The Melbourne Cup is the most famous horse race in Australia. It takes place at Flemington Racecourse on the first Tuesday of November every year. The track is 3,200 metres long. The first Melbourne Cup race was in 1861. It is a public holiday in Melbourne now.
On Melbourne Cup Day, there are many race-goers at Flemington. There is a party atmosphere here, with food and champagne. A lot of people wear fashionable clothes and hats, and some dress up in amusing costumes. Many people bet on a horse on this day. All over the country, Australians hold Cup Day lunches and ladies wear fancy hats. They watch the race on television. This special event is called “the race that stops a nation”.