Melbourne Australia
The Melbourne Cup
by Gerald Mann
by Gerald Mann
The Melbourne Cup is known as "the race that stops a nation". This annual event is regarded as one of the world's greatest horse races and ranks alongside the Grand National in England, the Kentucky Derby in America and the l'Arc de Triomphe in France. They are all major events, but none of them dominate a nation as does the Melbourne race. A survey found that 80 percent of the adult population of Australia had a ticket in a sweepstake or a bet on the race!
When I attended the Melbourne Cup in 2005, I had no idea of what a big deal it was. On holiday with relatives in Cairns, we flew to Melbourne the day before the race. All week I had heard people in Cairns talking about the race and the bets they were placing, but in Melbourne the excitement was inescapable.
The hotel where we were staying, the Rydges Melbourne Hotel, was abuzz with racegoers and locals. The only topic of conversation was the race. Even one of the doormen at the hotel asked me to give him a tip for 'the big one'. I didn't realise then that the Melbourne Cup is only one race in a three-day festival of racing. However, it is the only one that really counts.
On Tuesday morning I had hoped to do some shopping before heading for the course, but I was stunned to discover that it was a public holiday. "What's the reason?" I asked the concierge. "Its Melbourne Cup day, sir," he replied. I had been to big races in England, but this was clearly more than just a sporting event.
My uncle had arranged a 'race day package' for the family, which meant we were transported to and from the course by bus and accommodated in a large marquee, where food and drink was available. It was a rather lavish tent, with television monitors, music and lighting. As we crawled through the traffic and finally arrived at the Flemington Racecourse, I was glad we had secured seats. More than 106,000 people turned up to watch the race.
Another thing that surprised me was how dressed up everyone was. A fashion festival takes place as part of the racing festival with big prizes for the best-dressed male and female racegoers. This seems to spur just about everyone to don their finery. Hats are almost obligatory, and they range from the classic to the completely outrageous. Many of the ladies are in designer gear, but some of the outfits can be very skimpy. However, it all adds to the fun of the day.
People in our marquee had also dressed up for the occasion. A woman from Sydney came in a very skimpy outfit made from yellow silk roses strung together. And there was a group of tourists from Brazil who appeared to have brought along their Rio Carnival outfits, but even they did not look out of place.
The atmosphere inside the tent was fun, with people downing glasses of champagne and then rushing off to place bets. As the day progressed (and money was lost and won), you could feel the tension rising for the big race. We were continually reminded to place bets early, as there is a rush of last-minute betting.
The winner of the race the two previous years, Makybe Diva, was the overwhelming favourite to win again. However, I decided to place my stake on a less-fancied runner On A Jeune. With an hour to go before the race, we found ourselves a viewing spot close to the rails and watched the parade of the runners to the start.
Finally, the big moment arrived. From the start people cheered the horses on, but it became a deafening roar as they sped past us towards the finish. Although I could not make out the winner, it was clear from the crowd reaction that Makybe Diva had scored a third Melbourne Cup victory in a row. My horse came in third.
While I mourned a missed opportunity to make some money, my uncle and his mates were jubilant over their big wins. Like the rest of Australia, they had faith in the champ. We got home from the track exhausted and had ready for bed. I was up early the next morning, hoping to see some of the sights in Melbourne before our flight back to Cairns that afternoon.
The concierge advised me to take a half-day city tour. I was collected from the hotel and visited some of the city's historic buildings such as Parliament House, St Patrick’s Cathedral and the Old Melbourne Gaol, but my biggest thrill was seeing two of the most famous sporting venues in the world.
The Melbourne Cricket Grounds (MCG) hosts not only cricket tests, but also the grand final of Aussie Rules Football, a huge event in the city. Then we toured Melbourne Park, the home of the Australian Open Tennis Championship. I was also fascinated by a visit to the Queen Victoria Market, the largest open-air market in the southern hemisphere. It is dedicated to food, and it was interesting chatting to the stallholders, who have had the same stalls in their family for generations.
It is easy to see why Melbourne has been dubbed the “world's most liveable city”. With its vibrant restaurants and bars, cosmopolitan population and beautiful waterways, it is the perfect place to go on holiday. And there’s no better time to visit than during the wonderful, exciting Melbourne Cup.
For other articles on Australia, go to our our archive
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