Melbourne Cup 2019: Best photos from global Melbourne Cup trophy tour

The $200,000 trophy has swept through international and Australian cities and towns as part of its four-month world tour, which started in Hobart in July and finishes at Flemington for Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday, November 5.

The 17th annual Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour has seen the iconic trophy travel more than 600,000km across Australia, the United Kingdom, Singapore, New Zealand, China and Japan.

The last leg of the trophy’s tour swept through regional Victoria, South Australia and NSW before making it back to Melbourne for the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival kick-off at Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington on Saturday, October 5.

Since then it has been taken around Melbourne to various events, functions and even a tour through iconic city sites and streets.

Lauren Hutchinson holds the Cup outside Luna Park in St Kilda. Picture: David Caird

Amy Gillard from the UK raises the Cup on St Kilda Beach. Picture: David Caird

The Melbourne Cup finds its way down into part of the Metro Tunnel project in North Melbourne. Workers Kat Thomas and Tim Wilson hold the Cup in one of the freshly dug tunnels. Picture: David Caird

Jane Sullivan from New Zealand checks her hair in the reflection of the Cup while waiting on the steps of Flinders Street Station for her daughter. Picture: David Caird

Busker Felix Meredith, of Malvern East, finds the most unusual tip he has ever had in his trumpet case at Flinders Street Station. Picture: David Caird

Simon, Gaynor, Jarvis and Jack from Warrandyte have lunch with the Cup in Degraves Street. Picture: David Caird

Erin Hayes and Orla Corrigan with the Melbourne Cup on the Eureka Skydeck. Picture: David Caird

The Melbourne Cup with rower Dario Sportelli on the Yarra River. Picture: David Caird

Cafe barista Sarah Bott gets up close and personal with the Melbourne Cup in Hosier Lane. Picture: David Caird

Melbourne Cup winning jockeys Damien Oliver (left) and Kerrin McEvoy (right) join ambassador Tegan Martin at the 2019 carnival launch at The Park, Flemington, on October 28. Picture: Jason Edwards

Melbourne Cup Tour ambassadors Kerrin and Cathy McEvoy — carrying the 1919 Melbourne Cup — with their children at The Park, Flemington, on October 28. Picture: Jason Edwards

VRC ambassador Georgia Connolly, Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador Tegan Martin and Myer Fashions on the Field ambassador Crystal Kimber at the Melbourne Cup Carnival Launch at The Park on October 28. Picture: Jason Edwards

The Melbourne Cup with Victoria Racing Club ambassador Georgia Connolly and official stylist Elliot Garnaut at Very Special Kids.

The Melbourne Cup at Lindsay Park Training Stables in Euroa, Victoria.

MELBOURNE CUP TOUR IN JAPAN

The Melbourne Cup made a whirlwind stop in Tokyo from September 28-29, coinciding with the Rugby World Cup in Japan.

Veteran Australian Wallabies player Adam Ashley-Cooper, hooker Jordan Uelese and front-rower Taniela Tupou were on hand to welcome the Cup.

Ashley-Cooper reflected on his fond memories attending the Melbourne Cup Carnival in 2011.

“(It) was the last time I went … we just finished the World Cup in New Zealand. It was an incredible couple of days down there. I don’t think there is anything better in Melbourne over that time than the spring carnival,” Ashley-Cooper said.

A young Japanese girl admires the $200,000 Lexus Melbourne Cup in Tokyo. Picture: Nicolas Datiche

Wallabies (from left to right) Taniela Tupou, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Jordan Uelese pose with the Melbourne Cup in Tokyo. Picture: Nicolas Datiche

Wallabies veteran Adam Ashley-Cooper. Picture: Stuart Walmsley

The Melbourne Cup visits a Senbei stall in Tokyo. Picture: Nicolas Datiche

The Melbourne Cup in Shinjuku, in the heart of Tokyo. Picture: Nicolas Datiche

A security guard protects the Melbourne Cup on tour. Picture: AAP

MELBOURNE CUP TOUR IN ENGLAND

The Cup donned the Baggy Green ahead of the third Ashes Test on the Australian cricket team’s recent tour of England.

The trophy made a pit-stop to Headingley Cricket Ground to meet the Aussies, where it was welcomed to the historic ground in West Yorkshire by opening batsmen David Warner and fast bowler James Pattinson.

It was the first time the two Australian sporting icons — the “Baggy Green” Australian test cap and the Melbourne Cup — had been brought together.

Warner said they were “the pinnacle of both sports”.

“We grew up as young kids aspiring to be cricketers and get that Baggy Green and I am sure you ask a lot of jockeys, not just in Australia but around the world, the Melbourne Cup is one of the races that you always want to be a part of,” he said. “That’s our childhood dream.”

The Melbourne Cup Tour made its way to York ahead of the Third Ashes Test in August.

Australian fast bowler James Pattinson and batsman David Warner hold the Melbourne Cup ahead of the Third Ashes Test in York in August.

