N
ew Zealanders and the British,
the Irish, Japanese, French
and the Germans have all tast-
ed success in Australia's great-
est race, the two-mile $A6.2
million Emirates Melbourne Cup. It has a
156-year tradition, is nothing less than a
cultural institution in Australia, and is the
richest handicap in the world.
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put it this way in colonial times: 'You can't
leave the horse out of Australia: he's ad-
vanced our civilization and his services
should not be forgotten.' The Melbourne
Cup has inspired fashion, millinery, poetry,
novels, plays, painting, sculpture, history
books and movies. The art-deco 18 carat
gold trophy presented new to each win-
ning owner represents superb Australian
craftsmanship, based on a century-old
