Nine has announced its all-star hosting team for the 2024 Melbourne Cup Carnival. As the new official broadcaster, Nine has gone to sports broadcaster Eddie McGuire to lead the week-long events. McGuire previously hosted the Cup Carnival for 10, on loan from Nine.
Joining him from the action in the Mounting Yard will be James Bracey, while British-based racing expert Francesca Cumani will return to Melbourne to provide analysis throughout the carnival.
Form analysts Grace Ramage and David Gately will ensure viewers have all the insights they need, while footy legend Billy Slater will take up an on-course role, interviewing winning jockeys on horseback. Tony Jones will also be in the thick of it, conducting interviews in the Mounting Yard.
Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador and Lexus Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne will appear on the broadcast as part of her Victoria Racing Club role. Michelle will provide insights and expert analysis throughout the carnival, drawing from her historic 2015 win and deep knowledge of the racing industry.
Nine’s Clint Stanaway, Sylvia Jeffreys, Jelena Dokic, and Olympic champion Jessica Fox will deliver all the colour and excitement from the Birdcage and beyond.
Nine’s Melbourne Cup Carnival team includes James Bracey, Eddie McGuire, Alicia Loxley & Billy Slater
In addition to the live broadcast, viewers are being promised an enhanced experience on 9Now.
Fans can access preview programs, archive footage, daily highlights, and race replays, ensuring they stay across all the action, anytime, anywhere. For fashion lovers, 9Now will also live stream Fashions on the Field, providing a front-row seat to the style spectacle. Whether it’s on the big screen or on the go, 9Now will be the ultimate destination for all things Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The broadcast kicks off with Penfolds Victoria Derby Day on Saturday, November 2, followed by the Lexus Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday, November 5. Next is Crown Oaks Day on Thursday, November 7, and the carnival concludes with TAB Champions Stakes Day on Saturday, November 9.
9News Melbourne with Alicia Loxley and Tom Steinfort, along with Karl Stefanovic, Sarah Abo, Clint Stanaway, Sophie Walsh, and the entire teams from Today and Weekend Today, will broadcast live from Southbank Promenade at Crown and from Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Brent Williams, director of sport for the 9Network, commented: “The Melbourne Cup Carnival is one of the greatest spectacles in the sporting world, and we couldn’t be prouder to be the host broadcaster. With such an extraordinary line-up of talent, combined with our state-of-the-art production, we are set to deliver an unforgettable experience for all Australians. This is just the beginning of a thrilling partnership with the Victoria Racing Club and Tabcorp that will take this event to new heights for years to come.”
This is the first year in a multi-year broadcast, media, and sponsorship deal between the Victoria Racing Club, Tabcorp, and Nine Entertainment to bring the Melbourne Cup Carnival to audiences from 2024 to 2029.
See also: Saddle up – Nine officially secures Melbourne Cup rights