If there’s one word we can use to describe the Melbourne Cup, it’s divisive. The "race that stops a nation" rolls around on the first Tuesday of each November. Earning its own public holiday in Victoria, the Melbourne Cup is one of Australia’s most iconic sporting events, attracting celebrities and travellers from around the world.
Around 90,000 people are expected to be at Melbourne's Flemington racecourse for the race. But amidst the festive spirit there is controversy. Over the past decade, seven horses have died on Melbourne Cup day.
Are people as excited by the Melbourne Cup as they once were? For Dr Wayne Peake, adjunct research fellow at Western Sydney University, attending the Melbourne Cup was always one of his fondest memories growing up. "We thought about it all week," he tells SBS News. "When I was at school, all but a few of the teachers, mainly maths teachers, would stop the class to listen to the Cup.
" But Peake says public sentiment toward the Cup has shifted in recent years: "I don't think it happens to the same extent anymore," he said. While the race has been marred with controversy, plenty of Australians still throw their support around the Cup (and not just for the public holiday). Source: Getty / Asanka Ratnayake What does Melbourne Cup mean for fashionistas? For fashionistas, the Melbourne Cup has always been one of the biggest events of the year.
Attendees don their best suits, frocks, and most elaborate fascinators (decorative headpiece) as part.
