Historyofmelbournecup:
American writer, Mark Twain wrote about his visit to the Melbourne Cup in 1895:
"Nowhere in the world have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation. The Cup astonishes me."
Melbourne Cup Day is fixed for the first Tuesday in November. The race is recognized as one of the World's greatest handicap races. It is organized by the Victoria Racing Club and held at Flemington, a Melbourne suburb which is called after a butcher who once lived there. The first Melbourne Cup was held in 1861. It is the oldest horse race in Australia. The history of Melbourne Cup offers a unique blend of tradition, sport, and hospitality. Melbourne Cup fashion is something eagerly waited round the year. According to legends, Archer the first horse to win the Melbourne Cup was reported to have walked 850 km. from Nowra to Flemington to be a participant in the race. A crowd of 4000 watched the race. It has been suggested that this was short of expectation because of news reaching Melbourne of the death of explorers Burke and Wills.
At the first Melbourne Cup in 1861, Archer's owner received €710 and a hand-beaten gold watch. 1865 was the first year a trophy, manufactured in England, was awarded. The first gold trophy was manufactured in Victoria for the 1876 event. In 1889 there was a controversy surrounding the silver 'tea and coffee service'. It was considered to be unacceptable as a trophy. From 1894 to 1898 trophies were not awarded because of economic depression engulfing the nation. 1914 was the last year the Melbourne Cup trophy was made in England. In 1915 a large rose bowl trophy was awarded. It was made in Australia.
Originally, the Melbourne Cup was ordered through the Drummonds and manufactured by J W Steeth & Son. Since 1980, Hardy Brothers Jewellers has been commissioned to create the Melbourne Cup each year. With its distinctive shape, the gold, three-handled 'Loving-Cup' design has been in use since 1919. It has gone on to assume the status of an internationally recognised symbol of Australasian racing. The trophy currently awarded is a gold loving cup worth $75,000 at 2005 prices. The winning trainer and jockey also receive a miniature replica of the cup and the strapper is awarded the Tommy Woodcock Trophy. Totalisator betting was illegal in Victoria until 1931. It was in that year that that betting was provided on the event for the first time. By 1937 turnover had soared to 125,717 pounds and 10 shillings. This was the first occasion on which the 100,000 pound turnover point was passed in Melbourne Cup betting. The 200,000 pound target was achieved in 1944, when 210,018 pounds and 15 shillings was invested. Doubles totalisator betting was introduced to Melbourne Courses in October, 1955, at Moonee Valley. That year was the first in which this medium of betting was available on Cup Day.