´The race that stops a nation` - Melbourne Cup

By our calculations, the Melbourne Cup, always referred to as "the race that stops a nation" as all Australia stops work (if they at work at all on a day which is a holiday in most parts) to watch or listen to a commentary of Ausrralia´s best known race. This two mile handicap has been won twice in its history by European-trained runners, both of them from Dermot Weld´s stable, and there is a good deal of confidence today of another Eiropean victory.