Melbourne Cup

For a list of Melbourne Cup winning horses see List of Melbourne Cup winners. The error was fixed a few days later, to the dismay of some fans (who thought that the low voice was intentional, and subsequently some people prefer the erroneous version.). In 2000 it was estimated that 80 percent of the adult Australian population placed a bet on the race that year [2]. When the song was first available for download, there was an error in the mastering of the track, in that Damien's and Lisa's voices were much lower than usual. In Melbourne and surrounding areas, the race day is a public holiday, but around the country a majority of people watch the race on television and gamble, either through direct betting or participating in workplace cup "sweeps". He also took some time to record an old Juniper track, "Cross-eyed Bear", for the new Warchild album. Raceday fashion has occasionally drawn almost as much attention as the race itself, The miniskirt received worldwide publicity when model Jean Shrimpton wore one on Derby Day during Melbourne Cup week in 1965. Damien spent 2004 and 2005 reportedly recording the follow-up to "'O'", which currently has no expected release date.

The requirement for elegant hats almost single-handedly keeps Melbourne's milliners in business. He and Lisa recorded a charity song, campaigning for this, called "Unplayed Piano.". 'Fashions On The Field' is a major focus of the day, with substantial prizes awarded for the best-dressed male and female racegoers. Damien Rice is also involved in a human rights campaign to free Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi. For which in 2005 Makybe Diva truly left her mark in history by winning the Cox Plate only 9 days before going on to win the Melbourne Cup. "Delicate" was featured on the TV dramas Lost and House and "Cannonball" was featured on the TV dramedy "The O.C.". They regard the Cox Plate, a 2,040 metre Weight for Age race, as a true indication of the best horses in Australia. "The Blower's Daughter" and "Cold Water" were featured on the 2004 Mike Nichols film Closer.

Racing purists and "serious" betters dislike the Cup, as the unusually long distance and handicap rules make the result highly unpredictable and allows mediocre horses to win. In 2003, the band won the Shortlist Music Prize for "'O'". In the past, such weightings were in theory established to give each horse an equal chance of winning the cup, but in recent years the rules have been adjusted to that of a "quality handicap" where superior horses are given less severe weight penalties than would be the case under pure handicap rules. The other members of the band are: Lisa Hannigan who sings and occassionally plays guitar and bass; cellist Vyvienne Long; Percussionist Tom Osander (aka: Tomo) who was also a member of the band God Street Wine; and bassist Shane Fitzsimons. Older horses are given more weight than younger ones, and weightings are further adjusted according to the horse's previous results. The songs "The Blower's Daughter"-- featured in the 2004 film Closer-- and "Cannonball" became international hits. The Melbourne Cup is run as a "handicap", in which the weight of the jockey, and riding gear is adjusted with ballast to a nominated figure. Exploiting a lucky connection to David Arnold, his second cousin, Rice was able to record "'O'".

A large rose bowl trophy was presented 1915-1918 and the current loving cup design was introduced in 1919. Turning to acoustic guitar and intensely personal songwriting, he busked penniless around Europe until he was able to attract a band and coffeeshop gigs in the Dublin area. It was a chalice centred on a long base which had a horse at each end. Moving to rural Italy, he lived quietly, until deciding to return to the music business on his own terms. The last Melbourne Cup trophy manufactured in England was made for the 1914 event. His Juniper bandmates became Bell X1. A silver plated base sporting three silver horses was added in 1888, but in 1891 the prize changed to being a 15 inch high, 24 inch long trophy showing a Victory figure offering an olive wreath to a jockey There were no races 1894-1898 because of a depression, and on resumption the trophy was in the form of silver galloping horse embossed on a 3 foot long plaque, although it was said to look like a greyhound by some people. On the eve of recording their first full album for Polygram in 1999, Rice became disenchanted with the commercial direction he felt pushed into by the label, and quit.

It had two handles and an engraving of a horse race set at Flemington.
Rice was originally the singer for Juniper, a rock band with a notable stage show, which released the singles "The World Is Dead" and "Weatherman". The first Australian-made and gold trophy was introduced in 1876. . From 1867 to 1875, a silver trophy was presented showing "Alexander Taming the Horse" and a figure of a female with wings. Damien Rice (born December 7, 1973) is an Irish musician, born in Celbridge, County Kildare, some 22 kilometres from Dublin, whose album O was an enormous success, quickly adding him to the roster of notable Irish musicians. The first trophy was a gold watch, until a silver bowl manufactured in England, with two ornate handles with a horse and rider on top, was introduced in 1865. Aug 2005 - Herbie Hancock - Don't Explain.

