Melbourne Cup: A Race That Still Stops the Nation

WORDS: Ocean Road Magazine Editorial Staff PHOTOGRAPHY pexels-coldbeer

The Victoria Turf Club launched the Melbourne Cup in 1861 and it subsequently grew into ‘the race that stops the nation’. The sentiment still stands true today.

The Melbourne Cup is an unmatched Australian event which captivates the nation and beyond with an alluring blend of sports, fashion and festivities.

On the first Tuesday of every November at the iconic Flemington Racecourse, the Cup brings together various elements of Australian life from high fashion to lively betting and more.

 

A Legacy of Tradition & Celebration

The Melbourne Cup is an appealing event due to its deep-rooted history and how it has seeped into Aussie culture. It has become a symbol of national pride and tradition.

Sydney-born writer Vivienne McCredie canonised the event in a 1986 poem titled ‘The Race That Never Stops’ read out on an evening radio program.

The poem is about the fascination with the Melbourne Cup, illustrating how it captivates Australians and halts daily routines across the country.

‘Cup Day’ carries so much significance for the people, making it one of the highlights of the year. First instituted as a bank and civil service break in 1873, it has become a public holiday.

Celebrations are not restricted to metropolitan Melbourne but across regional areas. The day off highlights the race’s status as a national celebration and its impact on Australian society.

 

The Birdcage Spectacle

One of the most exciting aspects of the Melbourne Cup is glancing up at the exclusive VIP area, named the Birdcage, and catching a glimpse of celebrities.

AFL star Tom Hawkins and his wife Emma made a guest appearance last year. They were joined by glamour model Erin Holland and Mia Fevola, daughter of AFL Hall of Famer Brendan Fevola.

Other notable personalities such as Australia’s richest woman Gina Rinehart and billionaire manufacturing tycoon Anthony Pratt have previously attended the event.

The presence of social media influencers Martha Kalifatidis, Hannah Dal Sasso and Sam Guggenheimer further magnified the appeal of the Birdcage.

This combination of glamour and razzmatazz is so alluring that social media is already abuzz with fans guessing which stars will grace the Birdcage this year.

 

A Punter’s Paradise

The Melbourne Cup is not only special for its assembly of fashionistas and celebrities. It is a major draw for bettors.

Around $100 million is wagered annually on the race, making it Australia’s most bet-on horse race. Betting sites in Australia are inundated with wagers by punters looking to score big wins.

Bettors can choose from several options, from straightforward wins to complex wagers. Many punters place their bets in advance, which only adds to the excitement around the event.

In some respects, the Melbourne Cup is like the Grand National in England. It is a race that many people are willing to wager on, even if they never bet during the rest of the year.

This effectively makes the race an event which transcends sporting boundaries and is essentially a cultural phenomenon.

 

Fashion Takes the Spotlight

Fashion sets the Melbourne Cup apart from other sporting experiences. The four-day festival is filled with elegant and extravagant attires that catch the eye.

Even before the racing festival, there is a special Spring Fashion Week show that displays all the finest and latest designs. They are also paraded around the racecourse, catching attention with their vibrant colours and well-tailored fittings.

The Fashions on the Field competition, launched in 1962, shows off the most extravagant and stylish outfits. What started as a ploy from a public relations firm to attract more women to the event has since become a mainstay.

The show also has a history of setting fashion trends. British model Jean Shrimpton turned heads in 1965 when she arrived in a miniskirt to judge one of the competitions, with photographers swarming her to capture this bold fashion statement.

In a conservative time when women adorned hats, gloves and stockings, she strode into the event with a skirt four inches above her knee.

The miniskirt had been invented in the 1960s by London-based designer Mary Quant but struggled to take root in mainstream fashion. However, when the 1966 Cup came around, several women rocked the miniskirts they initially derided on Shrimpton.

 

Opening the Gates to Foreign Participants

Australian horses traditionally dominated the Melbourne Cup, but the organisers have worked hard to make it more appealing to international participants.

The race now attracts competitors from around the world for a global spectacle. International trainers, jockeys and owners bring their expertise and passion to the Cup to create a cultural exchange within the racing community.

This global participation enriches the experience for the competitors and spectators, further solidifying the Cup’s reputation as one of the world’s premier horse racing events.