Horse racing: 2010 Melbourne Cup Australia
Melbourne Cup has been regularly conducted in Australia on the first Tuesday of November, each year. In the state of Victoria, Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday and commonly named as “the race that stops the nation”.
The horse racing event is mainly organised at the historical Race-course Flemington in Melbourne, Victoria and is considered as one of the most popular horse racing events and social activity in Australia. Thousands of visitors from all over the world come to attend this horse racing event. Local races are commonly organised all over Australia on Melbourne Cup Day, and it gains phenomenal coverage from media. More than 650 millions horse race fans all around the world watch this event live on television. Unlike continuing regular business or household activities, public in Australia leave all their routine work in order to catch up with horse racing event. On this day, people are even ready to bear hefty traffic jams and no parkings, in order to attend the festival live.
A public holiday on Melbourne Cup day can be noted with public partaking as a viewer or as a contestant. Some of the participants take one week leave from their work to prepare and take part in the horse racing contest. One of the most fascinating and good thing about this event is that the public dress up well, women wear fantastic hats and finest dresses, hence all are presenting the best styles of Australia. VIP guests and local and international celebrities are entertained with out of the way services. Gourmet finger foods are mostly served on event day. Celebrities love to enjoy with Champagne and traditional wines.
Many offices and business centres call it a day before the start of the race. On this occasion people love to organise other traditional competitions like featured hats and stylish dresses. Staff lunch and tea parties are held with big TV screen to watch and enjoy the race with the staff. Horse racing attracts large number of bettors who gamble in local restaurants.
The first horserace was conducted in Victoria’s Racecourse in 1861, since then a regular Melbourne Cup Day has been conducted in Australia. In 1877, first Tuesday of November was formally declared as a public holiday. Most of the metropolitan councils honoured it but some refused to celebrate Melbourne Cup Day as a public holiday. However, legislation was passed by the Victorian Parliament in 2008 to make a Melbourne Cup event Day an officially permitted holiday.
Archer got famous with this event because he made a history by winning the first and second consecutive Melbourne Cups held in 1981 and in 1982. He wasn’t allowed to participate in 1983 due to some technical issues. Maree Lyndon was the first woman jockey who participated in Argonaut Style in 1987. In last year’s thoroughbred horse race conducted on November 3, 2009, Melbourne Cup title went to Shocking ridden by Corey Brown.
You rarely find someone unaware about Melbourne Cup horse races in Australia because of its significance in the land. Due to its immense popularity among the public, it has great appeal for gamblers as well. People from all walks of life can be seen betting on jockeys or horses on this day. Betting money ranges from few dollars to millions, depending on betting point and its nature. Therefore, those who have never gambled before can even experiment in Melbourne Cup races.
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