It's not only Australians who are fans of the Melbourne Cup. As this article from New Zealand History Online says "One of the reasons the Melbourne Cup has become such an ingrained part of New Zealand culture is the great success our horses have enjoyed in the race. Since its inception in 1861, 41 New Zealand-bred horses have won..." One of these horses was Phar Lap.
The book "Melbourne Cup, 1930 : how Phar Lap won Australia's greatest race" by Geoff Armstrong and Peter Thompson tells "The story of four days in November that became at the same time the most famous and infamous in Cup history. It began with a gunman, like something out of a Chicago gangster movie, apparently trying to kill Phar Lap on a quiet suburban street."
Personally I don't know much about racing or horses and have only been to two race events in my entire life...but I know about the Melbourne Cup. I'm not sure whether it's the racing or the fashion that makes the first Tuesday in November so memorable. First run in 1861 the current race is a 3.2km handicap-horse race. Theoretically the combined weight of each jockey, horse and gear is adjusted to a nominated weight although there seems to be a complicated formula depending on the age and experience of each horse (as explained in this Wikipedia article and this one from Australia's Cultural Portal.)
One of my favourite things to have a look at in recent years has been the live webcam at Flemington. Obviously it slows right down about race time but I like to check in during the day to see what else is going on.
Have you picked or been given your horse yet? Do you fancy your chances?
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