It wasn’t as wild as what we’ve seen in previous years, but there was still plenty of carnage as Melbourne Cup punters let their hair down after Half Yours’ victory on Tuesday. Jamie Melham became the second female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, piloting Half Yours to victory with a staggering ride.
The drinks were flowing in the aftermath as racegoers either celebrated the triumph or drowned their sorrows. As is the case every year, photos have emerged of the messy aftermath of Cup day at Flemington, with punters letting loose and the famous venue looking worse for wear.
Celebrations were in full swing after Half Yours’ triumph in the Melbourne Cup. Image: Getty
A prominent American website once labelled the Melbourne Cup “decadent and depraved”, with glamorous looks often descending into messy scenes by the end of the day. “It’s not until you see these photos of the Melbourne Cup, Australia’s most drunken and depraved horse racing event, that you can really understand just how out of hand [they] can get,” author Bill Haisley wrote.
“Following the proud British tradition of getting equal parts dolled and f****d up at horse races – it is a perfect event for young and old alike to don their finest of outfits and guzzle copious amounts of alcohol. The entire state of Victoria even gets the day off from work, since Melbourne Cup day has been decreed an official local holiday.
“There is a lot of booze. There is a lot of littering. There is a lot of smiling. There is, for whatever reason, a whole lot of falling/lying on the ground. All of these factors combined create opportunities for some marvellous photography.”
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A British website once wrote: “The Melbourne Cup is known as ‘the race that stops the nation’. Perhaps this is because revellers are so hung-over the next day that they can’t move.”
Tuesday’s festivities certainly didn’t get as messy as we’ve seen in years gone by. But there were still plenty of great snaps taken of racegoers and trainers celebrating. Check them out here:
Racegoers pose for a photograph on Melbourne Cup Day. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
Racegoers are seen during Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
Some early rain made things a little wet. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
People pose before the running of the Melbourne Cup. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
A general view of the crowds and rubbish during Melbourne Cup Day. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Alcohol cans and bottles are seen amongst racegoers. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
Bookmakers count cash on Melbourne Cup Day. (AAP Image/Con Chronis)
Some very colourful outfits. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
The seagulls always have a field day after the racegoers depart. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Racegoers watch and cheer on their horses. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
Fans celebrate Half Yours’ victory. (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)
There’s always a messy aftermath at Flemington after the Melbourne Cup. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Racegoers are seen after the end of Melbourne Cup Day. (AAP Image/Joel Carrett)
Drinks and cash were flowing. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Racegoers celebrate victory. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Aussie tennis star Thanasi Kokkinakis. (Photo by Sam Tabone/Getty Images)
Jamie Melham and McEvoy family celebrate Cup win
Melham’s perfect ride on Half Yours delivered Tony McEvoy his first win in the race that stops a nation. “We were training a lot of winners in Adelaide and then this young girl just kept knocking us off all the time and beating us,” McEvoy recalled of his previous experiences with Melham.
“I was trying to sort out a way of how we could beat her. It was the old saying of, ‘If you can’t beat them, join them.’
“We tried to get Jamie to come on board with us, which she did, and she was just lengths ahead of everybody in Adelaide and was a star of the future. It’s just incredibly special to have her win this race for us.”