2 October

Today, the VRC hosted Melbourne Cup Carnival Preview Day at Flemington, featuring the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, in full dress rehearsal for the highly anticipated 2011 Melbourne Cup Carnival.

The day boasted an all Group and Listed card offering over $1.8 million in prize money, with racing highlighted by the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, a pivotal lead up event to the Emirates Melbourne Cup, where December Draw took out the title. 

As part of the day’s entertainment, the Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy featured in a traditional Haka performance, full of colour and movement to provide a fitting farewell for the Tour took off to New Zealand.

Whilst in New Zealand the iconic trophy will celebrate the “Kiwi’s” strong connection to Melbourne Cup, with a visit to Wellington and Hawera, home to winning horses Kiwi (1983) and Rising Fast (1954) respectively, and a stop scheduled in Auckland. 

VRC Vice Chairman, Mrs Amanda Elliott will take the Cup to New Zealand, where it will part in a number of community events including school and retirement home visits, street parades, civic receptions, race meetings and charity cocktail parties.