AAMI Victoria Derby Day

 

The gates to Flemington open at 8.30am today as Australia's premier racing destination welcomes racegoers and the who's who of entertainment, sport, business and media for AAMI Victoria Derby Day, the first raceday of the spectacular four-day Melbourne Cup Carnival.

 

The nine-race card is highlighted by Australia's oldest classic race, the $2 million Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby (2500m). On a day dedicated to racing purists, the all black-type undercard features the stallion-making Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), the Group 1 TAB Empire Rose Stakes (1600m) where Australasia's best fillies and mares will be on show over the Flemington mile and the Group 1 Kennedy Cantala also over 1600m. A final opportunity to race in the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup awaits the winner of the Group 3 Lexus Hotham Stakes (2500m).

 

General admission racegoers can enjoy Flemington's fashion and entertainment destination, The Park. The 10,000 square metre precinct features Myer Fashions on the Field along with a great lineup of music including ARIA chart-toppers Ball Park Music (5.10pm-6.10pm) and their melancholic pop melodies, and the cruisey surf-rock sounds of Lime Cordiale (3.50pm – 4.50pm).

 

Racegoers will be spoilt for choice in the culinary stakes, with an all-new selection of Melbourne's hottest foodie destinations popping up including The Bearded Jaffle from Melbourne Demon's ruckman Max Gawn and his brothers, fresh and sustainably-sourced seafood Pinchy's, Slider Diner burgers, Thai-inspired fare at Son In Law, Duke Pizza's delectable New York-style slices, swoon-worthy croissants and French pastries from Agathé Pâtisserie, Bao & Waffle's Chinese bao with funky Southern-style flavours, and Hello Jose serving up Mexican inspired bites.

 

Adding to the culinary experience, The Park boasts a stellar line up of refreshing beverage offerings. Make your way to the Seppelt Prosecco Bar for a Prosecco Spritz and a quick photo opp in their social media hub, or get ahead of the curve and stop by Lion's new brand activation, featuring a new style of alcoholic drink, Quincy. You can also take a step back in time and slide into a pastel-hued booth at the retro diner-themed Pony Bar, complete with 1950s-inspired cocktails. Want to take your sips to new heights? Grab a drink and climb up Jim Beam's container bar to see the Park's entertainment up on the super screen.

 

Whether you enjoy a premium artisan roasted coffee from the Grinders Coffee Retro Caravan aka Short Black, a refreshing ale from the Furphy Beer Garden, or a cocktail garnished to perfection from Lillet at The Park, racegoers will have no trouble finding the perfect beverage accompaniment to their snacks.

 

And when it comes to play, The Park is sure to be a crowd pleaser with epic activations from the VRC's official sponsors.

 

For the first time racegoers can experience the Myer Glam Bar offering express hair styling, a brow beauty bar and bespoke cocktails. Situated next to the iconic Myer Fashions on the Field enclosure, there's a barber for the fellas too, along with great gift giveaways and styling tips.

 

In the Bumble Arcade you can show your competitive side on the giant claw machine, have a shot at basketball or challenge your friends to a quick round of air hockey for your chance to win some exclusive Bumble merchandise in their game room. Not feeling competitive? Relax in Bumble's lounge area and get acquainted with those around you!

 

The amusement continues at the Network 10 Carousel, the custom built carousel made to create all your most Insta-worthy moments, and an elegant Lexus photo opportunity will ensure you and your friends experience amazing this Melbourne Cup Carnival.

 

Capture every moment with a variety of photo opportunities in The Stables, four pop-ups sponsored by the VRC. Guests can bloom in the Flower Room, sweeten things up in Lollipop Dreams, find a new perspective in The Upside Down Café or play it cool in the classic Foto Automat.

 

The fashion stakes will be high with the commencement of Myer Fashions on the Field, co-hosted by Myer ambassador and Kris Smith and Network 10's Anna Heinrich. To take out the title and win a share of the $430,000 prize pool over the course of the Carnival, entrants will need to impress an expert panel of judges, including VRC special guest Candice Warner, VRC official stylist Elliot Garnuat, VRC ambassador Georgia Connolly, Myer Fashions on the Field ambassador Crystal Kimber, Myer ambassador Elyse Knowles, Stellar Editor-in-chief Sarrah Le Marquand, Executive Style editor Michael Harry.

