Detail of a Movietone News poster, Melbourne Cup Special, 1940s
The race that stops a nation
In 1895, the American writer and traveller Mark Twain attended the 35th Melbourne Cup. “Nowhere in the world”, he marvelled, “have I encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation.”
Indeed, the Melbourne Cup was already hailed as “the race that stops a nation”. It certainly stopped Melbourne, having been marked by a public holiday in the metropolis since 1877. Today, the race is internationally prestigious, attracting entrants from across the globe.
Phar Lap is arguably the Melbourne Cup’s most famous winner, but many other great champions have pounded the track at Flemington. The latest to rival the Phar Lap legend is Makybe Diva, with an unprecedented three consecutive Melbourne Cup wins, 2003-2005.
