Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is a prestigious annual horse race held on the first Tuesday of November in Australia, celebrated for its deep-rooted history and national significance. Established in 1861 by the Victoria Turf Club, the event has grown to become a major cultural milestone, often referred to as 'the race that stops the nation.' The race is notable not only for its competitive spirit but also for its inclusivity, as it employs a handicap system that allows a diverse range of horses to compete, reflecting a broader appeal and a sense of equity among participants.
With an attendance that has exceeded 120,000 in recent years and a global television audience reaching approximately 700 million, the Melbourne Cup captivates people both in Australia and around the world. The event is marked by festive celebrations, fashion parades, and gourmet food experiences, making it a significant social occasion. Throughout its history, the race has seen remarkable achievements, including Maykbe Diva's record three wins and Michelle Payne's groundbreaking victory as the first female jockey to win in 2015. The Melbourne Cup remains a key highlight in the Australian sporting calendar, celebrated for its vibrant atmosphere and the sense of community it fosters across diverse audiences.
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Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne Cup is an annual horse race in Australia usually held on the first Tuesday of November. Rooted in a longstanding national love of racing, the event started in 1861 as a competition of the Victoria Turf Club (later the Victoria Racing Club). It grew over the years until it had become an official holiday and the so-called ‘race that stops the nation’. The modern Melbourne Cup phenomenon includes international competition, massive stakes, extensive betting, food and fashion and an atmosphere of merriment that encompasses much of the country. The Melbourne Cup has drawn more than 120,000 fans in person. In 2024, more than 1.9 million Australians watched the event on television, and an estimated 750 million people in more than 228 countries watched it on television or online worldwide. Though the race itself generally only lasts about three and a half minutes, race-related speculation and celebration often lasts all day or longer.
Background
In 1788, colonists’ ships from the British Isles arrived in Australia carrying the first seven horses to arrive in that land. Horses quickly became important to the Australian way of life, both for work and recreation. When the city of Melbourne was founded in 1835, residents were sure to add a track for racing. This track was crude: fans sat on wagons, horses raced to a coat stand and bets were placed with liquor instead of money. However, these races cemented the love of horse racing in Australia.
By 1840, horse racing had become well-established. Clubs of racers and trainers formed across the land. Two of the most prominent clubs were the Victoria Turf Club, formed in 1852, and the Victoria Jockeys Club, established in 1857. The clubs competed to hold the most entertaining and successful races. In 1861, the Victoria Turf Club introduced a new and ambitious race called the Melbourne Cup. This race would push horses and riders to complete a distance of 3,200 meters in about three and a half minutes. Later, these competing clubs merged to become the Victoria Racing Club, the preeminent racing group and annual organizers of the Melbourne Cup competition.
The Melbourne Cup race was an instant success. Whereas many major races focused on pitting elite horses against one another, the Melbourne Cup used a special handicap system. Many bettors enjoyed the handicap because it brought in more horses and created more opportunities for huge paydays. Historians have also speculated that the handicap system appealed to Australians because it reflected the idea that success was not restricted to the wealthy or well-connected; rather, anyone could rise to greatness.
Overview
Some four thousand race fans attended the first Melbourne Cup event in November 1861. They watched as seventeen horses competed and a bay stallion called Archer took first place. Archer hailed from New South Wales and according to legend had walked five hundred miles to Melbourne for the race. He went on to win the next year’s race as well.
Ironically, although the race was called the Melbourne Cup, the prize awarded to Archer did not include a cup. Rather, the winner took home gold coins and a gold watch. Only in later years did race organizers introduce cups as trophies, and even then, the cup design varied each year. The first cup was not popular. Its winner described it as a monstrosity and immediately sold it. However, by 1919, organizers had settled on a final design for a three-handled loving cup, or a cup meant to be shared. This cup design has since become an icon of the Melbourne Cup and horse racing in general.
The Melbourne Cup drew enormous crowds almost from the start. Some 100,000 people attended in 1880, which amounted to more than one-third of the population of Melbourne. In the coming decades, the event became a truly international phenomenon. Jockeys and horse fans from around the world were eager to compete. The Melbourne Cup is not restricted to Australian participants, and many horses travel from England, France, Ireland, Germany, China and other countries. In modern races, about half of the competing horses are from outside Australia and New Zealand, and many of these foreign entries have taken top prizes.
The international flavor of the event has done nothing to tarnish its reputation as a uniquely Australian phenomenon. In the twentieth century, the Melbourne Cup became known as ‘the race that stops the nation’. In Victoria, race day is a designated public holiday, and in many other areas it is an unofficial holiday. Millions of Australians stop what they are doing to watch or listen to the race results or hold their own celebrations. Barbecue parties, office betting pools, and champagne toasts are common sights. Commenters have observed that the Melbourne Cup, with its handicapped betting system, creates a national sense of equity and a level playing field for all.
Although the celebration and speculation take place across the country, and among racing fans internationally, the most colorful action occurs at the racecourse itself. There, top chefs and fashion designers often debut their newest creations. Race attendees usually dress in their finest—and often most eye-catching—garb. In the spirit of other major horse races, such as America’s Kentucky Derby and Britain’s Grand National, fans often wear colorful and elaborate hats and accessories.
In its more than 150-year history, the Melbourne Cup has created a long list of impressive statistics. The all-time fastest run took place in 1990, with Kingston Rule’s time of 3:16.30. The largest attendance ever achieved was thirteen years later, in 2003, with 122,736 race fans packing the stands. The winningest trainer is Bart Cummings, whose first-place finishes span twelve races from 1965 to 2008. In 2015, Michelle Payne became the first female jockey to win the prized trophy. At the 2024 event, the winning horse, Knight's Choice, captured a purse of $8.56 million.
The impact of the Melbourne Cup continues to resonate in the city that gave it its name, across the country and overseas. The event inspires horse fans with its handicapping system, which creates a feeling that the playing field has been leveled to give all a fighting chance.
Bibliography
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Dunlop, Greg. “How the Melbourne Cup Became Australia’s Prestigious Race.” BBC News, 31 Oct. 2016, www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-37795758. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
Fitzroy, Rod. “The History of the VRC.” Victoria Racing Club, 2007, www.vrc.com.au/about-vrc/the-history-of-the-vrc. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
French, Kyle. “Melbourne Cup 2025.” Racenet, 22 Nov. 2024, www.racenet.com.au/melbourne-cup. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“Melbourne Cup 1866.” National Museum of Australia, www.nma.gov.au/explore/collection/highlights/1866-melbourne-cup. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.
“Melbourne Cup History.” Races.com.au, 2025, www.races.com.au/melbourne-cup/melbourne-cup-history/. Accessed 5 Feb. 2025.
Rooney, Quinn. “Melbourne Cup Carnival Shines Brightly as Crowds Flock to Australia's Premier Week of Racing.” Victoria Racing Club, 11 Nov. 2024, www.vrc.com.au/latest-news/melbourne-cup-carnival-shines-brightly-as-crowds-flock-to-australia-s-premier-week-of-racing/. Accessed 4 Feb. 2025.