Makybe Diva helps launch 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour
Makybe Diva has helped launch the 20th Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, which will visit 33 towns and cities across Australia and overseas. See the full itinerary.
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IT’S been almost two decades since Makybe Diva began her reign as the queen of the race that stops a nation.
So to launch the 20th Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, it seemed fitting that the 18-carat gold trophy that will be awarded to the race’s 2022 winner visited the mighty mare who won three of them.
Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson said it had been wonderful for “the People’s Cup” to stop by the champion horse’s home just outside Geelong to “celebrate the 20th anniversary of both the beginning of the tour and her first Cup win in 2003”.
“She is an integral part of Melbourne Cup history and we look forward to telling her story on the road as part of this year’s tour,” Mr Wilson said.
The jockey who rode Makybe Diva to her unmatched three victories, Glen Boss, will accompany the trophy to several of its 33 destinations, which were picked from a record 90 applications from towns across Australia.
Portarlington, Yea, Echuca, Stanhope, Maffra and Seaspray will be among the Victorian stops on the four-month trip, which will also see the Cup journey to Cloncurry in outback Queensland, Devonport in Tasmania, Newman in remote Western Australia, and overseas to Singapore and New Zealand.
It has travelled more than 760,000km to 560-plus destinations, visiting tens of thousands of fans and raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for local charities, since the tour’s inception in 2003.
A “national sweep” has been part of the tour since 2019, giving 24 rural and regional destinations the chance to win $50,000 to contribute to a community initiative.
“The tour has only continued to grow in popularity,” Mr Wilson said.
“We are very pleased to be taking the Cup back on the road after restricted travel over the past two years.
“We look forward to playing our part in sharing the Cup with communities across Australia, and supporting fundraising efforts to assist towns big and small to get back on their feet after a challenging few years.”
It comes as Lexus is expected to announce its ongoing commitment as the principal partner of the VRC and the Lexus Melbourne Cup.
2022 LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP TOUR ITINERARY
Tuesday July 19: Tullibigeal, NSW
Wednesday July 20: Dirnaseer and Junee, NSW
Thursday July 21: Coolamon, NSW
Tuesday July 26 to Wednesday July 27: Auckland, NZ
Thursday July 28: Cambridge, NZ
Wednesday August 3 to Friday August 5: Singapore, SGP
Monday August 8: Adelaide, SA
Tuesday August 9: Wallaroo, SA
Friday August 12: Curban, NSW
Wednesday August 17: Wagin, WA
Thursday August 18: Perth, WA
Friday August 19 to Sunday August 21: Newman (The Pilbara), WA
Wednesday August 24: Devonport/Meander Valley, TAS
Thursday August 25: Hobart, TAS
Sunday August 28 to Friday September 2: Sydney, NSW
Saturday September 3 to Sunday September 4: Charters Towers, QLD
Tuesday September 6: Cloncurry, QLD
Thursday September 8: Brisbane, QLD
Tuesday September 13: Warwick, QLD
Wednesday September 14: Allora, QLD
Friday September 16 to Saturday September 17: Gold Coast, QLD
Monday September 19 to Wednesday September 21: Central Western Slopes, NSW
Wednesday September 28: Wauchope, NSW
Friday September 30: Echuca/Moama, VIC/NSW
Tuesday October 4: Portarlington, VIC
Thursday October 6: Yea, VIC
Tuesday October 11: Kandanga, QLD
Friday October 14: Stanhope, VIC
Saturday October 15: Howlong, NSW
Tuesday October 18: Maffra, VIC
Wednesday October 19: Seaspray, VIC
Thursday October 20 to Tuesday November 1: Melbourne, VIC
Originally published as Makybe Diva helps launch 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour
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