It's the first week of November, which means it's time for Australia's biggest annual horse race. The 2023 Melbourne Cup is set to be run, as ever, from Flemington Racecourse, and in this article we explain how you can watch Melbourne Cup live streams from anywhere with a VPN — including places that are showing it absolutely FREE.
The Melbourne Cup live stream is on Monday night in the States.
► Time: 11 p.m. ET (Nov. 6) / 8 p.m. PT (Nov. 6) / 4 a.m. GMT (Nov. 7) / 3 p.m. AEDT (Nov. 7)
• FREE — 10 Play (AUS) / TVNZ+ (NZ)
• U.S. — Fox Sports / Sling TV
• U.K. — Sky Sports
• Watch anywhere — try ExpressVPN 100% risk free
The so-called 'race that stops a nation' is the jewel in Melbourne's Spring Racing Carnival crown — just as it has been since Archer won the first of his two successive Melbourne Cups back in 1861.
This year's 3,200-metre race sees a 23-strong field of thoroughbreds hoping to be first past the post. And leading the way is six-year-old Gold Trip who took the top prize last year. On the saddle is New Zealander James McDonald, who himself rode Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant two years ago.
Gold Trip's 2022 rider Mark Zahra is also among the favorites this year, having already ridden Without A Fight to Caulfield Cup success just a couple of weeks ago. But it's looking likely that Willie Mullins-trained Vauban (ridden by the experienced Ryan Moore) will leave the starting gate as bookies' favorite on Tuesday after his dominant victory at Royal Ascot earlier in the year.
Other things to watch at the Flemington Racecourse will be 51-year-old and three-time former winner Damien Oliver's final Melbourne Cup appearance — he rides Alenquer. And in Rachel King on Military Mission and Hollie Doyle on Future History there's an outside chance we'll see the first female jockey to win since Michelle Payne broke new ground on Prince of Penzance eight years ago.
With races all day leading up to the Melbourne Cup itself at 3:00 p.m. local time in Victoria, make sure you don’t miss any of the racing action by checking out our guide below on how to watch Melbourne Cup 2023 live streams.
How to watch Melbourne Cup live streams for free
How to watch FREE Melbourne Cup live stream in Australia
Aussies can watch Melbourne Cup racing for free on Network 10 and its 10 Play streaming service.
If you're not near a TV for the race that stops a nation, 10 Play can be watched online and on apps for a variety of devices including smartphones, tablets, select Smart The TVs, Apple TV, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox.
It also looks as though the website Racing.com will stream all the action from Flemington Racecourse for free, but without all of the bells and whistles of Network 10's full TV presentation.
The racing starts at 10:45 a.m. AEDT on Tuesday morning, with the Melbourne Cup itself at 3 p.m.
Not in Australia right now? Sign up for a VPN such as ExpressVPN to watch the action as if you were back home. Instructions below.
How to watch FREE Melbourne Cup live stream in New Zealand
TVNZ1 is showing the 2023 Melbourne Cup race for FREE in New Zealand, with the start scheduled for 5 p.m..
That means you can live stream the horse racing for free on TVNZ Plus, which is also completely free to use.
Out of New Zealand for this one? Follow our instructions below for accessing your domestic TVNZ stream when abroad using a VPN.
How to watch Melbourne Cup live streams from anywhere
As we say, it's easy to watch Melbourne Cup racing live streams for free if you're Down Under.
The problems arise if you happen to find yourself abroad while the racing is on, as rights restrictions mean you won't be able to use 10 Play. Assuming you don't want to sign up for a whole new streaming service for the short time you're away, there is a great alternative...
If you download and install a VPN (virtual private network), you can get around those geo-restrictions with ease — see the three easy steps below. From our rigorous testing, ExpressVPN comes out on top of our best VPN services rankings.
It's really very easy to use a VPN to watch live sport when overseas:
1. Install the VPN of your choice. We think ExpressVPN is the best you can get.
2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. So if you're an Aussie abroad, for example, choose a server location based in Australia.
3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Go to 10 Play on your web browser or its app and watch the Melbourne Cup live stream as you would at home.
Watch the Melbourne Cup in the U.S.
The Melbourne Cup will be show live on Fox Sports in the U.S.A, bringing the action to over 70 million American homes. If you don't have cable, you can access it via Sling TV. Specifically, the Sling Blue package, which starts at $40 per month.
Don't forget: Aussies in the States this week can watch their usual Melbourne Cup stream, free on 10 Play, with a VPN.
It's also worth double checking whether you can stream it on Racing.com.
How to watch 2023 Melbourne Cup live stream in Canada
TSN has the rights to show the Melbourne Cup in Canada, with the race scheduled to take place at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT.
If you already get TSN through your cable provider, you'll be able to watch on TSN2 or through its TSN Go app. If you don't have cable, then you could go for TSN+ instead, which lets you get access to all TSN has to offer on an $8/month or $80/year subscription basis.
Not in Canada at the moment? Signing up to ExpressVPN will help you access your streaming service while overseas.
How to watch Melbourne Cup live streams in the U.K.
Racing fans in the U.K. can watch the Melbourne Cup at 4 a.m. Tuesday morning live on Sky Sports Racing.
Sky Sports subscribers can watch the race on the go on mobile devices via the Sky Go streaming service, which has dedicated apps for iOS, iPadOS and Android devices, along with Xbox and PlayStation consoles. If you want to sign up, you can check out the best Sky Sports deals and packages.
Don't fancy being locked into a long, expensive contract? Consider the more flexible streaming option, Now, which you can get on daily and monthly plans. And it may also be possible to stream the race at Racing.com.
If you're outside the U.K. and want to tune in, it's simple to do with a handy tool – simply grab a VPN and follow the instructions above to live stream the action.
Melbourne Cup 2023 schedule
Tuesday, Nov. 7 (Local AEDT times)
- 10:45 a.m. — Maribyrnong Plate (1000m)
- 11:20 a.m. — Furphy Plate (1800m)
- 12:00 p.m. — TAB Trophy (1800m)
- 12:40 p.m. — The Schweppervescene Plate (1000m)
- 1:20 p.m. — The Macca's Run (2800m)
- 1:55 p.m. — Subzero Handicap (1400m)
- 3:00 p.m. (11pm ET) — MELBOURNE CUP (3200m)
- 3:50 p.m. — Howden Desirable Stakes (1400m)
- 4:35 p.m. — The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m)
- 5:15 p.m. — Paramount+ Trophy (1400m)
Melbourne Cup 2023 runners and riders
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