 

This year's competition boasts a record breaking prize pool of over $430,000, including a brand new Lexus UX valued at approximately $51,345.

 

At 3:42pm, prior to the AAMI Victoria Derby, Network 10's Bonnie Anderson will perform the Australian National Anthem in the Mounting Yard.

 

The exclusive Birdcage will play host to celebrities including models Jordan Barrett and Montana Cox at Lexus, Melbourne Cup hero Michelle Payne at Tabcorp, model Rebecca Harding and media personality Andy Lee at Seppelt Wines, footballer Joel Selwood at Kennedy, cycling legend Cadel Evans at Mumm, footballer Jack Gunston at Furphy, media personality and fashion blogger Nadia Bartel at Network 10, and models Jordan and Zac Stenmark at Bumble.

 

The Birdcage is reimagined in 2019, with the all-new purpose built 20-metre-wide, two-storey-high installation inspired by the Grand Canyon. Guests will walk the exclusive Milan-sourced sparkly pink carpet and walk through artistically jagged silver walls with multi-coloured accents before entering the enclosure.

 

Pin & Win volunteers will be out in force selling Lexus Melbourne Cup pins in support of the VRC's charity partner Very Special Kids.

 

Located at the horse stalls will be two acknowledged retrainers from Racing Victoria's Off The Track program. Racegoers can visit the west end of the horse stalls between races 1 and 4 and speak to professional retrainers Amanda Porter and Briar Morris about the various careers options for retired racehorses.

 

Earlier this week, the Victoria Racing Club announced that 10% of all public ticket sales for this year's Melbourne Cup Carnival, and 5% of VRC annual membership fees will be redirected to the VRC Equine Wellbeing Fund for the care of racehorses.

 

The VRC's official wagering partner TAB is offering exclusive offers to punters betting with TAB on their devices at Flemington, including bonus bets, matched deposit bets and matched bets.

 

The official barrier draw for the $8m Lexus Melbourne Cup to be run on Tuesday at 3pm will be held in the Mounting Yard after the last race at 5.30pm for 5.45pm start. The barrier draw will be shown live on Network 10.

 

The Lexus Melbourne Cup Barrier Draw is by invitation only and media must contact Alexandra Factor at a.factor@vrc.net.au or in the Media Centre to request access.

 

AAMI Victoria Derby tickets will be available for purchase on arrival from 8:30am at the Hill Gate, Rose Arbour, Flemington train platform, Elms and Infield entrances. While Melbourne Cup Carnival tickets can be pre-purchased from Flinders Street, Southern Cross, North Melbourne, Essendon, South Yarra, Werribee and Richmond train stations or racegoers can jump the queues and buy online from Ticketek on their mobiles, even on raceday. Admission is free for children under 16 accompanied by an adult.

 

All the colour and excitement of Cup Week will be shown live and free on Network 10, the official broadcast partner of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. 

 

#DerbyDay @FlemingtonVRC #LoveCupWeek @AAMI (Twitter) @aami_insurance (Instagram)

 

 

Virus-free. www.avg.com

Candice Warner to attend AAMI Victoria Derby Day

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) today announced that former athlete and national media personality Candice Warner will make her Melbourne Cup Carnival debut at AAMI Victoria Derby Day at Flemington Racecourse on Saturday 2 November as a special guest of the Club.

Candice and her husband, Australian cricketer David Warner, are racing enthusiasts and currently own thoroughbreds across Australia. They are also in the brewing business with jockey Tommy Berry and trainer Michael Freedman. Their boutique brewery is located at the Freedman family’s old training track, Markdel, which famously housed three-time Melbourne Cup-winning mare Makybe Diva.

Sydneysider Candice said she was excited to be heading to Melbourne for AAMI Victoria Derby Day.

“The Melbourne Cup Carnival has long been on my bucket list and I am very much looking forward to immersing myself in Group 1 racing as well as the fashion and the famous party atmosphere I’ve heard so much about in the VRC’s Birdcage Enclosure and I can’t wait to see 1 Oliver St,” she said.

“As a mother and former athlete, it’s nice to shake off the activewear from time to time and get into the spirit of a world-class race day. I’ve heard the fashion stakes are particularly high at Flemington, and I’m looking forward to embracing the classic black and white dress code for AAMI Victoria Derby Day and joining the thousands of other Sydneysiders flocking to Melbourne for the biggest week of racing on the Australian calendar.”

