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Stage set for Emirates Melbourne Cup

Australia’s premier racing club, the Victoria Racing Club (VRC), is set to host some of the UAE’s racing, fashion and business leaders on Tuesday, 21 September.

At an international event designed to celebrate the 150^th year of Australia’s major annual thoroughbred race, the Emirates Melbourne Cup.

Undertaking an extensive 220-day global tour of more than 42 destinations across Australia and around the world to commemorate the 150-year milestone, the world-famous 18-carat gold Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy, valued in excess of Dh 500,000, will feature at an exclusive dinner at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.

While horses trained in the UAE have competed in the Emirates Melbourne Cup since 1998, the trophy is one of the few elusive major horseracing icons never yet claimed by a UAE-based horse or stable, although UAE-owned horses have made three second-place showings previously.

“Since its beginnings in 1861, the Melbourne Cup has remained a constant in an ever-changing world,” said Sue Lloyd-Williams, Deputy Chief Executive of the VRC. “Through tears and triumphs, the Melbourne Cup has cemented its position as a revered sporting, social and cultural event, that continues to play a significant role in defining Australia’s national identity, and the essence of ‘being Australian’. Our partnership with Emirates Airline as well as the robust horseracing tradition in the UAE and wider Middle East continues to increase the profile of the race in the Emirates and around the region. “We are expecting thousands of fans from the UAE and across the globe to converge on Melbourne for the 150^th Melbourne Cup celebrations, as Flemington plays host to the biggest sporting and social event in the city’s history; an event that is sure to reinforce Melbourne’s reputation as the one of the sporting capitals of the world,” said Ms Lloyd-Williams.

Celebrating some of the stories that have become part of Melbourne Cup history, the exclusive dinner event on 21 September will feature two champion jockeys who are well known amongst the UAE’s racing fraternity, Michael ‘Mick’ Kinane and Glen Boss.

One of the world’s elite jockeys, Mick Kinane became a household name across Australia and around the world in 1993 with his win on Irish champion Vintage Crop, the first international horse to claim the Melbourne Cup. Retiring at the age of 50 with 1,500 winners to his credit, no other jockey has matched the range of Kinane’s achievements on the international stage.

With a record three back-to-back Melbourne Cup triumphs, Glen Boss is Australia’s most accomplished and successful big-race jockey. His achievement of piloting the great mare Makybe Diva to victories in the 2003, 2004 and 2005 Melbourne Cups guaranteed Boss a place in racing immortality – no other jockey has achieved this momentous feat in the 150-year history of Australia’s most famous race.

Celebrity Australian chef and internationally respected restaurateur, Guy Grossi, will add a distinct Melbourne flavour to the event, designing the distinguished dinner menu, which will be matched with a selection of top Australian beverages and succulent Australian lamb which will be flown in especially for the evening.

“Recognising Australia and the UAE’s mutual passion for horseracing, the VRC is pleased to return to Dubai to celebrate this milestone 150^th year,” said Sue Lloyd-Williams.

It’s not just the racing that brings the country to a standstill. The Melbourne Cup Carnival is seen across the globe as a model for major event corporate tourism, with around 400,000 people attending the four-day event, resulting in an estimated AED 517 million contributed to Victoria’s state economy.