Yorkshire terriers Angie, Saffy, Tootsie and Ely get up close and personal with the Melbourne Cup in York during the Australian cricket team's Ashes tour.

MELBOURNE CUP TOUR ON HOME SOIL

The prized trophy kickstarted a world tour in Hobart, Tasmania in early July, before making stops in Perth, regional NSW and Victoria, the Northern Territory, far North Queensland and Sydney throughout July.

In August, the Cup headed to South Australia for the first time in 2019, then back to Queensland — from the Gold Coast up to Georgetown — before its first overseas postings in the United Kingdom, Singapore and New Zealand.

The Cup made its way across the eastern seaboard states again in September before a trip to Shanghai, Melbourne, Adelaide and Tokyo to round out the month.

In Alice Springs, the Cup became had a magnetic presence everywhere it went — from the Camel Cup, to the small indigenous community of Ltyentye Apurte Community, a reptile park, local schools and the Melbourne versus West Coast footy game.

HOBART/PERTH

Troop Sergeant from the Tasmania Light Horse Regiment Nevill Thomas with horse Bella and the Melbourne Cup at the Lenah Valley RSL in Tasmania. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Damien Oliver poses with the 2019 Melbourne Cup with volunteers, riders and students at the Claremont Therapeutic Riding Centre in Perth. Picture: Paul Kane

West Coast Eagles players Brad Sheppard and Elliot Yeo with the Melbourne Cup, Damien Oliver and son Luke in Perth. Picture: Paul Kane

ALICE SPRINGS

The Cup goes hot-air ballooning above Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

Raymond, Augustine and Ramish of the Ltyentye Apurte Community, also known as Santa Teresa, 80km southeast of Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Cup visits the Ltyentye Apurte Community to attend a Melbourne Football Club clinic and for the national sweep barrier draw. Picture: Mark Stewart

Jockey Lorelle Crow rides Russell Bell-trained Dune Buggy on the dry bed of the Todd River in Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

Jimmy Cassidy brings the Melbourne Cup to the Ltyentye Apurte Community, also known as Santa Teresa, an indigenous community located about 80km southeast of Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

The cup visits the Ltyentye Apurte Community, also known as Santa Teresa, an indigenous community located about 80km southeast of Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

Jimmy Cassidy carries the Melbourne Cup at The Camel Cup in Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Cup holds trackside position for The Camel Cup. Picture: Mark Stewart

Cameleer Chris Hill holds the Melbourne Cup at the Camel Cup. Picture: Mark Stewart

Melbourne Demons Christian Salem, Captain Nathan Jones, Steven May and Clayton Oliver give the cup a polish before the showdown against West Coast. Picture: Mark Stewart

Firefighter Shane Rodwell holds the Cup as it visits the Alice Springs fire brigade. Picture: Mark Stewart

Jimmy Cassidy holds the Cup and an olive python named Zeus from Alice Springs Reptile Centre. Picture: Mark Stewart

The Cup visits Anzac Hill in Alice Springs. Picture: Mark Stewart

Jimmy Cassidy surveys Alice Springs with the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Mark Stewart

A thorny devil gets acquainted with the Cup. Picture: Mark Stewart

MELBOURNE

Megan Gale with the 2019 Melbourne Cup and horse, Gunner, at Flemington. Picture: Jason Edwards

SYDNEY

Two-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Corey Brown against the backdrop of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in September. Picture: AAP Image

The Melbourne Cup takes a trip to the Pacific Ocean in Sydney.

Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Gai Waterhouse with family members in Sydney.

GRAFTON

The 2019 Cup and the 1919 Cup meet in Grafton, NSW while a fire rages on.

The Melbourne Cup makes a visit to a Grafton nursing home in NSW.

Tempted to take a sip from the 2019 Melbourne Cup in Grafton, NSW.

LONGREACH/MUTTABURRA

Sheep take a sniff of the Melbourne Cup as it stops off in Longreach in central Queensland.

The Melbourne Cup visits the Qantas Museum in Longreach, central Queensland.

Schoolchildren admire the Melbourne Cup in Muttaburra, Queensland.

BLACKALL/STREAKY BAY

The Melbourne Cup Tour makes a stop in Blackall, in central Queensland.

The Melbourne Cup is hoisted above a road train in Blackall in central Queensland.

The Cup with Paul Evan from Evan’s Oysters at morning light in Streaky Bay, South Australia.

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The Lexus Melbourne Cup is the pinnacle event of the Victorian Spring Racing Carnival, attracting tens of thousands of people each year from punters to high-profile celebrities.

This year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival will see a revamped Birdcage featuring a giant “Bird Bath Bar” and grand new entrance modelled on events such as the Oscars.

It will also boast a 15m high bar adorned with decorative wings, a baby grand piano and an entrance to rival the Brownlow Medal and New York’s Met Gala Ball.

No less than 26 marquees will be built over 17,000sq m in the Birdcage.

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