As the VRC’s special guest Candice will visit the VRC’s hero marquee in the world-famous Birdcage Enclosure, 1 Oliver St, and the VRC’s general admission precinct, The Park, where she will judge Myer Fashions on the Field.

VRC Executive General Manager Customer Engagement Caroline Ralphsmith said the Club was delighted to welcome Candice to Flemington for the first time.

“The Melbourne Cup Carnival kicks off in classic style on AAMI Victoria Derby Day and we look to our special guest, Candice Warner, to add some extra monochromatic chic to day one of the Carnival, a day that traditionally attracts the nation’s fashion set and racing purists,” she said.

“We are especially looking forward to sharing the delight and sheer happiness that comes with your first Melbourne Cup Carnival experience with Candice and all first-time Flemington visitors.”

Candice’s first visit to Flemington will come just months after the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour caught up with her husband David in the UK ahead of Australia’s iconic Ashes series win.

AAMI Victoria Derby Day is widely regarded as one of the most prestigious days of racing in Australasia, with four Group 1 races worth A$1 million or more. The pinnacle of the day is the feature Group 1 AAMI Victoria Derby worth A$2 million in prize money and is Australia’s premier staying classic for three-year-olds. The day is known for sophisticated elegance and tasteful indulgence with a traditional dress code of black and white.

The Melbourne Cup Carnival, held at the iconic Flemington Racecourse, is the pinnacle social and sporting event in Australia, bringing together the biggest names in fashion, sport, business, entertainment and hospitality.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: Flemington.com.au. Join the conversation across social media with #MelbCupCarnival and follow us on Instagram @flemingtonvrc and Twitter @flemingtonvrc and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/flemingtonracecourse

Avis raises over $15,000 for Charity at their Art of Discovery Auction

 Leading car rental provider Avis raised over $15,000 at a charity auction last night for charity partners R U OK? and Cure Kids. The event saw Avis auction off the artwork from its 'Art of Discovery' campaign, heroing creative work from 12 local artists who this year embarked on road trips in Avis rentals across the Tasman, to inspire their artwork.

 

The auctioned pieces included Jacob Spokes' take on Lightning Ridge in north-western New South Wales where he retraced his father's footsteps as a miner, and Rachel Hirabayashi's trip to Southland where she was inspired to capture the calmness of the landscape. Other art featured included work by Sally Willbanks and Belynda Henry, both Australia-based and New Zealand artists Angela Maritz and Kris Waldin. The highest selling piece on the night was Lake Pukaki with Aoraki/Mt Cook in the distance by New Zealand artist, Holly Zanbergen selling at $2,700.

 

To inspire and encourage travellers to plan their own road trip to view the scenic Australian and New Zealand landscape, the 'Art of Discovery' campaign allows customers to see the countries through the eyes of local contemporary artists.

 

Tom Mooney, Managing Director, Avis Australia said: "We are thrilled with the overall success of the night and the money raised for R U OK? and Cure Kids. We look forward to working with more artists through our 'Art of Discovery' campaign over the next year to show the true beauty of the Australian and New Zealand landscape, and inspire more road trips around the Pacific."

 

Brock Q Piper, one of the Australian artists involved in the campaign said: "It was such an honour to be a part of this very worthy campaign and work alongside Avis to create art that connects people with the Australian landscape. I'm personally so inspired by the work that R U OK? does to help so many in their personal struggles, so I am really pleased that the proceeds towards my work are going towards such a great cause."

 

The donation from Avis Australia demonstrates its commitment to its charity partnerships with R U OK? and Cure Kids will add to other contributions fundraised via a range of community charity initiatives.

 

To own one of the pieces of art, visit the online auction which closes on the 20^th October 2019 please follow this link: https://AODCharityAuction.famb.bid.

 

To watch Jacob Spokes on his 'Art of Discovery' journey, please visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDPpcCUQEgc.  To learn more about the 'Art of Discovery' campaign, please visit https://www.avis.com.au/en/discover-australia/art-of-discovery. 

 

People’s Cup celebrates 25 year anniversary on Tour in Euroa

The Lexus Melbourne Cup today visited Lindsay Park Racing in Euroa for a special community event celebrating the 25th anniversary of trainer David Hayes' 1994 Melbourne Cup win with imported galloper Jeune.

