Nup to the Melbourne Cup

The Melbourne Cup was earlier this week. I was aware it was happening, but I wasn’t in a hurry to watch it. Josh Butler, one of my favourite Australian journalists, reported I was hardly alone: Support for the Melbourne Cup has been sliding consistently for a number of years, but the Guardian Essential poll found just 9% of Australians said they had high interest in the race now – nearly half the proportion in 2025. “The race that once stopped the nation is now just white noise for many,” said Peter Lewis, the chair of Essential Media. And why does Peter think that? “The key driver appears to be a growing disdain for gambling, although concern for animal cruelty comes a close second,” Lewis said. Good, on both counts. I reckon they should replace the Melbourne Cup with people driving funny cars in the shape of horses. You could even make them electric. Heck, with Melbourne’s famously fickle weather, you could have them solar powered to add some additional variability. By Ruben Schade…

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