player in Ireland, and TNNZ Plus in New Zealand. It's on FS2 in the USA and TSN in Canada. Full details below. Don't forget: you can use a VPN watch a FREE Melbourne Cup 2023 live stream from anywhere.

Melbourne Cup 2023 preview

They call it the race that stops the nation, but with Willie Mullins-trained Vauban and Absurde shaping up as the favourites, the 2023 Melbourne Cup may instead be in thrall to a single stable. 

An erstwhile premier hurdler, Vauban made the switch to flats and promptly won the Copper Horse Stakes at Royal Ascot and the Ballyroan Stakes at Naas this year, and will be ridden by 2014 champion Ryan Moore in the $8 million, 3,200m handicap. 

While Absurde hasn't quite had the same success as his stablemate, his victory in the Ebor Handicap has set expectations high, and you won't find a hungrier jockey at Flemington Racecourse than the Aussie Zac Purton, who's still on the hunt for his first Melbourne Cup triumph.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is Damien Oliver, a three-time winner of this race with plans to retire after it. However, his bid to match the record jointly held by four-time Melbourne Cup winners Harry White and Bobbie Lewis may not even get the chance to materialise, with Alenquer nursing a stone bruise.

Read on as we explain how to watch a FREE 2023 Melbourne Cup live stream from anywhere with a VPN. We've also listed the full Melbourne Cup schedule below and the Melbourne Cup Classic runners and riders at the bottom of this page.

Melbourne Cup 2023 schedule: races and times

(All times AEDT)

Tuesday, November 7

• 10.45am - Darley Maribyrnong Plate ($200,000)
• 11.20am - Furphy Plate ($175,000)
• 12pm - Tab Trophy ($175,000)
• 12.40pm - The Schweppervescence Plate ($150,000)
• 1.20pm - The Macca's Run ($150,000)
• 1.55pm - MSS Security Subzero Handicap ($150,000)
• 3pm - Melbourne Cup ($8,410,000)
• 3.50pm - Howden Desirable Stakes ($175,000)
• 4.35pm - The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes ($200,000)
• 5.15pm - Paramount+ Trophy ($150,000)

How to watch a FREE Melbourne Cup live stream

While the Melbourne Cup is locked behind a paywall in many regions, anyone lucky enough to find themselves in Australia, Ireland or New Zealand can watch a free live stream on 10Play, Racing.com, Virgin Media Player, or TVNZ Plus respectively.

If you're from any of those countries but you're abroad right now, don't worry about missing out on that free coverage - all you need to do is grab our favorite VPN to re-connect to your home streaming coverage and tune in for free.

How to watch Melbourne Cup 2023 from outside your country

If you're abroad right now and struggling to tap into your usual coverage, you'll want a VPN. This'll help you circumvent the geo-blocking that will try to stop you watching a Melbourne Cup live stream in particular parts of the world.

They're a useful means of getting around this issue, are cheap, and easy to set-up as well. Here's how it's done.

Use a VPN to watch Melbourne Cup 2023 from anywhere

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How to use a VPN to watch Melbourne Cup 2023

Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...

1. Download and install a VPN - as we say, our top choice is ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the appropriate server location - open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate location, eg: 'Australia' for 10Play.

3. Go to the broadcaster's stream - head to your home broadcaster's site or app and watch as if you were at home - 10Play for Australian citizens abroad.

How to watch Melbourne Cup 2023: live stream for FREE in Australia

Fans of the horses can watch Melbourne Cup 2023 for FREE in Australia, courtesy of both Network 10 and Racing.com.

Post time for the main race is set for 3pm AEDT on Tuesday afternoon.

Channel 10's coverage runs from 10am to 5.30pm, while Racing.com will dip in and out of various events throughout the day.

Use a VPN to watch free on 10Play or Racing.com from abroad.

Whichever network's coverage you choose, you can also live stream the Melbourne Cup on 10Play and the Racing.com website, though you'll have to register for an account first.

How to watch Melbourne Cup 2023 in Ireland 

Melbourne Cup 2023 is being shown for FREE on Virgin Media One in Ireland.

This means you can also live stream the Melbourne Cup using Virgin Media Player - or check out its TV Anywhere app, which is available for nearly all modern devices including smartphones, tablets, computers and more. Away from home?

Use a VPN to watch the free Melbourne Cup live stream from abroad.