The visit to the picturesque stables in the Victoria High Country was part of the 17th annual Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour and saw Hayes unite with Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour Ambassador Wayne Harris, who rode the British thoroughbred to victory 25 years ago.

As part of the event, local school children and members of the Euroa community were treated to a special Q&A from the champion trainer and jockey, with both men sharing their memories of the race. Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador Tegan Martin also joined the celebrations.

Hayes said it was wonderful to welcome the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup to Lindsay Park and reflect on his Melbourne Cup memories.

"Whenever [people] find out you're a horse trainer they always ask, have you ever won the Melbourne Cup and that's what it is, it's the iconic race of Australia."

Hayes also spoke about Lindsay Park's chances for this year's Lexus Melbourne Cup, highlighting the form of Constantinople and Rostropovich.

"Constantinople has really good Cross Counterish form from last year and we've got another horse that ran 5th in the Melbourne Cup last year called Rostropovich," Hayes said.

Euroa is also one of this year's Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep destinations, which will see 24 rural and regional tour destinations across Australia be allocated a barrier for the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Barriers will be drawn at random as part of the Cup's visit and the town which draws the barrier of the Lexus Melbourne Cup-winning horse will be presented with a cash prize of $50,000 to put towards a charity for a local community initiative.

Local member for Euroa Steph Ryan drew the barrier on behalf of the town and selected barrier 12, a starting gate which has not produce a winner since 1949.

Since its inaugural year in 2003, the Tour has travelled more than 600,000 kilometres and visited more than 450 regional, rural and metropolitan destinations, providing communities with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the magic of the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

For further information about the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour please visit melbournecuptour.com.au.

#lovethehorse #PeoplesCup #MelbourneCup

Click Frenzy is back, and they're ready to crown Australia's ultimate online shopper with $50K

Love a great online bargain? Never pay full price? Apply discount codes for fun? Then you could be Click Frenzy's next Ironshopper! The search for Australia's ultimate online shopper is back in 2019. Have you got what it takes to take home the title this year?

To celebrate Click Frenzy's annual flagship event on November 12th, the organisation is once again on the hunt to find Australia's best online shopper. The event grants Australia's most skilled shoppers the chance to compete in a series of challenges over the 29-hour sale period, with $50,000 prize money for the taking. Last year, 33 finalists battled it out, with the ultimate winner, Katie Skinner from Victoria, out-shopping her competitors.

Click Frenzy is now accepting entries from enthusiasts around the country. All you need to do is submit a video detailing, "Why you are Australia's best online shopper".

Managing Director of Click Frenzy, Grant Arnott says, "With such great success from last year's competition, we're bring you a new, improved Ironshopper! If you consider yourself a master online shopper, this is your calling. Twenty finalists are guaranteed a great time spending $1000 on bargains during Click Frenzy, and one of those will become $50,000 richer and, most importantly, become Australia's next Ironshopper! It could be you, or someone you know – what's stopping you?"

It's free to enter, so make sure you submit your videos by 29th October. Videos will be judged on shopping skill and creativity. From the pool of entries, 20 finalists will be selected for the ultimate e-commerce battle during the Click Frenzy 29-hour online shopping event, starting on Tuesday 12th November at 7pm (AEDT). Each finalist will have $1,000 to spend on their own mega haul and must maneuver a series of challenges throughout the extreme sale.

Last year's challenges rocked contestants as they included deciphering brand logo snippets, staying alert for 99% off deals that went live at random times and masterfully styling a room under time pressure and budget. The challenges this year are expected to be even harder, with tighter competition.

The ultimate winner will be selected based on their performance in these challenges as well as public voting and will take home a life-changing prize of $50,000 and the right to the title of Australia's 2019 Click Frenzy Ironshopper.

According to last year's winner, Katie Skinner, you don't need to have a degree in filmography to have a chance of becoming a finalist, "I filmed most of it on my laptop and my phone, I did a little bit of editing but it wasn't too stressful."

For those lucky enough to become finalists, Katie says there are several keys to success, "Make sure you're prepared - have plenty of food and drinks available and a fully charged phone or laptop. Check out the other Ironshopper finalists, scope out the competition and win that $50,000 - it can change your life, it changed mine."

