4. Melbourne cup Day is fixed for the first
Tuesday in November.
The race is recognized as one of the
World’s greatest handicap races
It is held at Flemington, a Melbourne
suburb which is called after a butcher
who once lived there.
5. The first cup was run in 1861
and in front of an estimated
crowd of 4000.
There were 17 starters and,
paradoxically, the prize—apart
from the money(170 pounds)—
was not a cup at all, but a hand-
beaten gold watch.
Archer, the winning horse in a
time of 3.52.00, ridden by John
Cutts, had walked to Melbourne
from its stable in Nowra, NSW, a
distance of 500 miles (800km)
6. “Fashions on the field” is a major focus of
the day, with substantial prizes awarded
for the best dressed man and woman.
Raceday fashion has occasionally drawn
almost as much attention as the race
itself, the miniskirt received worldwide
publicity when model Jean Shrimpton
wore one on Derby Day during
Melbourne Cup week in 1965.
7. In the melbourne metropolitan area, the
race day has been gazetted public
holiday since 1877.
It is commonly billed as The race that
stops a nation, but it is more accurately
The race that stops two nations, as many
people in New Zealand, as well as
Australia, pause to watch race.
18. American writer Mark Twain said of a visit
to the Melbourne Cup in 1895:
Nowhere in the world have I encountered a
festival of people that has such a
magnificent appeal to the whole nation.
The Cup astonishes me.
19.
20. History
Started in 1861 in front of 4000 people
Day renowned by lawn parties, shooting
galleries
Arrival of Carbine
1890’s, Carbine – one of the greatest race
horses
Owned by Donald Wallace – Partner of mining
company
1903 – Lord Cardigan would stamp authority as
a great stayer of Melbourne Cup.
21. Phar lap became household name
In 1924 and by 1930 Phar Lap Ensconced in race
Nominated as the best horse in the world
1931 – the on course totalisator emerged in cup
1940’s – Arrival of Jockeys Billy cook & Darby
Munro as well as amazing riding performance
New dawn in cup History
1950 – Jim Cummings would win the Melbourne
Cup
1965 – Cup showed $62,000 in price money
Partnership – Jim Cummings & Higgins
22. 1970’s – New Zealanders continued to
dominate
1972 – Metric system introduced & first time
cup was run on 3200 meters
First Million dollar cup
1985 – Prince & princesses from Wales showed
1st
million dollar cup
Brought new youngsters to come in
1993 – turning point in the cup
First time cup reached new heights
Attendance continued to rise up to 1,21,015