• How long has the Melbourne Cup Event been going on?

           The race has been held since 1861.

• Who won the first race in 1861?

        The horse known as "Archer" won in 1861 and also won the following year

•  How many people watch the race? 

  It is estimated that over 100,000 people attend the Flemington Racecourse and over 650 Million people tune in on their televisions  to watch the races.

•  What is the distance of the race?

 Originally the race was just  over two miles (close to 3,218 meters) but when Australia adopted the metric system in the'70s, the race was reduced to 3200 meters in 1972.  

•   When do the races commence?

 The Melbourne cup takes place on the first Tuesday in November. This has been the tradition since 1875.