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- The 2009 Melbourne Cup takes place at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, November 3, at 3pm, Australian eastern daylight saving time.
On the first Tuesday of November each year, all Australia comes to a standstill.
It is the running of the Melbourne Cup, still Australia’s premier and richest horse race (with prizemoney of A$5.5 million in 2008). Melbourne Cup fever fills the day completely.
Unless there are scratchings, 24 horses line up at the barrier at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne for the 3200-metre race which has become a national passion.
Having a flutter on the Cup
The official betting agencies, known everywhere in Australia as the TAB (for Totalisator Agency Board), open early on the first Tuesday of November.
Right from opening time, and starting from the previous day even, there is a constant stream of punters coming in a for a flutter on the Melbourne Cup.
There’s hardly anyone who doesn’t place a bet on the Melbourne Cup, and the TAB pool runs into several millions of dollars.
Next page: Melbourne Cup Day
