Jack Anderson: Melbourne Cup no longer the race that stops a nation

Horse racing has its window from September to November (the Spring Carnival) culminating in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.

MELBOURNE: The Melbourne Cup has a total prize pool of a healthy A$8m, which makes it the richest handicap event in the world. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Melbourne is the sporting capital of Australia. The city’s calendar and rhythms revolve around sport: March to September is footy season (the city has nine AFL clubs); thereafter its cricket; January is tennis and the Australian Open, there’s an F1 Grand Prix in March and off we all go again.

Within all this there are three professional soccer clubs, hockey, basketball and netball franchises all of which compete nationally and most of whom cater for both full time male and female teams.