Thursday, 13 June 2013

MEDIA RELEASE VRCs Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour Launches Off

The Victoria Racing Club (VRC) today revealed 34 successful destinations that will host the iconic Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour (EMCT) on its three month Australasian journey. At the world-renowned Flemington racecourse, the 2013 Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy was joined by Shetland ponies, children and Melbourne Cup winning jockeys, trainers and racing personalities for the announcement. VRC Chairman, Mr Michael Burn said the Tours longevity was a testament to the place the 152-year old Melbourne Cup plays in the cultural, sporting and social history of the nation. This year we received a record amount of tender applications across Australia and New Zealand and the Victoria Racing Club congratulates the successful destinations for their efforts. The Victoria Racing Club is incredibly proud to share the Emirates Melbourne Cup and provide this unique opportunity to Australasian communities, said Mr Burn. Taking off in on its three month Australasian journey in July, the EMCT will journey to Queenslands gulf in the countrys far north, to Rockhampton, Karumba, Herberton, Longreach, Nebo, Brisbane, Quilpie, Dalby and Beaudesert. In Western Australia, the 18 carat gold trophy will visit Goldfields, Leonora and Perth before jumping across the ditch to Auckland, New Zealand. After galloping across to the nations capital, Canberra, attention will turn to New South Wales in Sydney and the thoroughbred breeding homelands of Albury, Queanbeyan, Mulgoa and Bowral. Honouring Australias wine capital, the EMCT will stop over in Naracoorte and Adelaide in South Australia before flying across the Bass Strait to Devonport and Hobart in Tasmania. Returning to the picturesque coastline of Victoria, the Cup will pay tribute to Americain, the 150 Melbourne Cup winner in Nagambie, tour Moe, Maffra, Mortlake, Terang, Woolsthorpe, Geelong, rd Wonthaggi and Cape Woolamai before heading on the home straight to Flemington for the 153 running of the race that stops a nation. On the road, the iconic trophy is accompanied by famed Melbourne Cup personalities and racing legends, who share their personal stories of triumph and tribulation with the great race. Since 2003, the EMCT has travelled more than 325,000 kilometres, visited more than 236 regional, rural and metropolitan destinations and engaged tens of thousands of people. For further information about the 2013 Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour schedule please visit www.melbournecuptour.com.au / www.facebook.com/flemingtonracecourse / @MelbCupCarnival [ENDS] For all media enquiries please contact Vanessa Hollidge on +61 3 9690 9911 / +61 405 277 562 / vhollidge@wrights.com.au or Judy Chung at Wrights PR on +61 3 9690 9911 / +61 432 502 070 / jchung@wrights.com.au
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