The trophy changed in appearance greatly over the years since the first trophy was awarded in 1861, with several of them featuring model horses. Feb 2005 - Tori Amos - The Beekeeper. The winning trainer and jockey also receive a miniature replica of the cup and the strapper is awarded the Tommy Woodcock Trophy, named after the strapper of the incomparable Phar Lap. Sep 2004 - The Frames - Burn The Maps. The trophy currently awarded (since 1919) is a gold loving cup worth $75,000 at 2005 prices. Nov 2002 - Mic Christopher - Skylarkin'. Trainer Lee Freedman said after the race, "Go and find the youngest child on the course, because that's the only person here who will have a chance of seeing this happen again in their lifetime.". Sep 2002 - Jerry Fish and the Mudbug Club - Be Yourself.

Makybe Diva made history by becoming the only horse to win three in a row. Conan O'Brien (22 July 2003). The 2005 Melbourne Cup was held before a crowd of 106,479. Carson Daly (15 September 2003). In 2004 Makybe Diva became the first mare to win consecutive cups, and also the first horse to win twice with different trainers, after David Hall moved to Hong Kong and transfered her to the Lee Freedman stables. Jay Leno (7 October 2003, 3 December 2004). She also won the Caulfield Cup, a 2400 metre race also held in Melbourne, and therefore has won the "Cups Double". David Letterman (13 June 2003, 14 April 2004).

The 2001 the Melbourne Cup was won by New Zealand mare Ethereal, trained by Sheila Laxon, the first woman to formally train a Melbourne Cup winner. Jun 2005 - Unplayed Piano. The attraction for foreigners to compete, however, was the far less visible change to the new "quality handicap" weighting system. Jun 2004 - Lonely Soldier (Featuring Christy Moore). Most have failed to cope with the conditions, with only Irish trainer Dermott Weld successful in 1993 with Vintage Crop and 2002 with Media Puzzle. Apr 2004 - Lonelily (Vinyl Only). The race has undergone several alterations over the past decade, the most visible being the arrival of many foreign horses to contest the race in the last decade (notwithstanding the many winners from New Zealand including the famous Phar Lap. Mar 2003 - Woman Like A Man.

Many sympathetic owners boycotted the race which started with only seven horses, the smallest number in the history of the cup. Oct 2002 - Volcano. Archer won again the following year, but because the owner's nomination form arrived late the next year, Archer was unable to contest a third cup. May 2002 - Cannonball. A crowd of 4000 watched the race, although it has been suggested this was less than expected because of news reaching Melbourne of the death of explorers Burke and Wills. Sep 2001 - The Blower's Daughter. It has been said that the winner, Archer, walked 800km to the course from Nowra, New South Wales, but it is possible he travelled by ship. Aug 2005 - O (Featuring New Song - Unplayed Piano).

Seventeen horses contested the first Melbourne Cup in 1861, racing for a gold watch and 170 pounds cash. Jul 2004 - B-Sides (EP). In 2005 a total of 383,784 race fans attended the Melbourne Cup Carnival annual event [1]. Nov 2003 - O With 2 Bonus Tracks. The event is one of the most popular spectator events in Australia, with over 110,000 people, some dressed in traditional formal raceday wear and others in all manner of exotic and amusing costumes, attending the race. Jul 2003 - Live From The Union Chapel (EP). . Nov 2002 - O (With Bonus DVD).

The present record holder is the 1990 winner Kingston Rule with a time of 3min 16.3sec. Feb 2002 - O. This reduced the distance by 61ft 6in, and Rain Lover's 1968 race record of 3min.19.1sec was accordingly adjusted to 3min.17.9sec. 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. It is generally regarded as the most prestigious "two-mile" handicap in the world.

The event has been held on the first Tuesday in November since 1861 by the Victoria Racing Club, on the Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. Billed as The race that stops a nation, it is for three-year-olds and over, and covers a distance of 3200 metres. The Melbourne Cup is Australia's major annual thoroughbred horse race.