Melbourne Cup Day
Melbourne Cup Day
On the first Tuesday in November, the sporting event of the year takes place in the capital of Victoria; it is “the race that stops the nation”, the one and only Melbourne Cup. Its origins date back to 1861, when the very first such Thoroughbred horse race was held. Its importance resulted in the Melbourne Cup Day, falling on the date of the event. It is a state public holiday, though many regions in Victoria have local alternatives for it in their calendar. The Cup is the most prestigious race in the country and arguably one of the most significant ones in the world, setting against each other +3-year-olds in a 3,200-meter marathon. It is an important event for the entire country.
The originator of the Melbourne race was the member of the Victorian Turf Club, Frederick Standish. On November 7, 1861, his idea was realized as seventeen horses stood against each other, and the one named Archer won. A year later, the same animal became the first one in history to triumph two times in a row. In 1869, the Victorian Racing Club created the Spring Racing Carnival, which from then on would take place annually and last for four days before the Melbourne Cup. Within the next seven years, the race had become a prominent occurrence and set its observance to the first Tuesday in November. It took another few months, however, to proclaim Melbourne Cup Day as a public holiday. Later on, in the 1880s, race bookmaking developed, and in 1896, Melbourne Cup was filmed for the first time. The earliest radio broadcast of the event occurred in 1925, and a live TV transmission in 1960. Maree Lyndon, the first female jockey, was allowed in 1987, and the first Australian woman-jockey was Claire Windop. In 2015, Michelle Payne became the only woman in history to win the Melbourne Cup. The final regulations concerning the event were settled by the Victorian Parliament in 2008.
The celebration of the Melbourne Cup usually starts on the Saturday before the main race, which is called the Victoria Derby Day. Throughout the following week, the entire state and many regions in the country organize their individual horse races, mimicking the major event. On Tuesday at 3 o’clock p.m., 100,000 spectators gather at the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, and over 600 million viewers from all over the world sit in front of their TVs. Many representatives of the political elite join the celebration and gather in their VIP lodges. The people in the public choose to stand out with the most fashionable clothing. To be there on the racecourse is an exclusive opportunity than many Australian citizens wish for. A great number of private and public offices and businesses close earlier in order for the workers to watch the national sporting event of the year. Many take part in the Melbourne Cup lottery. There is, however, a darker side to the event, particularly visible in addictive bookmaking. An unfortunate bet can ruin one’s financial status. Furthermore, the protests against animal abuse are increasing year after year. It seems as though the celebration is not accepted by the whole nation.
Melbourne Cup Day is a public holiday in the state of Victoria; not all regions observe it, however, since they celebrate their local holidays. Some choose to have two half-day observances instead of yielding only to the tradition of the Melbourne Cup. Although it is a public holiday in the one state, some offices and institutions close before 3 o’clock throughout the country. For many, this sporting event is the most exciting tradition in Australia. It is the export commodity and a big mark of the Australian culture on the world.