The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major annual thoroughbred horse race.

Billed as 'the race that stops a nation', it is for three-year-olds and over, and covers a distance of 3200 metres. The event has been held on the first Tuesday in November since 1861 by the Victoria Racing Club, at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. It is generally regarded as the most prestigious "two-mile" handicap in the world.

The race was originally held over two miles, about 3,218 metres, but following Australia's adoption of the metric system in 1972 the current distance of 3200 metres was adopted.

The fourteen and one half inch high Loving Cup is presented to the owners of each cup winner and a two thirds height miniature is presented to the jockey and trainer
 
In 2000 the gold content of the owner's Melbourne Cup trophy was increased to 18 carat and by 2005 the value of the gold cup trophy had escalated to $A80,000.