Melbourne Cup: who's been?

[westoftown]

So i'll be in Melbourne for a family wedding the starting weekend of the Melbourne Cup carnival, and i'm keen to hang around until Tuesday and see the "race that stops the nation" in person.

Website says entry for general admission is $74.

Who's been? Totally worth it for the experience? Or just some overpriced commercialization? Is there anything else to do other than hang around and drink champagne between races?

Keen to hear other peoples experiences on this event . . .

[xisled]

My parents owned a horse that ran in the 2006 Melbourne cup, was there and never again. Basically it is a massive drinking day, with 100000 other people all jammed pack and can barly move. With idiots who have no idea about horse racing yelling and screaming.

[Franco Cozzo]

I've been to every race meet at Flemington since 2006, since I work there.

Its horrible, too many people on alcohol and it ends up in many fights, 2006 was the worst when we had 130,000 people come for Derby day, the course cannot cope with much over 100,000 people.

[Auslandau]

CUp day is not the day to go unless you just want to say "I have been to the cup"

To many people, cant get to bet, cant get to see the races. Been once only and wouldn't do it again.

Have a look at some of the other days which are a lot better, Derby day for instance.

[Ford_The_Win]

I went in 2010 and it was terrible, I'd never go again. Drunk bogans and yobs everywhere yelling and fighting each other, and I didn't get to see much of the race at all. Its kind of like being in a dirty, seedy nightclub crossed with sitting in the top tier at the MCG when Collingwood are playing.

[Franco Cozzo]

The family day on the last cup week day on Saturday is probably the best one to go to, less tossers, more young family, easier going crowd.

Everything is ultra expensive, food and alcohol prices are through the roof.

[Polyal]

Its worth going once..its an experience whether you are into racing or not.

We used to g to Oak's day but thats turned into a sausage fest as every other bloke is thinking the same thing.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Polyal

Its worth going once..its an experience whether you are into racing or not.

We used to g to Oak's day but thats turned into a sausage fest as every other bloke is thinking the same thing.

Bloak's day

[zilo]

It's a day when whole lot of people try to show off all the class and money that they pretend to have.

Better to go to the local library and have a hot chocolate and muffin with the senior librarian me thinks....

[westoftown]

Overwhelming response for the negative!

Think i'll save my $74 entry and put it on a horse instead.

[Polyal]

Mate I wouldnt worry about the above, I cant stand horse racing, or gambling in general but its worth going for the atmosphere and a good day out. Its certainly a different experience.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by westoftown

Overwhelming response for the negative!

Think i'll save my $74 entry and put it on a horse instead.

Better off putting it on the one paying 300 to 1.

[supershifty]

I went to the cup in '94 with about 9 other mates, it was a package deal with P&O cruises departing/returning Sydney.

I'll put it down as one of my top 10 most fun and memorable days out in my life. We didn't have a tent, it was just a bus to the venue and entry. A catch and kill your own type of deal. The atmosphere and people were great - we had a ball. Sure, there were a few people that had too many, the prices for food and grog were a tad over the top, we didn't get any trouble from anyone, and the coppers did an admirable job sorting out what needed to be done.

I've always wanted to go back and relive the experience. Judging by what the previous posters have shared though - I think I'll just leave it as a fond memory. Sigh!

Cheers!

[[THOMMO]]

I was over there 2010 i think the 150th cup was a good day out, but liek everyone said above super busy and can hardly move at times.

PLENTY of eye candy though, that alone is worth the $74

[Scradley6666]

Yeah I went in 2010 and had a cracking day. We ended up standing for the race right near the finish line. To be honest we just went because it was our first year living in Melbourne and wanted to experience the atmosphere. I recommend you go and see for yourself, because everyone replying has been and come to their own conclusions. I expected expensive beer and idiots so me and the partner at the time just made the most of it. By the way it poured rain when the Cup race was about to start. This year I'm tackling Oaks Day as I work for Crown and persuaded the boss for some tickets.

[Franco Cozzo]

Today, Derby day was the best one I've been to since I started working there in 2006, the crowd wasn't as violent and rowdy for some reason and we had 98,000 people.

