Held annually at 3pm on the first Tuesday in November, the Melbourne Cup is the world's richest two-mile handicap race, as well as one of the most prestigious races on the world racing calendar. In Australia, it is ubiquitously referred to as 'the race that stops a nation', and the zenith of punting in the land down under.
It's not only racing fans that have a flutter on the Cup, but all walks of life. Mug punters come out of the woodwork, office sweepstakes are conducted in states not fortunate enough to receive a public holiday, and a whole new and diverse clientele will grace the local TAB claiming they have the best Melbourne Cup tips.
First held in 1861, the Cup has become an iconic event in Australian sport. With a prize pool upwards of six million dollars since 2010, it has also become a lucrative event for international raiders, who descend on Flemington Racecourse each year. The superior stayers of Europe in particular have targeted the 3,200-metre race in the past decade, often dominating local horses.
Indeed, the last time an Australian-bred horse won the race was in 2009 when Shocking was first past the post. And with the prize pool set to increase to more than seven million dollars from 2018, this overseas domination is set to continue.
In the most recent edition, British horse Rekindling just got the better of Irish horse Johannes Vermeer in a thrilling finish.
Melbourne Cup Stats
The Barrier
The most successful barrier in Cup history has been 5, with 8 horses triumphing from the fifth inside lane.
No horse has ever won from barrier 18.
The Weight
Carbine carried 66kg to victory in 1890, with no horse carrying more and winning since.
Melbourne Cup legend Makybe Diva won with 58kg on her back in 2005, with no horse carrying upwards of 56.5kg to victory since.
The Saddlecloth
Of all the numbers on the horse's saddlecloth, both 4 and 12 have been the most successful, with 11 Cup wins apiece.
Number 18 has only tasted Cup glory once, making it the least successful saddlecloth.
The Sex
Stallions have won the most Melbourne Cups, with fillies winning the fewest.
No mare has saluted in the Cup since Makybe Diva's third consecutive triumph in 2005.
The Favourites
32 favourites have won the Melbourne Cup, or 1 every 5 Cups.
The last favourite to win was the Gai Waterhouse-trained Fiorente in 2013.