# It's Melbourne Cup day! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466 "2004-11-02T01:13:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466/1 "2004-11-02T01:13:05Z")
Today (Tuesday 2 November) is Melbourne Cup day - the _race that stops a nation_. At 3.10 this afternoon the whole of Australia will come to a halt to watch the race. Everyone in the office here is running around, organising sweeps, unloading food and wine and generally preparing for this afternoon’s party. And I’ve been told that I just drew one of the favourites in the office sweep! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466/2 "2004-11-02T03:20:02Z")
I’m staying home and drinking beer. Lots. And flash Cicero has plunged heavily on an outsider. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466/3 "2004-11-02T03:32:34Z")
Having got lucky with **Savabeel** in the Cox Plate, I’m putting my cash on Anglo-Irish raider **Distinction** today. Unfortunately, so it seems is half of Hong Kong, and that combined with our government’s take means that the odds are about half as good as they are in Oz. 30 minutes to the off. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466/4 "2004-11-02T03:43:33Z")
To add to the first horse that I drew ( **Makybe Diva** ), I’ve now drawn another of the favourites ( **Vinnie Roe** ) in a second sweep. I’d better win something! ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466/5 "2004-11-02T05:00:26Z")
I got first and second !! 😃 So my $4 stake was turned into $40 - a 900% profit. Not bad! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2004, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/its-melbourne-cup-day/272466/6 "2004-11-02T05:08:38Z")
I won a bit in doubles on Makybe Diva who I had tipped since the Caulfield Cup. I tried to have first fours and trifectas on my TAB account - Makybe Diva to win from Grey Song, Elvestroem, Zazzman and Vinnie Roe. Unfortunately the TAB system became unavailable for internet and phone betting and I didn’t get on. It cost me about $40,000. Not surprisingly I am far from happy.