The Melbourne Cup Trophy
It’s probably one of the most iconic and recognisable trophies in the world. The dream of every racehorse owner is to hold that trophy high on the first Tuesday in November.
How did the tradition start? Here is a few facts you might not know about the most sought-after trophies in racing!
- In 1861 the very first running of the cup, there wasn’t even a trophy, the winner was presented with a gold watch.
- The first official trophy was given in 1865
- For 58 years, the trophy had a different design every year
- The trophies at the time were all made in England and shipped over for the race
- In 1876, the first Australian-made trophy was produced however, many were still being manufactured in England.
- In 1919, the now famous 3-handled design was created by James Steeth. It is the same design still being used today
- The trophy is made from 18-carat gold!
- The owners receive the trophy, with the trainer and jockey both being awarded a miniature version of the winning trophy, worth ~$10,000 each
- In 2003, the VRC started the Melbourne Cup tour in the months prior to the race, making visits to many communities and destinations, whilst helping to raise money for many local charities along the way. It has now become an annual event.
- The cup is handcrafted and completed by April each year, well before the race, in time to make its annual tour around Australia and beyond.
- In 2024 the cup visited 6 countries – Australia, Japan, USA, New Zealand, England and Ireland.
- Since 2003, it has travelled approximately 110,000kms in the lead-up to November
- The cup contains around 1.65kg of gold and, as of 2024, is valued at close to $750,000.
- Like many items of high value and cultural significance, the cup is handled with gloves until presented to its winning recipient
https://www.justhorseracing.com.au/melbourne-cup/the-melbourne-cup-trophy/
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