The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia’s Greatest Race is a preview of our beautiful hardback book produced after three years of planning, research and writing by racing’s best contributors.
This commemorative publication, which will be available in bookstores Australia-wide from August 1, 2010, covers key events from the Cup’s conception, including its development as Australia’s most significant event, the influence of New Zealand’s racing men, women and horses, and the evolution of the Cup as an international race on the world stage.
The book tells of the champions from Archer to Phar Lap to Makybe Diva; from Positano to Zabeel in the breeding barn; and of characters from Etienne de Mestre to Bark Cummings, Darby Munro to Harry White; and the owners and families obsessed with the great race.
It delves into the controversies such as Catalogue’s win in the 1938 Cup, but not in the name of trainer Hedwick “Granny” McDonald; the photo finish camera in 1948; that dress Jean Shrimpton wore in 1965. It tracks the celebrities and the celebrations, and the gold cups displayed at home and abroad.
Who would you put in your greatest Melbourne Cup field? And who would you make No. 1 of your 24 best winners? A controversial talking point is handicapper Greg Carpenter’s rating of the greats in his hypothetical, but prestigious, field.
And what were the most significant moments of each of the 15 decades since Archer won the first Cup in 1861? Who were the heroes of those times? Racing writers and historians tell to complete The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia’s Greatest Race.
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