I thought it was going to be worse because it was warm, but there was a bit of room to move about and people seemed less drunk, except the women but that seems to be a given.

[smciner1]

I went years ago I with half a dozen Mates, didn't see a great deal of Horse Racing........

[dave351cid]

i went with 3 mates in`1979 (long time ago)( we had been to Adelaide for the gran prix but that got washed out) just for the sake of going as we had no interest in horse racing.
we got there early morning and stuck around for a while. wasnt much to do except stand around waiting for a race to start and then there would be a made rush to the fence and we would hear the horses go past then everyone went back to their drinking.
we left about lunch time and headed back home to nsw. stopped in some small town and watched the race at a pub.

whole time we were at the track we never seen a horse. was pretty restricted where we could go at the track with normal public gate pass.

[ebxr8240]

Grew up on race tracks.. Been to most in Aust, U.K and NZ ..
Hong kong and a few in the States..
Doesn't interest me much these days..
My father bred, trained and raced trotters. We went to many
race track to watch the bounders / gallops..

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Grew up on race tracks.. Been to most in Aust, U.K and NZ ..
Hong kong and a few in the States..
Doesn't interest me much these days..
My father bred, trained and raced trotters. We went to many
race track to watch the bounders / gallops..

When you've seen one horse race you've pretty much seen them all I reckon.

I reckon if you could get an invite into the marquees in the bird cage it would be worth going.

[ebxr8240]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

When you've seen one horse race you've pretty much seen them all I reckon.

I reckon if you could get an invite into the marquees in the bird cage it would be worth going.

Correct but when you breed a horse and break it in, race it etc..
There's not much better than having them win..
Totally different feeling than betting on them..
Which btw I would be lucky to have bet $50 over the years..

[Franco Cozzo]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnKifxUZZJU&

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHD3XljubCE

This is what goes on, this was on Tuesday, no cops around as usual, random drunk girl decides to dish out some punishment to other racegoers, thats not me filming either.

[westoftown]

In the end I did end up going with a bunch of family and had a great day out.

Enjoyed good company and a good atmosphere, can't say that i saw any drunk and disorderly behaviour, these days you see it so much out and about i suppose i tend to just tune it out.

It was expensive yes, but a long shot on race 4 ended up paying for the whole afternoon

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by Ugg

It's a day when whole lot of people try to show off all the class and money that they pretend to have.

Better to go to the local library and have a hot chocolate and muffin with the senior librarian me thinks....

Got any pictures of said "Senior Librarian"

[Charliewool]

Originally Posted by westoftown

In the end I did end up going with a bunch of family and had a great day out.

Enjoyed good company and a good atmosphere, can't say that i saw any drunk and disorderly behaviour, these days you see it so much out and about i suppose i tend to just tune it out.

It was expensive yes, but a long shot on race 4 ended up paying for the whole afternoon

Glad you enjoyed after some less than positive comments on here.

I went Oaks day with my other half and her girlfriend from Sydney who'd never been to Flemington before. Surprised them with to & from Helicopter flights which was fantastic. I myself hadn't been to Flem for at least 20 odd years.
We had a glorious day. Flemington racecourse with the mass of roses was amazing. The entire place is absolute world class. Everything was so easy to access.. No queues at all. The bars, Food places, The TABs, The bookies.. all so organised.
Saw no trouble anywhere, and the "eye-candy" was stunning.
Just to add.. I was born & bred in Ascot Vale, and Flemington was almost my 2nd home as a kid (selling racebooks/papers every race meeting) and I was SO surprised at the entire places transformation from the old days.
Anyone who's never experienced, MUST do so once in their life!..
Some pics..

[Franco Cozzo]

I'd say it was the best carnival I've been to ever, drunken violence was at its all time low, and there weren't so many people that there were massive lines everywhere like the previous years.

Down on attendance, only 351,356 people over the 4 days, usually it gets close to or over the 400,000 mark.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Charliewool

and the "eye-candy" was stunning.

I was there Thursday, I'd have to agree.

I was in the CBD later in the evening. Lot's of girls out for a night after the races too.