Melbourne Cup Day is the single biggest event on the Australian horse racing calendar as it is host to the country’s premier thoroughbred event, the $6.2 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Sponsored by Emirates, Melbourne Cup Day 2012 is scheduled for Tuesday November 6, 2012 and is the second of four major spring meetings that make up the classic Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The Melbourne Cup Carnival kicks off on the Saturday before Melbourne Cup Day with Victoria Derby Day and concludes the following Saturday with Emirates Stakes Day.
Along with Melbourne Cup Day on the Tuesday, which attracts in excess of 100,000 spectators at the track, race fans and punters are also treated to another midweek event with Crown Oaks Day for the ladies on the Thursday.
A total of nine – ten Melbourne Cup Day races take place every year with the Melbourne Cup the sole Group 1 event on the program.
Other highlights on the Melbourne Cup Day schedule however include a Group 3 event and as many as four Listed features.
The premier event is of course the ‘race that stops a nation’, the Melbourne Cup, which runs as Flemington Race 7 at 3:00pm (AEDST) every Melbourne Cup Day.
The 2012 Melbourne Cup Trophy is valued at an incredible $175,000 this year and is crafted by Hardy Brothers Jewellers.
Remember you don’t have to wait until Melbourne Cup Day to place your bets on the world’s richest handicap as bookmaker.com.au have the hottest Melbourne Cup pre-nomination odds open now!
2012 Melbourne Cup Day Race Schedule
Below is the Melbourne Cup Day program from 2011 with the soon to be released 2012 Melbourne Cup Day schedule likely to follow a similar timetable.
| Race No. | Start Time * | Race Name |
|---|---|---|
| Race 1 | 10.20 am | Emirates Airline Plate (Listed) |
| Race 2 | 11.00 am | TAB Sportsbet Handicap |
| Race 3 | 11.45 am | The Lavazza Long Black |
| Race 4 | 12.30 pm | Herald Sun Stakes (Group 3) |
| Race 5 | 1.15 pm | Schweppes Tonic 1000 |
| Race 6 | 2.00 pm | Lexus Hybrid Plate (Listed) |
| Race 7 | 3.00 pm | Emirates Melbourne Cup (Group 1) |
| Race 8 | 3.55 pm | Johnnie Walker Stakes (Listed) |
| Race 9 | 4.35 pm | MSS Security Sprint (Listed) |
| Race 10 | 5.15 pm | 7News Plate |
All times are in local time – Melbourne, Victoria – AEDST
