Take a break from the telly and get yourself down to Flemington to experience the race that stops the nation first-hand. The Melbourne Cup takes place on the first Tuesday of November each year as part of the Spring Racing Carnival, which kicks off on October 29 this year.
Since starting in 1861 the Melbourne Cup has become the most prestigious race in Australia, attracting a significant number of international competitors and guests, as well as its own public holiday in Melbourne and some parts of regional Victoria.