Cambridge saddles up for big Melbourne Cup party

Cambridge wants to gallop away as New Zealand's official Melbourne Cup region, with plans to host the country's biggest and best cup celebration.

The community event is to be launched on race day this year (November 3) and continue annually on the first Tuesday in November in keeping with almost 150 years of Melbourne Cup tradition.

Cambridge has already stamped its presence on cup history, as home to an impressive 14 Melbourne Cup winners, eight of which are associated with Cambridge Stud.

The launch of the Cambridge Melbourne Cup event is to cement this link and allow the wider community to enjoy and celebrate these outstanding equestrian achievements.

Formed last year, The First Tuesday Charitable Trust, which includes Olympian Mark Todd, renowned racing presenter Karyn Fenton-Ellis and Waipa Deputy Mayor Peter Lee, is planning the event.

The trust will work with Waipa District Council.

"As Cambridge is the heart of the New Zealand equine world it is wonderful that a celebration of this calibre will be held, involving the entire community," Waipa Mayor Alan Livingston said. "It also acknowledges the significance of the Cambridge racing industry and its outstanding achievement of producing 14 Melbourne Cup winners."

It is hoped that the Cambridge Village Green will be transformed into cup central and feature an enormous screen displaying live Melbourne Cup races, on-site TAB, a fashions in the field event, local celebrities, family entertainment, and live music as well as picnic areas.

"We want this to be an event where anyone can join in and celebrate Cambridge and its connections to the Melbourne Cup," said First Tuesday Trust chairman Noel Power.

"This is a true regional event. We're extremely excited about the potential for it to grow into a full week of activities and events in the future and hope it will encourage other equestrian groups to become involved, perhaps making this a national event."

Among the activities planned, the Cambridge Town Hall will be transformed into a Melbourne Cup museum for the week with original Melbourne Cups and associated memorabilia on display, on loan from local and national collections.

Sir Patrick Hogan, one of the most influential breeders of Melbourne Cup winners, with Cambridge Stud's two great sires Sir Tristram and Zabeel having produced six winners between them, is another keen supporter of the event.

The First Tuesday Trust (www.firsttuesday.co.nz) has chosen The Catwalk Spinal Cord Injury Trust as its designated charity for the event.

- © Fairfax NZ News