Melbourne Cup Day

Melbourne Cup Day is held every year in the Australian city of Melbourne at the Flemington Racecourse. Every year on the first Tuesday of November, about a hundred thousand people come here to see the 3200-meter race with their own eyes. The race is also televised, with over 650 million viewers worldwide, according to statistics.

History

Melbourne Cup Day is the biggest horse race in Australia, a country with more racetracks than any other country. The run is an important and one of the most visited parts of the week-long Melbourne Cup Carnival, which is all about fashion and style.

The first races in this part of Melbourne took place in 1840. During the gold rush, a hippodrome was organized on a flat area along the river, the spectators were located on a hill, there were no stands at that time. They appeared only after 8 years. The owner of these lands named the Flemington racecourse area, in honor of his wife. This is the oldest race track in Australia.

Interesting Facts

• Horse racing in Australia has become a popular event, horses from New Zealand, Tasmania, South Wales took part in them, the number of spectators reached 40 thousand.
• Racers from Melbourne wanted to make the event even more prestigious, and the proceeds will be invested in the development of the hippodrome.
• The first Melbourne Cup was planned to be held in 1861, but due to a quarrel between two racing clubs, the event was canceled.
• A few years later, the Victoria Racing Club appeared, and today it manages the hippodrome.
• In 1875, Melbourne Cup Day was held for the first time when the authorities transferred the lands of the racing club to the Victoria Club.

How to celebrate

On the eve of the race there is a parade in Melbourne, take part in it, so you can see all the jockeys who will start the next day. True racing fans wear big hats, drink champagne and don’t allow themselves to wear ripped jeans and T-shirts – follow their example. It is customary to wear the best outfits and elegant shoes to the races. Be sure to place your bet, be part of Australian history. If you have no opportunity to go to Australia, watch the broadcast of the race on television or on the Internet.

When is Melbourne Cup Day celebrated in 2022?

Melbourne Cup Day is observed on the first Tuesday of November each year.

Observations