Nothing's Going to Stop the Melbourne Cup

Victorian Racing Authority Confident Event Will Take Place

Victoria's racing authority, Racing Victoria, says the Melbourne Cup will take place as scheduled on the first Tuesday of November as it has done so each year without fail since 1861.

There had been fears Australia's biggest horse racing event would be cancelled or postponed due to more than 500 horses in New South Wales and Queensland found to be suffering from equine influenza.

Racecourses in Australia, except those in New South Wales and Queensland, are expected to resume racing this weekend with limited trackwork allowed from today.

A nationwide ban on the movement of horses to prevent the spread of the disease — which was supposed to end at 5pm today, Australian eastern standard time — has been extended until 1pm on Friday.

The restriction on horse movements in Australia was placed in effect when a number of horses in New South Wales and Queensland were discovered to have become infected by the contagious equine influenza.

Earlier stories:
New South Wales Horse Races Suspended Indefinitely
Melbourne Cup in Doubt as Australian Racing Comes to a Halt

Photo: The running of the Melbourne Cup © Tourism Victoria