Live coverage runs from 2.30am GMT to 4.30am on Virgin Media One in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Post time for the 2023 Melbourne Cup is 4am.

How to watch Melbourne Cup 2023: live stream in the US without cable

Post time for the 2023 Melbourne Cup is set for 11pm ET / 8pm PT on Monday night, and the race is being shown on FS2 in the US, with coverage getting underway at 9.30pm ET / 6.30pm PT.

If you have the channel as part of your cable package, you can also get a Melbourne Cup live stream directly through the Fox Sports website.

How to watch Melbourne Cup without cable

FS2 is available via the cable-cutting streamer Sling TV, as an $11 per month add-on to its Sling Blue package, which usually costs $45 a month, but if you're new to the service you'll get your first month half-price.

Another over-the-top streaming service that includes FS2 is Fubo. It's a much more comprehensive cable replacement, and carries more than 100 channels including Fox, CBS and ESPN.

Prices start at $74.99 a month after a FREE Fubo trial.

If you subscribe to Sling, Fubo, or any other US streaming service and find yourself unable to access coverage because you're out of the country, consider using a VPN as outlined below - of the many options, we rate ExpressVPN as the best of the best.

How to watch 2023 Melbourne Cup: live stream in Canada

In Canada, you can watch the 2023 Melbourne Cup on TSN 2, with coverage starting at 9.30pm ET / 6.30pm PT on Monday night, and post time for the race set for 11pm ET / 8pm PT. 

If you get the channel as part of your cable deal, you'll be able to log in with the details of your provider for access to a Melbourne Cup live stream. 

If you don't have cable, a subscription to the new TSN Plus streaming service costs CA$8 per month or CA$80 each year.

If you decide to subscribe or already have, remember you can take your favorite sports streaming service with you wherever you go - just try our No. 1 overall rated VPN 100% risk-free for 30-days and follow the instructions above.

How to watch Melbourne Cup 2023: live stream for FREE in New Zealand

TVNZ 1 is showing the Melbourne Cup for free in New Zealand, with the main race set to get underway at 5pm NZDT on Tuesday, and coverage beginning at 4.30pm.

That means you can live stream Melbourne Cup 2023 for free on TVNZ Plus, which is also completely free to use.

Outside New Zealand? Remember that Kiwis abroad can use a VPN to tune into TVNZ Plus while away from home.

Can you watch a 2023 Melbourne Cup live stream in the UK?

In the UK, the Melbourne Cup is usually shown on Sky Sports, though at the time of writing it appears as if the 2023 event hasn't been picked up by any broadcasters. 

The only alternative is to use one of the best VPN service providers to tap into coverage from another region, as described above. 

The software is generally ideal for this as it allows you to change your IP address and appear to be in a completely different location – and all through a safe, encrypted connection. But do bear in mind that most paid streaming services do require a credit card based in the country the service is from.

Post time is set for 4am GMT in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

2023 Melbourne Cup runners and riders

1. Gold Trip, Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, James Mcdonald
2. Alenquer, Michael Moroney, Damien Oliver
3. Without A Fight, Anthony & Sam Freedman, Mark Zahra
4. Breakup, Tatsuya Yoshioka, Kohei Matsuyama
5. Vauban, Willie Mullins, Ryan Moore
6. Soulcombe, Chris Waller, Joao Moreira
7. Absurde, Willie Mullins, Zac Purton
8. Right You Are, Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, John Allen
9. Vow And Declare, Danny O‘Brien, Billy Egan
10. Cleveland, Kris Lees, Michael Dee – SCRATCHED
11. Ashrun, Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Kerrin Mcevoy
12. Daqiansweet Junior, Phillip Stokes, Daniel Stackhouse
13. Okita Soushi, Joseph O‘Brien, Dylan Gibbons
14. Sheraz, Chris Waller, Beau Mertens
15. Lastotchka, Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr), Craig Williams
16. Magical Lagoon, Chris Waller, Mark Du Plessis
17. Military Mission, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Rachel King
18. Serpentine, Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott, Jye McNeil
19. Virtuous Circle, Liam Howley, Craig Newitt
20. More Felons, Chris Waller, Jamie Kah
21. Future History, Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Hollie Doyle
22. Interpretation, Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, Teo Nugent
23. Kalapour, Kris Lees, Zac Lloyd
24. True Marvel, Matthew Smith, Ben Thompson