Grant concludes, "Giving this competition a round two allows us to find another genius online shopper! Last year's success proved just how savvy Australian shoppers are."

So, to all the online shopping pros out there, get your video cameras charged and creative thinking caps on. It's going to take a lot to convince the judges you're an online shopping star, but the title of Ironshopper 2019 is waiting for you if you have what it takes.

How It Works

STEP 1

Get the creative juices flowing for ideas for your submission video telling us why you're an elite online shopper!

STEP 2

Film your video - they can be up to 1 minute long - we're looking for fun, creative and interesting submissions

STEP 3

Share the link with us (via Youtube, Facebook, Insta, Dropbox, Google Drive etc) via the super simple submission form found here.

NEXT

The top 20 video submissions as judged by Click Frenzy panel will receive $1000 to spend during the Click Frenzy 29-hour mega-sale, to battle it out for the $50k grand prize!

____________________________________________________________________________

For more information and full T&Cs, visit: www.clickfrenzy.com.au/ironshopper

Planning a trip to Hong Kong

Peter Chapman ventures to Hong Kong

Anyone will tell you when you plan to go on a holiday book well in advance to assure yourself of such things as room availability and best prices.

It also means you can rest easy knowing that everything is in place for the holiday you wanted.

The Chapman family like many others saves and plans for one good holiday every year and as my wife is a former travel agent she adheres strictly to the get in early philosophy.

In fact I just have to mention I'd like to go somewhere and before the week is out she will present me with brochures and a fully costed itinerary.

Earlier this year we were chatting about our next escape and she mentioned to me how much she had enjoyed going to Hong Kong.

Having never been there I was quick to agree and we went ahead and booked our flights and accommodation in Hong Kong.

Job well done we thought as we sat back and started looking forward to our next adventure.

Unfortunately just after we booked the trip, Hong Kong literally exploded into street chaos.

At first we thought it would all settle down before we had to fly in, but month after month the street violence and protests continued to escalate.

As our September deadline fast approached we looked at cancelling, but the hotels and airline both told us there would be no refund unless Hong Kong was declared a no go zone by the Australian government.

So unless we wanted to rip up our holiday savings we had but one choice and that was to board the Qantas Dreamliner and head to Hong Kong for two weeks.

What did we discover when we touched down at a quiet Hong Kong International Airport?

Well what we didn't find were big crowds or long queues. In fact we were later told that tourist arrivals were down by a staggering 40 per cent in August, a drop of 851,000 from the same month last year.

The fall in numbers reflected wherever we went in Hong Kong and Kowloon on the other side of the harbour.

Many kiosks in the tourist markets were shut because of lack of shoppers and vendors who were there were keen to make a sale from anyone who dared ask "how much?"

One vendor from the Ladies Market in Hong Kong actually chased us for 100 metres dropping her price for a handbag from $150 Australian to just $20.

Each day the local newspaper reports would tell us what happened the night before and hotel staff and taxi drivers advised us where not to go that day.

Did we see any protests, where we at any risk and were we concerned?

The answer to all those questions was no.

In fact having less crowds meant we received better service and better prices had the city not been under siege.

We hadn't planned a visit to Hong Kong Disneyland, but when we were told the queues there were almost non-existent we caught the train across for the day.

The reports were spot on and we only had to queue for one ride for longer than 10 minutes.

The food lived up to Hong Kong's reputation and this is one of its biggest drawcards. Wine is still expensive, but beer is reasonable.

Seafood is fresh, fruit is sweet and the menu covers all nationalities, unless you are from Alaska.

Overall the prices were still high when compared to Australia, but at least you had great variety.

We did the one day trip across the border into mainland China and Shenzhen and walked the five floors of an amazing shopping mall full of hundreds of small kiosks.

It was the best place to shop during our trip by far, but once again doesn't expect amazing bargains.

A trip to the races in Hong Kong at Sha Tin was a highlight, although a trip to the Happy Valley course was a major disappointment.

If you plan to take in the races book in the Hay Market at Sha Tin and forget Happy Valley.

Overall we were glad we went and now like my wife I can cross Hong Kong off the bucket list.

It didn't rate as one of the top holiday places I've been to, but if you are into food and shopping for a week's break it has plenty to offer.

