McAvaney Returns to Call Melbourne Cup on Radio
The 73-year-old broadcaster is back calling the race for Triple M after years away from Channel 7's coverage.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Equestrian
Bruce McAvaney is returning to call the Melbourne Cup for Triple M radio, having last called the race in 2018. He is on the ground at Flemington, with Triple M radio covering the event on Tuesday.
Why it matters
McAvaney's return marks a shift in Australia's Melbourne Cup coverage after Channel 7 lost the broadcast rights eight years ago. Triple M, now merged with Network Seven, is positioning its radio coverage around a familiar voice.
McAvaney was the face and voice of Seven's Melbourne Cup coverage from 2002 to 2018, and this is his first Cup call since 2018. The source does not provide audience figures for Triple M's broadcast.
The players
Bruce McAvaney
A long-serving Australian sports broadcaster, McAvaney was the voice of Channel 7's Melbourne Cup coverage for many years.
Triple M
An Australian commercial radio network that has merged with Network Seven and is covering the Melbourne Cup.
Glen Boss
A three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey who has joined Triple M as an expert commentator.
The details
McAvaney called Derby Day at Flemington for Triple M before calling the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. Triple M has added three-time Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Glen Boss as an expert commentator, with Michael Felgate and Caty Price co-hosting the coverage.
Timeline
2002 to 2018: McAvaney is the face and voice of Seven's Melbourne Cup coverage.
2018: McAvaney's last Melbourne Cup call before this year.
Tuesday: McAvaney calls the Melbourne Cup on Triple M radio.
2030: Melbourne Cup Carnival TV rights become available, and Seven may bid to win them back.
Season Trajectory
The loss of Channel 7's Melbourne Cup rights eight years ago reshaped how the race is broadcast in Australia. McAvaney's return on Triple M is a reminder of that era, with Seven potentially bidding to regain the rights when they come up in 2030.
Listeners who follow the Melbourne Cup on radio will hear McAvaney's call on Triple M. Fans tuning in for the race can follow the coverage with Glen Boss providing expert commentary alongside the hosts.
The takeaway
McAvaney's return shows how familiar voices can anchor a race's coverage even as broadcast rights move between networks. Listeners wanting the Cup's sporting context can use Boss's expert commentary to follow the race more closely.
What happens next
The Melbourne Cup Carnival TV rights are due to become available in 2030, when Seven may bid to win them back.
Further reading
For more on the sport behind the race, see our Equestrian coverage.
