The Race That Stops A Nation!
Melbourne Cup is Australia’s major horse race for at least three year olds. It is run over a distance of over 3200 meters.
It is one of the richest turf races in the world and most prestigious “two-mile” handicap in the world.
The event is held around 10 to 3 PM on the first Tuesday in November. It is held by Victoria Racing Club on the Felmington Racecourse in Melbourne.
The race is one of the oldest sports event and has been held since 1861. It was originally held over a distance of 2 miles but in 1970s, when Australia adopted metric system, the current distance of 3200 was established. The present record holder for the Melbourne Cup is the 1990 winner Kingston Rule with a time of 3 min 16.3 sec.
Prize Money And Trophies
The total prize money for 2010 race was Australian Dollar 6 million. The trophies were valued at $0.12 million. Winner is paid $3.3 million and the tenth place gets $115,000. Prize money is distributed to the connections of each horse in the ratio of 85% to the owner, 10% to the trainer and 5% to the jockey.
The present trophy is made of 34 pieces of gold metal hand beaten for over 200 hours. As of 2008, the cup contains 1.65 kg of 18-carat gold.
Interesting Events And Facts
In 1869, The Voctorian Racing Club introduced four day Spring Racing Carnival format.
In 1876, Peter St. Albans became youngest jockey to win at the age 12 years, 11 months, 23 days.
The Melbourne Cup was first filmed in 1896.
1915 saw the first woman owner winiing the event.
The Melbourne Cup was broadcasted over radio by Australian Broadcasting Company.
Maree Lyndon became first female jockey to ride in the cup in 1987.
In 2003, Clare Lindop, first Australian female jockey rode in the cup.
Makybe Diva holds the record for most wins by a horse winning in 2003, 2004, 2005.
2010 was 150th anniversary of event and Americain became the first French trained horse to win the race. Gerald Mosse, his jockey, became the first French jockey to win the event.
Melbourne Cup day is a public holiday for all working within metropolitan Melbourne and some parts of regional Victoria. For Federal Public Servants, it is also observed as a holiday in the entire state of Victoria.