Melbourne Cup takes in cities around the world as part of the Victoria Racing Club’s strategy to promote the Melbourne Cup and the Melbourne Cup Carnival internationally. The Tour has visited schools and aged-care and hospital facilities, and participated in community events and celebrations including race days across Australia and New Zealand. Frederick Standish, member of the Victorian Turf Club and steward on the day of the first Cup, was credited with forming the idea to hold a horse race and calling it the "Melbourne Cup". Seventeen horses contested the first Melbourne Cup on Thursday 7 November 1861, racing for the modest
Race of the Century (horse racing) place-getter was "The Filbert", another well-performed New Zealand horse. This gave New Zealand the trifecta in the race. Race of the Century (horse racing) The Race of the Century was the name given to a 1986 W.S. Cox Plate, a thoroughbred horse race in held in Melbourne, Australia, between two New Zealand racehorses of the 1980s. The W.S. Cox Plate, held annually at Melbourne's Moonee Valley Racecourse, is one of the most significant races on the Australian calendar. It considered to be the weight-for-age championship of Australia and New Zealand. The race had been won by some of the great