A brief synopsis of the Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup Day is celebrated Australia-wide as aOver the past five years, Cup Day has gotten even
national holiday of sorts. The minute the famous horsemore exciting (if that is in any way possible,) and here
race begins the nation comes to a stand-still. Workersare some of the Melbourne Cup winners of the past
drop their tools in anticipation of the race that starts atfive years:
3pm sharp, and we wait with bated breath whether2008: Viewed
our sweepstakes have paid off or not.2007: Efficient
History of Melbourne Cup:2006: Delta Blues
It all started back in 1861 when on November 7 a total2005: Makybe Diva
of 17 horses raced for the first ever Melbourne Cup2004: Makybe Diva
Day. The first prize was a hand beaten gold watchIn the history of Melbourne Cup Day the most famous
and £170 in prize money. Archer was the first winnerwinner to date would have to be Phar Lap
ever of this race that has continued to delight a nation(1926–1932). Phar Lap became an Australian icon
ever since. Archer, the winning horse took a full 3:52 toafter winning the Melbourne Cup in 1930 amongst 13
cross the final line after two miles of hard racing, whichothers, during the great depression. After having won
makes this the slowest win in the history of thethe prestigious Cup in 1930, he won two Cox Plate
Melbourne Cup.titles (another noteworthy Australian horse race,) and a
Then in 1916 the actual Cup was first presented to atotal of 19 other titles in various races. Whilst in
winner on race day to all Melbourne Cup winnersAmerica Phar Lap unfortunatley died of a mysterious
thereafter. Melbourne Cup Day also got its regular slotillness and conspiracy theories still point to American
in 1875 when race officials selected to move the dateMafia involvement.
to the first Tuesday each November. Back then somePhar Lap is still one of the most revered thoroughbred
4000 spectators attended the now world famoushorses in the world to this day.
race and over the next 10 years race day saw a
crowd of 100,000.Melbourne Cup day celebrities:
Melbourne Cup Day’s biggest attendance numbers:If you are looking for celebrities that have continued to
To date the biggest numbers seen on Melbourne Cupinfluence horse trainers and fans all over the world it
Day were back in 2000 when over 120,000 peoplewould have to be the likes of Phar Lap, Makybe Diva
visited Flemington Racecourse, Victoria’sand of course Bart Cummings, the charismatic
prestigious racing club and saw ‘Brew’ race‘Cup King’ who has won the Melbourne Cup as
over the finish line first. Then a few years later, in 1972a trainer a staggering 12 times.
the Melbourne Cup thoroughbred horse race wasTo date Cummings raced a record 78 runners on
converted from the existing two mile distance to aMelbourne Cup Day, starting in 1958. Thanks to a
metric distance of 3200 metres. This made it 18.69flourishing racing career that is still ongoing Cummings
metres short of two miles.was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in
1991. His last win was last year when his horse
Melbourne Cup Winners:‘Viewed’ won the race on Melbourne Cup Day.
A lot has happened since Archer won the first
Melbourne Cup race back in 1861. These days theIf you would like to know more about the Melbourne
stakes are worth billions and people all over the nationCup and the Horses participating in the 2009 race be
invest their savings to bet on the famous race in ordersure to take a look at our odds table for up to date
to pick up some of the sweepstakes. Some get itonline betting options, make your winning bet with Sport
while most don’t.Bet!