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Melbourne Cup

Melbourne Cup

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

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

Melbourne Cup 2024, Dates, Time, Sydney CBD Venues, Lunch & Events

The Melbourne Cup was started in 1861 and became so revered that it was declared a public holiday in Victoria. Several 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 nationwide.

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

Royal Randwick is the only place in Sydney where you can witness live racing on Cup Day, the first Tuesday in November.

The Big Dance on Cup Day

Royal Randwick is the only place in Sydney to witness live racing on the first Tuesday in November when The Big Dance on Cup Day features the running of the $3 million The Big Dance.

A fresh new destination is unveiled: the Peacock Lounge in the Winx Stand, set to elevate the race day experience and open to all racegoers. Guests will enjoy a premium food selection inspired by Sydney’s cult Yum Cha scene, and a feature James Squire Bar will serve beer and bubbles all day. A rotating DJ set will create a party environment alongside the track. Dance the day away to a headline music performance.

Public transport is included in your Carnival race day ticket.

Peacock Lounge

The Peacock Lounge at the Winx Stand, Royal Randwick, will elevate the race day experience. Guests will enjoy a premium food selection inspired by Sydney’s cult Yum Cha scene, and a feature James Squire Bar will serve beer and bubbles all day.

A rotating DJ set will create a party environment all alongside the track. Watch top jockeys Zac Lloyd and Tyler Schiller try to cook the perfect dumpling with celebrity chef Hayden Quinn.

Food & Drink
Inspired by Sydney’s legendary Yum Cha scene, the Peacock Lounge will feature steamed pork buns, stay chicken skewers, and lobster spring rolls. The must-try item on the menu is the Prawn and Water Chestnut dumplings devised by celebrity chef Hayden Quinn, paired with his signature chilli oil—all this priced at $15 and under a serve.

Never fear—there will still be hot chips, wedges, cheeseburgers, and chicken burgers available for those who like to stick to the classics!

The perfect installation feature of the room will be a bespoke James Squire bar serving cold beers, Chandon, and White Claw.

Music
A rotation of epic DJs, live music, and entertainment throughout the day will keep the atmosphere buzzing between races.

The party doesn’t stop with the last race of the day, though – the popular After The Last series will return, with performances from Levi on Saturday, 5 October and Kinder on Saturday, 26 October, to keep the vibes high and take guests dancing into the sunset after a full day out.

Fashion
The dress code in the Peacock Lounge is colourful and chic, drawing on Springs’ latest trends. It focuses on vibrant colours and cool, quirky statement pieces.

Each day has featured colours to inspire the most eclectic designs. Fascinators are not required… but all are invited to strut themselves across the floor in spectacular headwear that is sure to turn a head!

Venue
The Peacock Lounge has been designed to deliver more seating and booths to host groups of all shapes and sizes, making it the social destination for this Spring.

TAB pool tables will keep up the competitiveness between mates during breaks from picking the day’s winner.

What To Wear

Fine fashion is synonymous with horse racing, and there’s no better place to show off your style than Australia’s richest race day. The TAB Everest is a time to embrace the best of spring, including floral, prints, lace, polka dots, simplistic millinery and a pop of colour.

For the ladies, unique and vibrant colours shine best in Spring. Puffed sleeves, tailored suiting, pointed-toe heels and handheld compact clutches are all the trend. Veils and pearl headpieces are a huge trend this season and are an easy way to elevate your race day look. Clashes in colours and patterns are no reason to shy away from a bold statement look.

For gentlemen, vertical stripes are timeless, but they’re especially in style for men this spring. Pinstripe suits, warm tones and tweed continue to be the go-to look for the Spring. A bold tie colour is nothing to shy away from.

The Australian Turf Club maintains a minimum dress code for general admission to Royal Randwick. Management reserves the right to refuse entry to patrons who do not meet these standards. Ladies and gents must be neatly dressed and groomed, with shoes and a shirt to be worn at all times.

Not acceptable:

  • Fancy dress costumes
  • Tattered clothing or shoes
  • Thongs or barefoot
  • Offensive attire (inappropriate language or imagery)

Where To Watch The Horses

From the horses arriving at Royal Randwick to when they leave, racegoers have amazing access to our thoroughbred champions around the racecourse.

The Day Stalls
All horses must arrive on course at least two hours before their race time. Horses are stabled at the Day Stalls, at the southern end of Royal Randwick racecourse underneath the new multi-storey car park. Racegoers can access the Day Stalls, which house up to 117 horses.

The Theatre of the Horse
Approximately 15 minutes before the start of their race, horses are led from the Day Stalls to the Theatre of the Horse, which is situated behind the Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand.

Racegoers can watch the horses parade, see the jockeys mount up, and become familiar with race numbers and silk colours. Look for a combination of important traits when choosing your horse. Factors such as stamina, strength, speed and competitive nature must be considered when picking a winner.

A shiny, dappled coat often translates as a healthy horse. Is the horse calm and alert? If the horse’s head is up and it is looking around, it means it is alert and ready to race. Another positive indicator of alertness is if the horse’s ears are facing forward. A defined muscle tone over the horse’s buttocks and behind its rib cage points to a strong and healthy horse.

