Emirates Melbourne Cup

On the first Tuesday of November, Australians across the nation stop to celebrate this major annual horse event. But the $6 million Emirates Melbourne Cup is more than just a horse race – it is a 150-year old social and cultural tradition that literally brings Australia to a standstill.

2010 will be a special year as the Victoria Racing Club celebrates the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup with a number of special activities and events planned.

The race draws competitors from all over the world with the annual invasion of Asian and northern hemisphere-trained stayers making it a truly international event.

The Emirates Melbourne Cup now attracts a worldwide television audience of over 700 million people in 120 countries and territories while millions more either view or listen to the event via the internet.

The Cup is the linchpin of the Victoria Racing Club's annual four-day Cup Carnival and the highlight of Victoria's state wide Spring Racing Carnival.