It is a recognised horse racing event, with a rich history dating back to 1861. This traditional race is the richest and most prestigious ‘two-mile’ handicap in the world. We know it as the race that stops a nation; its popularity and ‘intriguing’ nature has caused Australians to be glued to their TV sets, and as a result, the event is marked as a public holiday for residents of Melbourne. But, Melbourne Cup is not as glorious as it seems despite being culturally significant in Australia. For a race that only lasts for a few minutes, the horses undergo months of excruciating training: they are forced to run 800 meters in between 46 and 50 seconds. Being the longest race in Australia, the horses are required to run 3.2 km… they must run four 800 meter races in succession. Because of this structured training regime, it is not uncommon for the horses to have torn …show more content…
The chief executive of Racing Victoria, Bernard Saundry stated, ‘…we are working hard to reduce [risks] further through stricter medication controls, significant investments in improving tracks and training facilities’. However, we are yet to see the results; we still have 13,000 horses dying every year. They certainly have plenty of theoretical ‘solutions’ but fail to follow through with their promises. According to the Australian Rules of Racing, the training of the horses ‘must not compromise their welfare’ but that is exactly what is happening. The horses are being so overworked, that they get injured and are later killed. That is the reality. Melbourne Cup enthusiasts argue that horse racing is culturally significant to Australians, the continuation of the race over so many years creating this importance. Every year, this ‘historic event’ attracts crowds in excess of 100,000 people and helps our economy. Yes, it helps our economy and gives enjoyment to Australians at the cost of the horses’