stories seem to start with Mark Twain.
The American humorist visited Melbourne
120 years ago on a world tour and gently
satirised the Australian obsession with
this event. We took the satire as a compli-
ment. And we have quoted him with de-
light ever since.
Champagne still flows. Everyone is still
excited, vivacious and happy. Everyone
still bets and fortunes change hands. "Day
after day the races go on, and the fun and
the excitement are kept at white heat; and
when each day is done the people dance
all night so as to be fresh for the race in
the morning." Mark Twain was right then,
and he would be right now. Nothing fun-
damentally has changed.
All the great races on the International
Racing Festival Calendar have their mag-
ic, but only the Melbourne Cup can say
