- 1. How much rubbish is estimated to be cleaned up after the main Melbourne Cup day at Flemington?
A) Over 150 tonnes
B) Over 200 tonnes
C) Over 50 tonnes
D) Over 100 tonnes
- 2. What did activists dump on the track in a 2022 protest?
A) Plastic waste
B) Oily sludge
C) Chemical fertilizer
D) Paint
- 3. Which of these unusual items was reported to be found among the litter?
A) Car tires
B) False teeth
C) Garden furniture
D) Bicycles
- 4. Since what year has the Melbourne Cup race day been a gazetted public holiday in the Melbourne metropolitan area?
A) 1887
B) 1877
C) 1910
D) 1900
- 5. What percentage of the adult Australian population was claimed to have placed a bet on the race in 2000?
A) 90 percent
B) 60 percent
C) 80 percent
D) 50 percent
- 6. Who wrote the poem titled 'The Race That Stops The Nation' in 1986?
A) Kel Richards
B) Henry Lawson
C) Vivienne McCredie
D) Banjo Paterson
- 7. What was the predicted spending by 83,000 tourists during the 2010 Spring Racing Carnival?
A) $183 million
B) $200 million
C) $100 million
D) $150 million
- 8. In which country is the Melbourne Cup considered the single biggest betting event?
A) United Kingdom
B) Canada
C) New Zealand
D) United States
- 9. Who ran the evening poetry radio program where the poem about the Melbourne Cup was first read?
A) The State Library of NSW
B) Kel Richards
C) Vivienne McCredie
D) The National Library of Australia
- 10. Where are copies of the poem 'The Race That Stops The Nation' held?
A) State Library of NSW and the National Library of Australia
B) Private collections only
C) Flemington Racecourse and Melbourne City Hall
D) The British Museum
- 11. In what year was the first interstate broadcast of the Melbourne Cup?
A) 1960
B) 1978
C) 1971
D) 1950
- 12. When did live international broadcasting of the Melbourne Cup begin?
A) 1978
B) 2002
C) 1971
D) 1960
- 13. Which network held exclusive broadcasting rights from 1978 to 2001?
A) Nine Network
B) ABC
C) Seven Network
D) Network Ten
- 14. When was the Melbourne Cup first permitted to be shown live in Victoria?
A) 1978
B) 2002
C) 1971
D) 1960
- 15. Which network began broadcasting the race in 2002?
A) Seven Network
B) Nine Network
C) Network Ten
D) ATV-0
- 16. Who was the caller criticised for his call of the 2002 Melbourne Cup?
A) Greg Miles
B) Wayne Wilson
C) Bruce McAvaney
D) Matt Hill
- 17. In what year did the broadcast rights return to Network Ten in a A$100m deal?
A) 2018
B) 2002
C) 2013
D) 2024
- 18. As of 2024, which network broadcasts the Melbourne Cup in Australia?
A) Nine Network
B) Seven Network
C) Network Ten
D) SBS
- 19. How many horses have been confirmed to have died in the Melbourne Cup or on Cup Day since 2013?
A) 174
B) Four
C) Ten
D) Six
- 20. According to the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses, how many thoroughbreds died in Australia over a 12-month period in the report mentioned?
A) 105
B) 174
C) 38
D) 6
- 21. What health issue was noted regarding the 2025 Melbourne Cup winner post-race?
A) A fractured leg
B) Blood around the mouth
C) Dehydration
D) Collapsing in the stall
- 22. What social issue is noted to spike in Victoria on Melbourne Cup Day?
A) Workplace absenteeism
B) Domestic violence
C) Public drunkenness
D) Traffic accidents
- 23. What percentage of Australian adults polled said they would watch the Cup and place a bet?
A) 19%
B) 38%
C) 50%
D) 10%
- 24. What percentage of Australian adults polled stated they regularly bet on horse races?
A) 10%
B) 38%
C) 19%
D) 5%
- 25. Which institution conducted research on gambling behaviour during the Melbourne Cup?
A) Network Ten
B) The Australian Bureau of Statistics
C) Centre for Gambling Research at ANU
D) The VRC
- 26. Which company was awarded the rights to make the Melbourne Cup in 2016?
A) Pallion
B) Victorian Racing Club
C) W. J. Sanders
D) ABC Bullion
- 27. Which horse won the first-ever Melbourne Cup in 1861?
A) Archer
B) Carbine
C) Phar Lap
D) Newhaven
- 28. In what year did the Melbourne Cup first take place on the first Tuesday in November?
A) 1901
B) 1882
C) 1875
D) 1861
- 29. Who was the youngest jockey in the history of the Melbourne Cup?