The WINX Stand
Sydney’s newest and most exciting world-class venue. Named in honour of the immortal racehorse Winx, the WINX Stand is a two-level $46.6 million state-of-the-art venue that has hosted domestic and international meetings and events, conferences, gala dinners, exhibitions, and more. Both Ground Level and Level One offer fantastic views of the Royal Randwick circuit.

Trackside on the Fence
Watch a race from the fence and experience the exhilarating sights and sounds of a dozen thoroughbred racehorses thundering down towards you. Look in your racebook for races over 2400m. They begin in front of the Grandstand, and it’s a spectacular sight as the horses emerge from the starting stalls.

The Leger Lawn
Located towards the top of the home, in front of the WINX Stand, the Leger Lawn is a spacious area where racegoers can relax with plenty of food and beverage options. Between the 400m and 200m mark, the Leger Lawn is where you will see jockeys and horses make their moves as they race towards the winning post.

The Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand
Watch each race unfold with panoramic views of the entire racetrack from the Queen Elizabeth II Grandstand. Unreserved, general admission seating is available in the Centennial at the southern end of Level 3, with Members access to Levels 1, 3 and 4.

The Official Grandstand
Immerse yourself in the grandeur and history of the Official Grandstand while taking in one of the best racing views of the Royal Randwick home straight and the winning post. Access is permitted to Members and Members’ guests only.

Race presentations
After Group or Listed races there is a trackside presentation. This is where the celebration continues for the jockeys, owners and trainers as winning sashes and trophies are presented.

Getting There

Royal Randwick is well serviced by public transport with a Light Rail station and a purpose-built bus terminal at the racecourse main entrance on Alison Road. The racecourse is located in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, approximately 6km from Sydney CBD and 8km from Sydney Airport.

Travel on public transport to and from Royal Randwick is included in your Sydney Everest Carnival race day ticket (21 Sep, 5 Oct, 19 Oct, 26 Oct, 5 Nov) across Sydney trains, metro, buses, ferries, and light rail services. Simply show your ticket, proof of purchase, or ATC Membership to transport staff when boarding services.

Attendees are encouraged to plan their trip and consider all the available travel options ahead of time.

Lightrail
L2 – Circular Quay / Central direct to Royal Randwick
L3 – Circular Quay / Central to Kensington

The Royal Randwick stop is on Alison Road, opposite the racecourse’s main entrance. Services run regularly from 5 a.m. until 1 a.m. on weekdays and weekends. Additional services will also be provided during major race days and events.

Buses
Plenty of regular route buses also run between the City and Eastern Suburbs via Anzac Parade and Alison Road to get you to Randwick Racecourse, including bus routes 339, 373, 374, 376 and 377.

Taxis
Taxis enter Royal Randwick through the Ascot Street entrance, where there is a secure taxi rank for set-down and collection.

Hire Car Drop Off & Collection
Hire Cars Are set down, and pick-up is via the Alison Road busway. Click here to view a map. Please follow the attendant’s instructions. Hire cars are advised that there is a strict 15-minute waiting period.

Please note that taxis, ride-shares, and hire cars are not permitted to stop on Alison Rd or Doncaster Avenue.

Any stretch limousine set-down and collection is in the infield car park (access via High Street).

Car Parking – General Admission
The infield car park offers free parking. Entry is via High Street, opposite UNSW.

Members and Owners’ Car Parking
The Members’ Coach service is for the comfort and convenience of Australian Turf Club Members. Seats on the coach must be purchased by Friday midday before the race day.

Refer to the ATC Members Portal for details regarding Members Car Park. Click here for more information.

Private Coaches and Mini Buses
The designated set-down and pick-up area for private coaches over 3.1m high is located on the Eastern Side of Darley Road, outside TAFE NSW Randwick. Minibuses over 3.1m high also use this private coach-designated parking area. Mini-buses under 3.1m high are to use the infield car park for all set-downs, pick-ups and parking. Access via High Street.

About the author

Michael Jones

Michael created and runs the Sydney Point website, as well as the Holiday Point travel brand that incorporates a network of 16 location based travel information and attraction websites around Australia, Asia, and around the world.

With 25+ years of online experience and a passion for travel (having visited Sydney many times and seeing a lot of the city in the process), Michael not only researches and writes content for the website, he also tinkers behind the scenes with the website functionality & design.

Please reach out if you have any questions or suggestions.

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What date is the Melbourne Cup?
What time is the Melbourne Cup?
Lexus Melbourne Cup: 3pm

Members Gates: 10am
Public Gates: 10:30am
Peacock Lounge: 10:30am
First Race: 11:45am
Last Race: 6:05pm

Please visit our website for more information on the Melbourne Cup.
Where is the Melbourne Cup located?
What is the Melbourne Cup address?
What are the Melbourne Cup entry prices?
Adult: $35 each
Party Plus (Group 10+): $30 each
Punters Value Pack: $59 each
Trackside Reserve (Tables of 8): $89 each

Please visit our website for more information on the Melbourne Cup.
What is the Melbourne Cup phone number?

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