Australia’s most famous cup hits the road for its 39-stop tour

Start spreading the news – the Melbourne Cup Tour is heading to New York, New York.

The *iconic city is one of eight international destinations on the 2024 itinerary*, alongside Tokyo, London and Chichester in the UK, Dublin and Galway in Ireland, and New Zealand’s Auckland and Cambridge.

The 18-carat* gold cup – recently valued at $750,000 – will also visit seven Australian states and territories as part of a 39-stop trip from May 31 to Melbourne Cup Day on November 5.

The Cup’s home state Victoria’s nine destinations include Trentham – thanks to Olympic basketballer Chris Anstey.

The triple NBL champ and former Boomers and NBA player successfully applied to have the biggest prize in Australian racing visit the picturesque* town, northwest of Melbourne, where he recently reopened the revamped* Hotel Trentham.

“We bought the pub last July, after spending a few months here getting to know the locals,” Anstey said. “It had shut down during Covid.”

“It sits in the middle of a historic street, and the street had lost its heartbeat a bit, so we wanted to give it its heart back. It’s a pub for the locals, nothing too fancy.

“(We also wanted to) bring some unique events and experiences to the town. Being a fan of racing and having owned racehorses historically, we wanted the opportunity (to bring the tour here).

“I spent as much time (on the application) as I’ve spent on anything since high school. We can’t wait to put together the sort of visit the town deserves.”

The plan includes a classic “country parade” down the main street.

Trentham is one of 24 Australian towns that have also been selected for a “national sweep” that gives them the chance to win $50,000 to give to their charity of choice. Last year’s winner was the Victorian town Macedon, which nominated animal charity Living Legends as the recipient of their $50,000 donation. Living Legends cares for retired Melbourne Cup champions and welcomes horse lovers of all ages to visit and get to know these beautiful creatures.

The tour has trekked more than a million kilometres to 640 destinations since it started in 2003.

2024 MELBOURNE CUP TOUR

Friday 31 May – Tuesday 4 June: Tokyo (Japan)

Thursday 6 June – Saturday 8 June: New York (USA)

Friday 28 June: Cowes (VIC)*

Sunday 30 June – Monday 1 July: Cambridge (NZ)

Wednesday 3 July: Auckland (NZ)

Monday 8 July: Boorowa (NSW)*

Tuesday 9 July: Cootamundra (NSW)* and Harden-Murrumburrah (NSW)*

Wednesday 10 July: Barellan (NSW)*

Monday 15 July: Darwin (NT)

Tuesday 16 July – Wednesday 18 July: Tennant Creek (NT)*

Friday 19 July – Saturday 20 July: Katherine (NT)*

Tuesday 23 July: Rowella (TAS)*

Wednesday 24 July: Hobart (TAS)

Friday 26 July – Monday 29 July: London (UK)

Tuesday 30 July – Thursday 1 August: Chichester (Goodwood Festival) (UK)

Friday 2 August – Saturday 3 August: Galway (Summer Festival) (Ireland)

Monday 5 August -Tuesday 6 August: Dublin (Ireland)

Wednesday 14 August: Wyalkatchem (WA)*

Thursday 15 August: Perth (WA)

Saturday 17 August: Esperance (WA)*

Tuesday 20 August: Cassowary Coast (QLD)*

Thursday 22 August: Gregory (QLD)*

Saturday 24 August: Taree (NSW)*

Wednesday 28 August: Alpine Shire (VIC)*

Friday 30 August: Mt Wycheproof (VIC)*

Sunday 1 September – Friday 5 September: Sydney (NSW)

Sunday 8 September: Emerald (QLD)*

Friday 13 September: Brisbane (QLD)

Tuesday 17 September: Port Lincoln (SA)*

Thursday 19 September – Friday 20 September: Murray Bridge (SA)*

Saturday 21 September: Adelaide (SA)

Sunday 22 September: Clare (SA)*

Friday 4 October: Rochester (VIC)*

Saturday 5 October: Nathalia (VIC)*

Wednesday 9 October: Woodside (VIC)*

Wednesday 16 October: Trentham (VIC)*

Thursday 17 October: Lancefield (VIC)*

Friday 18 October – Monday 4 November: Melbourne (VIC)

Tuesday 5 November Melbourne Cup Day

*Part of the National Sweep, the tour’s charity initiative.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• iconic: very famous and popular, regarded as a symbol of something
• itinerary: detailed plan for a journey
• carat: unit for measuring how pure or fine gold is
• picturesque: attractive, interesting, visually charming, quaint, historic
• revamped: updated, renovated, restored, remodelled

EXTRA READING

11-year-old jockey who won the Melbourne Cup

How Archer won the first Melbourne Cup

The rate rise that stopped a nation

QUICK QUIZ

1. Which eight cities make up the tour’s overseas itinerary?
2. How many carats is the gold Melbourne Cup and what is its estimated value?
3. How many Australian stops will the Cup make as part of its tour?
4. Since the annual tour launched in 2003, how many destinations have welcomed the Cup and across how many kilometres?
5. What is the “national sweep” component of the tour?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Cup celebrations
Trentham is one of the nine Victorian destinations playing host to the Melbourne Cup trophy on its tour around the world. The pub’s owner, former Olympic basketballer Chris Anstey, said he wanted to give the townspeople an experience they deserved, including an old-fashioned country parade.

Plan a fun and exciting visit for the Melbourne Cup to visit a small country town. Answer the questions and outline your ideas below:

What would the parade look like?

How could the locals be involved?

What could the pub do to celebrate the visit by the Melbourne Cup trophy?

What other activities could this Melbourne Cup experience include?

Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical Education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

2. Extension
What does the Melbourne Cup Tour do to advertise and promote the Melbourne Cup horse racing event?

Why does this event need promoting around the world?

Time: allow 10 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Geography, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking

VCOP ACTIVITY
I spy nouns
Nouns are places, names (of people and objects), and time (months or days of the week).

How many nouns can you find in the article?

Can you sort them into places, names and time?

Pick three nouns and add an adjective (describing word) to the nouns.