A) Michelle Payne
B) John Letts
C) Mick O'Brien
D) Peter St Albans
- 30. Which horse set a weight-carrying record of 66 kg in 1890?
A) Phar Lap
B) Archer
C) Carbine
D) Skipton
- 31. When was the Melbourne Cup first filmed?
A) 1896
B) 1888
C) 1915
D) 1925
- 32. Who was the first woman owner to win the Melbourne Cup?
A) Sheila Laxon
B) Michelle Payne
C) Gai Waterhouse
D) Mrs E. A. Widdis
- 33. In what year was the first radio broadcast of the Melbourne Cup?
A) 1925
B) 1916
C) 1931
D) 1942
- 34. Which horse was the shortest-priced favourite in Melbourne Cup history?
A) Phar Lap
B) Archer
C) Makybe Diva
D) Carbine
- 35. What change was made to the Melbourne Cup distance in 1972?
A) Updated to 4,000 metres
B) Updated to 2,500 metres
C) Updated to 3,200 metres
D) Updated to 3,000 metres
- 36. Who was the first Northern hemisphere–trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup?
A) Vintage Crop
B) Rekindling
C) Americain
D) Dunaden
- 37. How many times did Makybe Diva win the Melbourne Cup?
A) Four
B) One
C) Three
D) Two
- 38. Who was the first woman jockey to win the Melbourne Cup?
A) Sheila Laxon
B) Michelle Payne
C) Clare Lindop
D) Maree Lyndon
- 39. In 2013, who became the first Australian female trainer to win the Melbourne Cup?
A) Gai Waterhouse
B) Michelle Payne
C) Mrs E. A. Widdis
D) Sheila Laxon
- 40. What is the maximum number of starters allowed in the Melbourne Cup?
A) 30
B) 17
C) 39
D) 24
- 41. In what month is the Melbourne Cup held?
A) August
B) November
C) October
D) September
- 42. What is the distance of the Melbourne Cup race in metres?
A) 4000
B) 1600
C) 3200
D) 2400
- 43. Which racecourse hosts the Melbourne Cup?
A) Moonee Valley Racecourse
B) Flemington Racecourse
C) Randwick Racecourse
D) Caulfield Racecourse
- 44. Who holds the current record for the fastest Melbourne Cup time?
A) Rain Lover
B) Phar Lap
C) Kingston Rule
D) Archer
- 45. What is the minimum handicap weight for the Melbourne Cup?
A) 50 kg
B) 45 kg
C) 55 kg
D) 57 kg
- 46. What percentage of prize money is awarded to the jockey?
A) 10%
B) 5%
C) 85%
D) 15%
- 47. How many days must international horses (excluding New Zealand) quarantine in their own country before travelling to Australia?
A) 14 days
B) 21 days
C) 7 days
D) 30 days
- 48. In what year was the first Melbourne Cup held?
A) 1890
B) 1851
C) 1861
D) 1876
- 49. What is the name of the trophy awarded to the strapper of the Melbourne Cup winner?
A) Bart Cummings Trophy
B) Tommy Woodcock Trophy
C) Archer Trophy
D) Phar Lap Trophy
- 50. Who was the first jockey of Indigenous heritage to win the Melbourne Cup?
A) Frank Reys
B) Peter St Albans
C) John Cutts
D) James Wilson
- 51. How many Melbourne Cups did trainer Bart Cummings win in total?
A) 12
B) 5
C) 8
D) 10
- 52. What is the official weight of the 18-carat solid gold Melbourne Cup trophy?
A) 1.0 kg
B) 1.65 kg
C) 2.0 kg
D) 1.69 kg
- 53. In which year was the Melbourne Cup distance shortened to 3,200 metres?
A) 1990
B) 1861
C) 1968
D) 1972
- 54. What is the local nickname for the Melbourne Cup?
A) The Great Australian Race
B) The race that stops the nation
C) The Spring Carnival Classic
D) The Melbourne Sprint
- 55. Which of these races offers an exemption from the Melbourne Cup ballot?
A) VRC Oaks
B) Cox Plate
C) VRC Derby
D) Melbourne Town Plate
- 56. What happens if there is a dead heat in the Melbourne Cup?
A) A runoff race is held
B) A second cup is on hand
C) The prize is split between the owners and the Victorian Racing Club
D) The prize money is withheld
- 57. Who was the Irish trainer that won the Melbourne Cup in 1993 and 2002?
A) Lee Freedman
B) Dermot K. Weld
C) David Hall
D) Sheila Laxon
- 58. Which horse was the first foreign-bred horse to win the Melbourne Cup in 1910?
