Melbourne Cup’s iconic 18-carat gold trophy to land in Esperance as part of international tour

A town on WA’s south coast will host the Melbourne Cup’s iconic 18-carat gold trophy as part of its international tour before the race that stops a nation. The $750,000 trophy and jockey Damien Oliver will make their way to Esperance on Saturday, where the public will be invited to an action-packed day of community events organised by Esperance Bay Turf Club. The Esperance stop is one of the trophy’s 39 destinations across Australia, Japan, the United States, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Esperance Bay Turf Club president Ken Norton said the club was looking forward to being part of this year’s tour. ”Esperance Race Club is very excited to be part of this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, as we know how much it will mean to our region,” he said. “We look forward to welcoming the iconic trophy and sharing in the magic of the People’s Cup.” As part of the 2024 Melbourne Cup tour, Esperance will join 24 regional destinations across Australia in receiving a barrier at the main event. The town assigned to the winning horse’s barrier will be awarded $50,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, with the prize money going to the Royal Flying Doctor Service if Esperance wins. Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson said the club received a record-breaking number of applications for the Cup tour. “After 21 years, the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour has continued to grow and evolve into a significant event that allows us to share the magic of the Lexus Melbourne Cup trophy in remote parts of Australia and overseas, far away from Flemington and the first Tuesday in November. “This year’s tour (has visited) a number of international destinations including New York for the Belmont Gold Cup which will offer a golden ticket to the winner into this year’s Lexus Melbourne Cup for the first time, further emphasising the internationalisation and reach of our iconic race.” Since the cup’s inaugural tour in 2003, it has visited 482 schools along with 401 hospitals and aged-care facilities across more than 640 destinations. The cup and jockey Damien Oliver will visit several locations in Esperance before a free sundowner event at the turf club from 4pm to 7pm, with canapes on offer.