GIPPSLAND PASTORAL

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

FOGGY COUNTRYSIDE

Wintry landscape in country Victoria. The fog is lifting ever so slowly in the morning, but the grazing horses don't seem to mind. Gum trees are evergreen, and normally snow doesn't fall in low country such as this. However, there are plenty of cafés, pubs, delis and restaurant where fire is roaring in the fireplace and lots of delicious local food is served with piping hot drinks.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

MELBOURNE CUP 2024

The Melbourne Cup is the horse race of all Australian horse races. Every year when this race is run around 3:00 pm, it literally stops the entire nation. Melbourne Cup Day is fixed on the first Tuesday in November and although it is a public holiday only in the Melbourne Metropolitan area, Australians all over the nation are glued to their television screens or listen on the radio (or more likely on the internet, nowadays, I suppose) to watch this historic race.

The race is held over a distance of 3,200 meters, the traditional two-mile cup distance, for horses three years and older and is the richest and most prestigious “two-mile” handicap in the world. It is held in Flemington Racecourse, located in Flemington, one of Melbourne's inner city suburbs, which is named after a butcher who lived there in the 19th century. I certainly hope he didn't sell horse meat - that would be grand irony!

The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861. There were 17 starters and the prize was 170 pounds and a hand-beaten gold watch (this was the trophy given before the traditional Loving Cup which the Melbourne Cup is known for). “Archer”, the first Cup-winning horse, had been walked to Melbourne from its stable in Nowra, New South Wales, a distance of about 800km. “Archer” won again the following year to a prize of 810 gold sovereigns (£810) and a gold watch. “Archer” went on to win the race the following year once more, making him one of the five horses to win the event more than once.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

RURAL SERENITY

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

ON THE FARM

In Western Gippsland on a Summer's day. Life is good under the trees beside a dam of cool water.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

MELBOURNE CUP

The Melbourne Cup is the horse race of all Australian horse races. Every year when this race is run around 3:00 pm, it literally stops the entire nation. Melbourne Cup Day is fixed on the first Tuesday in November and although it is a public holiday only in the Melbourne Metropolitan area, Australians all over the nation are glued to their television screens or listen on the radio (or more likely on the internet, nowadays, I suppose) to watch this historic race.

The race is held over a distance of 3,200 meters, the traditional two-mile cup distance, for horses three years and older and is the richest and most prestigious “two-mile” handicap in the world. It is held in Flemington Racecourse, located in Flemington, one of Melbourne's inner city suburbs, which is named after a butcher who lived there in the 19th century. I certainly hope he didn't sell horse meat - that would be grand irony!

The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861. There were 17 starters and the prize was 170 pounds and a hand-beaten gold watch (this was the trophy given before the traditional Loving Cup which the Melbourne Cup is known for). “Archer”, the first Cup-winning horse, had been walked to Melbourne from its stable in Nowra, New South Wales, a distance of about 800km. “Archer” won again the following year to a prize of 810 gold sovereigns (£810) and a gold watch. “Archer” went on to win the race the following year once more, making him one of the five horses to win the event more than once.

The 2022 Melbourne Cup has been won by Gold Trip, ridden by Mark Zahra. Emissary came in second, with High Emocean charging home in third. Overwhelming favourite Deauville Legend finished in fourth. Gold Trip is a 5yo bay Stallion from France trained by Ciaron Maher & David Eustace, who is based at Ballarat. It is sired by the stallion Outstrip out of the dam Sarvana. Given that it has won at Group One level and has amassed $5,914,914 in career earnings. Today, Gold Trip scored its most significant win to date, getting the money in the $7,750,000 Lexus Melbourne Cup, defeating Emissary. Gold Trip is regarded as an elite class of racehorse.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

HORSES

An idyllic spot in one of Melbourne's outer suburbs, where houses still come with one to several acres of land attached to them.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

WHITE HORSE

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

HORSES

A couple of horses in a paddock. For a moment, I thought I had caught sight of a unicorn!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

RIDER IN THE SUN

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

MELBOURNE CUP

The Melbourne Cup is the horse race of all Australian horse races. Every year when this race is run around 3:00 pm, it literally stops the entire nation. Melbourne Cup Day is fixed on the first Tuesday in November and although it is a public holiday only in the Melbourne Metropolitan area, Australians all over the nation are glued to their television screens or listen on the radio (or on the internet too, nowadays, I suppose) to watch this historic race.

The race is held over a distance of 3,200 meters, the traditional two-mile cup distance, for horses three years and older and is the richest and most prestigious “two-mile” handicap in the world. It is held in Flemington Racecourse, located in Flemington, one of Melbourne's inner city suburbs, which is named after a butcher who lived there in the 19th century. I certainly hope he didn't sell horse meat - that would be grand irony!

The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861. There were 17 starters and the prize was 170 pounds and a hand-beaten gold watch (this was the trophy given before the traditional Loving Cup which the Melbourne Cup is known for). “Archer”, the first Cup-winning horse, had been walked to Melbourne from its stable in Nowra, New South Wales, a distance of about 800km. “Archer” won again the following year to a prize of 810 gold sovereigns (£810) and a gold watch. “Archer” went on to win the race the following year once more, making him one of the five horses to win the event more than once.

Champion mare Verry Elleegant has taken out the G1 Melbourne Cup in sensational fashion, romping home to defeat boom horse Incentivise by 4L. Verry Elleegant, ridden by James McDonald, settled in a midfield position before entering the Flemington straight under a hold out wide.

After the pandemic essentially stopped Melbourne for more than 18 months, Victoria's COVID-19 restrictions eased just in time for the race that stops the nation. About 70 per cent of spectators at Flemington were Victoria Racing Club (VRC) members, with only 5 per cent of tickets offered to the public — equating to a few hundred ticketholders. The rest of the crowd was made up of horse owners, corporate sponsors and trainers.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

EQUINE PASTORAL

I was in the countryside today and the weather was perfect: A sunny, warm Autumn day, showing off the lush pastures where some horses grazed. An idyllic landscape in a quiet place...

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

IN THE COUNTRY

I had occasion to travel to the country on a day trip yesterday and fortunately the weather was good - cold but sunny. To this effect, these horses can attest, wearing their Winter coats against the weather!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.