Melbourne Cup Day 2023

In Australia it’s known as “The Race that Stops a Nation” because for the Melbourne Cup many Australians will take the day off work, knock off early or at least stop work for 10 minutes to watch the most famous horse race in the country. In Victoria it’s become so big that Melbourne Cup Day has been declared a Public Holiday. Indeed it is THE most lucrative horse race in the world being worth $8 million this year. For a relatively small nation to hold that honor that’s kind of a big deal...

Every year there are elite racehorses that come from all over the world to try to win this prestigious event. We used to call these horses “Raiders” but these days there are so many foreign horses competing in our race its become very normal. Of 24 runners this year there are only 2 horses that have been bred in Australia. That’s OK though, we will celebrate it anyway. If you haven’t experienced Melbourne Cup Day in Australia here are a few things to look out for.

Many Pubs, Clubs and Restaurants will organise a special Luncheon for Melbourne Cup Day. They might put on a 3 course meal, organise their own fashion show and other fun activities to complement the races (see Sweeps & Calcuttas below). Picking a Luncheon venue can be a bit of a challenge as some can be filled with very mellow retirees while others can be overrun by rowdy singles with a party atmosphere and plenty of booze. This year my wife and I are going to the local Bowling Club where we’re expecting to have a fairly cruisy but fun afternoon.

Most decent workplaces around the country will organise a Melbourne Cup Sweep which is where you buy a ticket(s) for a set price and are allocated a random horse in the race. If your horse finishes well then you get a win and the Sweep organiser takes no commission. You don’t need to know anything about horse racing, it’s just a fair chance to win for everyone and gives all the participants some interest in the race.

Many Pubs and Clubs will organise a Calcutta for the more serious racing enthusiasts. A Calcutta is kind of a combination between a Raffle and an Auction where the Raffle component builds up a Pool of Cash and then the winners of the Raffle part then Auction off their winning tickets to the highest bidder – building up the Pool of Cash even more. This year I bought #5 Vauban in one of the local Calcuttas so I could be up for a nice payday today if that horse comes in.

Overall it’s a fun and very Australian day. If you’re an Aussie yourself you probably take the day for granted. However, if you’re visiting Australia and have never experienced a Melbourne Cup then it’s worth checking out what all the fuss is about because it is certainly a cultural experience.