Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Robbie Dolan with Griffith tourism guru Izabella Apolloni. Photo: Supplied.
The Melbourne Cup will be in Griffith for the first time, with the coveted horse-racing trophy set to visit the city on Thursday, giving residents the chance to have their photo taken alongside it.
The Riverina town was named as one of 36 destinations to host it as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, an initiative of the Victoria Racing Club (VRC) to involve more regional communities in the race that stops a nation.
Mirella Guidolin of the Griffith Visitors Centre said her team successfully applied to host the trophy.
“It’s not every day that someone from Griffith gets to see and touch the Melbourne Cup … it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We’re very excited,” she said.
Since its inception in 2003, the three-handled Cup, now valued at a record $850,000, has travelled more than one million kilometres, reaching over 680 destinations across the globe.
“It’s going to New York this year and Griffith will be the first Australian destination it reaches when it returns to our country,” Ms Guidolin said.
The cup will be on display at a morning tea at Griffith City Library from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm on Thursday and at a Taste of the Cup event at Griffith Pioneer Park Museum from 5 pm to 7 pm.
Entry is free to both events, but you must register beforehand on the Eventbrite website.
Ms Guidolin said a special protocol was in place for those who wanted to get their hands on the cup – including wearing gloves – but there would be an opportunity for photos.
Griffith Mayor Doug Curran said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for our community to celebrate an Australian sporting icon and to come together for a memorable and meaningful experience.”
The tour offers communities the chance to learn about the history of the cup, hear from racing legends and take part in fundraising events that support local charities and community groups.
Over the past two decades, the tour has connected with tens of thousands of people and raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for important causes.
Ms Guidolin said the Melbourne Cup was passed on from winner to winner each November after the race – with a new cup made every year.
Griffith has also been selected as one of 24 destinations in the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep. Each participating town is randomly allocated a barrier for the 2025 Melbourne Cup. The town that draws the barrier of the cup-winning horse will receive a $50,000 donation to contribute to a local charity of its choice.