A) Beldale Ball
B) Comedy King
C) Wotan
D) Phar Lap
- 59. Who was the first woman to be officially recorded as the winning trainer of a Melbourne Cup?
A) Maree Lyndon
B) Sheila Laxon
C) Dermot K. Weld
D) Mrs. Allan McDonald
- 60. Who was the first female to ride in the Melbourne Cup?
A) Maree Lyndon
B) Makybe Diva
C) Sheila Laxon
D) Mrs. Allan McDonald
- 61. Which horse did Maree Lyndon partner in the 1987 Melbourne Cup?
A) Comedy King
B) Leica Falcon
C) Argonaut Style
D) Efficient
- 62. Which trainer took over Makybe Diva after David Hall moved to Hong Kong?
A) Dermot K. Weld
B) Allan McDonald
C) Lee Freedman
D) Sheila Laxon
- 63. How many people were in the crowd for the 2005 Melbourne Cup?
A) 100,000
B) 106,479
C) 95,000
D) 110,000
- 64. Which horse won the Melbourne Cup in 2007 following the equine influenza outbreak?
A) Delta Blues
B) Pop Rock
C) Leica Falcon
D) Efficient
- 65. Why were Delta Blues and Pop Rock unable to participate in the 2007 Melbourne Cup?
A) Disqualification
B) Equine influenza outbreak
C) Lack of qualification
D) Leg injuries
- 66. Which horse was ordained as the staying star of Australian racing in 2005 before suffering leg injuries?
A) Dunaden
B) Comedy King
C) Leica Falcon
D) Efficient
- 67. Which Japanese representative won the Melbourne Cup in 2006?
A) Katsumi Yoshida
B) Lee Freedman
C) Delta Blues
D) Pop Rock
- 68. Which horse won the Melbourne Cup three times?
A) Think Big
B) Rain Lover
C) Makybe Diva
D) Archer
- 69. Who holds the record for the most wins as a jockey with 4 victories?
A) Bobbie Lewis
B) Jim Johnson
C) Damien Oliver
D) Glen Boss
- 70. How many favourites have won the Melbourne Cup out of the first 150 runnings?
A) 23
B) 50
C) 45
D) 34
- 71. Which horse holds the record for the lightest weight carried by a winner?
A) Toryboy
B) Catalogue
C) Twilight Payment
D) Banker
- 72. What was the record crowd attendance for the Melbourne Cup?
A) 122,736
B) 110,000
C) 81,408
D) 130,000
- 73. How many horses have won the Melbourne Cup at odds of 100-1?
A) Three
B) Five
C) Four
D) Two
- 74. Who has the most wins as an owner in the Melbourne Cup?
A) Dato Tan Chin Nam
B) John Tait
C) Etienne de Mestre
D) Lloyd Williams
- 75. What was the year of the first Melbourne Cup running that passed the 100,000 attendance mark?
A) 1990
B) 2006
C) 1926
D) 2003
- 76. Which area observes Melbourne Cup Day as a public holiday?
A) Only the capital city of Canberra
B) Every single town in Victoria
C) Metropolitan Melbourne
D) All of Australia
- 77. When did the Victoria Government Gazette first announce Cup Day as a holiday?
A) 1882
B) 1873
C) 1901
D) 1865
- 78. What is the official flower of Melbourne Cup Day?
A) Pink Rose
B) Corn Flower
C) Yellow Rose
D) Red Rose
- 79. Which fashion item received worldwide publicity in 1965 after being worn by Jean Shrimpton?
A) Wide-brimmed hat
B) Fascinator
C) Silk scarf
D) Miniskirt
- 80. Which novel from 1882 features a betting coup related to the Melbourne Cup?
A) The Cup
B) Ride Like a Girl
C) Robbery Under Arms
D) Phar Lap
- 81. What was the Family and Community Day in the Australian Capital Territory previously known as?
A) Gazette Holiday
B) Melbourne Cup Day
C) Fashion Day
D) Picnic Day
- 82. Which flower is associated with Victoria Derby Day?
A) Yellow Rose
B) Pink Rose
C) Red Rose
D) Corn Flower
- 83. What happens to the Red Rose at Flemington?
A) It is not grown there
B) It represents Stakes Day
C) It is exclusively for Oaks Day
D) It is the symbol for the Melbourne Cup
- 84. Which celebrity cancelled their attendance at the 2019 Cup following an ABC report?
A) Taylor Swift
B) Jean Shrimpton
C) Rolf Boldrewood
D) Michelle Payne
- 85. When did Cup Day become a half-holiday for public servants and bank officials?
A) 2007
B) 1865
C) 1983
D) 1930
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