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2012 Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour

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Fri 7 Sep 2012

Celebrate Wyong Gold Cup day as the Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour hits the Central Coast!

The Wyong Shire has been chosen as one of 26 successful tender destinations in Australia selected by the Victorian Racing Club for the upcoming journey of the iconic Melbourne Cup. The VRC recently celebrated the 10th anniversary of its Emirates Melbourne Cup tour.

Mayor Bob Graham said the Cup will arrive in Wyong Shire on Friday, September 7 -- the day of the Wyong Gold Cup meeting. It will be the first time in 12 years the most famous piece of silverware in Australian sport will be brought onto a Provincial Race Track on an actual Cup race day.

The Cup will also make a tour of the Norah Head lighthouse, where it will be photographed as the sun rises over the ocean, and tour local schools, aged care facilities and Wyong Hospital.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for the people of the Central Coast to view arguably the most famous trophy in Australian sport,” Mayor Graham said.

“Besides Council, a number of organisations have been working hard behind the scenes to ensure the Shire was on the list of places the Cup visited.

“The efforts of Tony Drew at the Wyong Race Club, the Wyong Chamber of Commerce, Oliver Philpot from Central Coast Tourism and Mercure Kooindah Waters resort management should not go unnoticed.

“All have worked tirelessly to bring this event to the Coast and allow the Melbourne Cup to showcase our area to a national audience.”

Wyong Race Club chief executive Tony Drew said he was expecting a record crowd for the Gold Cup Day.

“It’s amazing that the Cup will be here on our Gold Cup day,” Mr Drew said. “It’s just a wonderful effort from everyone involved. If we get some fair weather, I’m anticipating a record crowd.”

The Cup will also take pride of place at an official breakfast at Kooindah Waters, which will be attended by former champion jockey Malcolm Johnston and 1994 Melbourne Cup winning jockey Wayne Harris.

At all events and locations, the public will have an opportunity to be photographed with the Cup, for a small donation. All money raised during the Cup’s visit will go to Camp Breakaway.

VRC Chairman Michael Burn said the Melbourne Cup was arguably the world’s most travelled sporting trophy.

“Continuing to grow in appeal annually and reaching the Tour’s 10th year is a significant milestone,” Mr Burn said.

“After visiting more than 210 towns and travelling more than 285,000 kilometres to engage hundreds of thousands of people since 2003, the VRC is proud to claim the Cup as the most travelled sporting trophy in the world.”

Wyong Shire will share the Cup’s NSW spotlight alongside Muswellbrook, Newcastle, Gulargambone and Nyngan before finishing with corporate events in Sydney.

“It was a competitive pool of tenders and we congratulate the 26 successful destinations for their efforts,” Mr Burn said

The 152nd running of the Emirates Melbourne Cup will take place on Tuesday, November 6.