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Melbourne Cup Day brings Australia to a standstill on the first Tuesday of November, celebrating the nation’s most prestigious horse race. Join millions worldwide to witness the thrilling competition, showcase your finest fashion, and participate in the vibrant festivities surrounding this iconic event. Don your best fascinator, place your bets, and cheer on your favorite steed!
Want to sponsor Melbourne Cup Day? Learn how
Expected Melbourne Cup Day Deals
As Melbourne Cup Day approaches, expect a flurry of promotions across Australia and beyond. Fashion retailers like Myer and David Jones typically roll out special collections and discounts on race day attire, while hospitality venues such as Crown Melbourne and various pubs offer themed menus and viewing parties. Online betting platforms like TAB and Sportsbet will feature enhanced odds and special offers for new and existing users. Additionally, airlines like Qantas and hotels often have travel packages for those heading to Flemington. We will update this page with confirmed live deals as November 3 approaches.
Platform Guide for Melbourne Cup Day
Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #MelbourneCupDay. Share your race day fashion, fascinator selfies, and celebration moments from viewing parties.
TikTok
Tag @www.nationaltoday.com and use #MelbourneCupDay. Film your ‘fashions on the field’ outfit reveal, race day predictions, or reactions to the big race.
X/Twitter
Mention @NatlToday and use #MelbourneCupDay. Join the real-time conversation about race results, fashion commentary, and event highlights.
Melbourne Cup Day Hero
Etienne de Mestre
History of Melbourne Cup Day
It was 1840 when the Gold Rush town of Melbourne decided to racehorses down by the banks of the river. There was a large flat area, with a hill to the northwest for spectators. The next year, the organizers put up some scaffolding, but it was 1848 before there was a real grandstand. The course became known as the Melbourne Racecourse.
The landowner named the area “Flemington” after property his wife owned in Scotland, and in the 1850s, everyone was calling the course the “Flemington Racecourse.” It’s the oldest racecourse in Australia.
By 1859, horses from New South Wales, Tasmania, and New Zealand were competing in the Australian Championship Sweepstakes. The event attracted 40,000 people and was the first Australian sporting event ever telegraphed in Sydney. At that point, Melbourne’s racing power players conceived of an even bigger, more prestigious event that could bring in funds for developing the track.
The Melbourne Cup made its debut in 1861. In those early days, there were two rival racing clubs, the Victoria Turf Club and the Victoria Jockey Club. With the two at loggerheads, management of the course and the Cup suffered, the track was sabotaged, and both clubs went into debt. So they merged in 1864 to form the Victoria Racing Club, the governing body of Flemington today. The next year, the Club was pleased to have Melbourne Cup Day declared a half-day holiday.
One problem, though, was that the Victoria Racing Club didn’t own the land; they leased it. In 1871, the government passed the Victorian Racing Club Act, entrusting land ownership to the club. The Melbourne Cup was first run on a Tuesday in 1875. Two years later, Victoria made the day an official state holiday to accommodate the size and significance of the event.
Melbourne Cup Day timeline
Flemington Racecourse joins the Sydney Opera House and the Great Barrier Reef on the Australian National Heritage List.
Melbourne Cup Day is declared a state holiday.
The first Melbourne Cup is held at the Flemington Racecourse.
The first horse race was held in 1840 along the Maribyrnong River, just five years after Melbourne was founded.
How Businesses Can Celebrate Melbourne Cup Day
Local businesses across Australia can embrace Melbourne Cup Day by hosting themed events. Restaurants and pubs can offer special lunch menus and live screenings of the race, encouraging patrons to dress up. Retailers might run ‘Fashions on the Field’ competitions for customers, offering discounts on race day accessories. Offices can organize internal sweepstakes or a catered lunch, allowing employees to participate in the excitement of ‘the race that stops a nation’.
Melbourne Cup Day FAQs
When is Melbourne Cup Day?
Melbourne Cup Day 2026 falls on Tuesday, November 3, bringing Australia to a halt for its most anticipated horse race.
How many people attend Melbourne Cup Day?
Approximately 100,000 people typically flock to Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne for the live event, creating an electric atmosphere.
What is the prize money for the Melbourne Cup?
The Melbourne Cup boasts a substantial prize purse, with the 2026 total expected to be around AUD $8 million, making it one of the richest handicap races in the world.
Why is Melbourne Cup Day called 'the race that stops a nation'?
Melbourne Cup Day is famously known as ‘the race that stops a nation’ because, for the duration of the race, most of Australia pauses work and other activities to watch the event.
How to Celebrate Melbourne Cup Day
Watch the parade
The day before the race, join thousands of other people for a big parade in central Melbourne as part of the week-long Melbourne Cup Carnival. There's a car or carriage for each entrant, carrying the jockey and trainer.
Wear a big hat
Racing enthusiasts on the distaff side turn out in their elegant floral finery and lift a glass of bubbly at the Victorian Race Club on Kennedy Oaks Day, one of four race days that make up the Melbourne Cup Carnival. No torn jeans and T-shirts today! Ladies make the fashion scene in puffy sleeves, bright colors, bold prints, lace, ruffles, whimsical headpieces, and footwear never intended for walking on grass. This is the day Australia's top milliners compete on the catwalk for the Millinery Award.
Place your bet
Only four-horse races in the world can boast a bigger purse than the Melbourne Cup. That's just one of the reasons the Cup is called "the race that stops the nation," as office workers across Australia stop what they're doing to watch the race on television or internet as it goes off at 3:00 p.m. in Melbourne.
5 Facts About Famous Winners That Will Blow Your Mind
Horse homicide was suspected
Scientists have confirmed that Phar Lap, the New Zealand horse who won the Melbourne Cup in 1930, died from arsenic poisoning, though it's not clear whether foul play was involved.
The first winner was the second winner
A bay named Archer won the first two races in 1861 and 1862.
The lady was a champ
A mare named Makybe Diva won three years in a row: 2003, 2004, and 2005.
This filly was fast
The first female horse to win the Melbourne Cup was Auraria, a filly, in 1895.
The first record stands
In 1968, in the first of his back-to-back wins, Rain Lover not only set a course record for time but also won by eight lengths — the greatest margin ever since Archer in 1862, whose 10-length record holds.
Why We Love Melbourne Cup Day
Cup Day lasts a week
Cup Day reigns over the weeklong Melbourne Cup Carnival, which includes four race days, fashion competitions, and fun for all. The Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy, the 18-carat gold loving cup now sponsored by Lexus, travels the state in the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour to raise money for local causes.
Humans become clotheshorses
Cup Day is not casual. The fashionistas trot out to Flemington to strut their stuff. Throughout the year, ladies compete in Myer Fashions on the Field, with regional winners advancing to the state and national final, where the winner is crowned. Not to be out-dressed, male peacock punters pull out their patterns and pocket squares and pursue their own national fashion trophy.
We eat like a horse
Flemington Racecourse offers a range of restaurants for everything from a gourmet hamburger to upscale buffets to exclusive entertainment packages that get you started with canapés on arrival. Watch the race while tying on the feedbag with lamb shank, seared salmon, pumpkin and ricotta tortellini, and afternoon tea.
Melbourne Cup Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | November 4 | Tuesday |
| 2026 | November 3 | Tuesday |
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