Melbourne Cup

Every year, Australians come together to celebrate the most popular horse race on the calendar, Melbourne Cup Day.

The Melbourne Cup is the premier event of the Spring Racing Carnival and is held on the first Tuesday in November each year.

The Melbourne Cup was started in 1861 and became so revered that it was declared a public holiday in Victoria. A number of legendary events have occurred at this racecourse. People still remember the performance of Phar Lap in 1930 or the trifecta wins by Makybe Diva in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Over 100,000 racing fans flock to Flemington Racecourse to witness this world-popular racing event in person. For those living in Sydney, many people get together to watch ‘The Race That Stops the Nation’ live on TV. The race is a 3,200-metre race with over $6.2 million prize pool. The winner takes home over $3.6 million and a trophy worth $125,000. Owners also receive an additional $500,000 bonus.

Having a bet is very popular on Melbourne Cup Day, with hundreds of millions of dollars spent on one race. Most people place bets through the official TAB or a bookmaker in person, but it’s commonplace that sweepstakes are held at businesses around the country.

Just because you can’t get to Melbourne for the big race, it doesn’t mean you can’t get in the spirit of the race day. Head to Randwick where they host their own race meeting and live stream all Group 1 races held at Flemington on the big screen.

Royal Randwick is the only place in Sydney to witness live racing on the first Tuesday in November on Cup Day.

Bring together colleagues and friends to enjoy the jewel in Sydney’s racing crown on Melbourne Cup Day. Royal Randwick is elegant and elevated, a state-of-the-art theatre offering a spectacular day of top-class racing, entertainment, fashion and exciting cuisine.

Enjoy a rewarding race day experience that inspires everyone to raise their game. General admission tickets start from $30 (book in advance to save on the $40 door price). Award-winning hospitality packages are also available here.

Your ticket to Spring Carnival race days at Royal Randwick Racecourse and Rosehill Gardens includes travel on trains, buses, light rail and ferries. Simply show your ticket, proof of purchase or ATC membership to transport staff when boarding services.