RATINGS:

Hong Kong 7/10

Food 8/10

Prices 6/10

Qantas flight 6/10 (food was average)

Hong Kong Harbour Grand Hotel 7/10

Kowloon Novotel Hotel 6/10

Sha Tin Races Haymarket 9/10

Happy Valley Races Stable Bend Terrace 3/10

Hong Kong Disneyland 6/10 (needs more shows and rides).

Words and images: Peter Chapman

Feature supplied by: www.wtfmedia.com.au

Mustajeer prevails in the Ebor as People’s Cup finishes European tour

The sun has set on the European leg of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour. While Australia was sleeping, talented stayer Mustajeer claimed victory in the time-honoured AUD$1.79 million Ebor Handicap at York Racecourse. The current Irish-trained gelding is now on his way to 'the race that stops a nation™'.

The Ebor has built a reputation as an important international pathway to the AUD$8 million Lexus Melbourne Cup and Mustajeer will follow in the footsteps of past Ebor Handicap winners including Heartbreak City, Nakeeta and Muntahaa.

The winning connections have secured their ticket to Melbourne thanks to an exciting new initiative between the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) and York Racecourse which will see them receive a once-in-a-lifetime experience for two to the Melbourne Cup Carnival including business class flights, accommodation and money-can't-buy invitations to special events during Cup Week.

"It's an unbelievable thrill and we're delighted to be a part of it. I can't wait to go!" owner David Spratt said.

Australian Bloodstock recently bought into the six-year-old and have experienced Cup success before with Protectionist.

"They fully believe in the horse and they have seen the exact same things we're seeing and fair play to them, they're good people that do their homework and understand their racing and I am delighted for them," Mr Spratt said.

"We love this horse so much. We really believe that this horse is a proper horse and we have a real shot on the big day."

The Ebor Handicap caps off an epic week of racing in York as part of the Welcome to Yorkshire Ebor Festival, which began with a thrilling contest between Japan and Crystal Ocean in the Juddmonte International Stakes.

The festival's crescendo came when the world's most admired racehorse Enable asserted her authority for the last time on British turf in the Darley Yorkshire Oaks. Not to be outdone, Stradivarius secured The Lonsdale Cup on Friday, completing the Lonsdale Cup, Ascot Gold Cup and Goodwood Cup combination for the second year in a row. And from stayers to sprinters, the brilliant Battaash smashed the 30 year old 1000 metre track record in the Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes.

The week long journey of the Cup has taken in the sights of the picturesque Yorkshire countryside, bestowed its magic on the Australian Men's Cricket team before their 3rd Ashes Test against England, hitched a ride onboard the HMS Endeavour replica and took in the spectacular sights of the city of York.

During its tour the iconic trophy also caught up with some of the some of the biggest names in racing, including champion jockey and international superstar Frankie Dettori, legendary trainers including John Gosden OBE, Aiden O'Brien, Hughie Morrison and trainer of last year's second runner-up Charlie Fellowes, who declared his intention to compete once again in this year's Lexus Melbourne Cup with Prince of Arran following his fourth placing in the Ebor Handicap.

VRC Chairman Amanda Elliott said it had been a hugely successful leg of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour.

"The way that the Cup has been received has warmed our hearts, it's been fabulous," Mrs Elliott said.

"It's this unbelievable magic of the Lexus Melbourne Cup. We know what that means in Australia, we know it stops the nation, we know that people drive thousands of miles to see it when it's on tour. What does surprise us is that the same feeling exists in people who live on the other side of the world. It is a wonderful thing.

"The relationship with York Racecourse is one we really value and I believe the Ebor Handicap going to £1 million has further enhanced a great staying race," she said.

"It's the best edition of the Ebor I've ever seen and the connection between the Lexus Melbourne Cup and runners of this great race is very exciting.

"I would like to express my gratitude to Lord Grimthorpe, William Derby and their team for their support of the Tour and congratulate them on a spectacular Ebor festival."

The Cup will now head to Singapore on Tour before crossing the Tasman Sea to New Zealand, where it will visit Matamata, Wellington and Otago.

 

Since its beginning, the Tour has travelled more than 600,000 kilometres and visited more than 450 regional, rural and metropolitan destinations. It provides communities an important opportunity not just to experience the magic of the Cup and hear the many stories connected with Australia's greatest horse-race, but also to raise much needed funds for local causes.

For further information about the 2019 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour please visit melbournecuptour.com.au.