If the 3,200 metre event itself is billed as the ‘race that stops the nation’, then the Melbourne Cup that’s lifted by the winner is considered the most prestigious trophy in Australia.
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In the lead up to the race at Flemington, the soon-to-be won cup travels around the nation, bringing with it an air of mystique, magic and anticipation.
This year the cup’s stops included Mudgee and Gulgong, with the 18-carat trophy spending the afternoon in the Mudgee Library before heading out to Gulgong for an evening showing.
Locals that turned out to see the cup and take photos with a slice of history were also treated to a personal chat from the 1999 Melbourne Cup winner, Wendy Green.
Wendy told her ‘cinderella story’ of Rogan Josh, which included the against-the-odds inclusion in the Tuesday race, the 3 month long journey home with the cup, and the crowds that turned out to see the “real life Melbourne Cup”.
“I love coming on the tour because wherever you go people want to see the cup, and heaps and heaps of towns want the cup to come and visit,”
“It’s a mystifying experience, and a lot of older Australians are really great when they come to see the cup because they see a lot of the older traditions and they have an awe of the cup.”
The aura that sounds the tour, and the cup itself, is something that Wendy finds fascinating, and was what first made her 1999 win in the race so historic.
“The Melbourne Cup has become a truly international event now and a lot of countries look at us and get a bit jealous, but taking the cup around on tour brings it back to Australia – Aussies come in to see the cup and they really get awe-struck, and proud of being Aussies,” she said.
“It’s a symbol of national identity, and this icon coming around to all the towns preserves that idea for us all.”
Although the cup has moved on from Mudgee and Gulgong, it still has a way to go – Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania and Victoria.
It’s final destination is set in stone however: Flemington Racetrack, November 7, for the race that stops the nation.