The Melbourne cup is run over 3200 metres, which is just under two miles.
You can watch the horses run at Flemington.
A limit of 24 horses can now run in the Melbourne Cup for safety reasons, though more than that have run in it in the past.
The Melbourne Cup is run over 3200 metres, which is the equivalent of 3.2 kilometres.
Thoroughbreds, 3 years old and older
The first Melbourne Cup was run on 7 November 1861, and was attended by a crowd of around 4000. It was won by Archer out of a field of 17 horses. They were racing for 170 pounds cash and a gold watch.
All horse racing in Melbourne Australia is run anticlockwise in New South Wales and Queensland races are run clockwise.
In Melbourne, at Flemington race track 1853
The Melbourne Cup (Australia) is always held on the first Tuesday in November every year.
Melbourne - Flemington Racecourse - Melbourne Cup
The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861. Therefore, as of 2010, the race has been run for 139 years.
Flemington race track, Victoria
in 1990, Kingston Rule ran the fastest Melbourne Cup with a time of 3 minutes 16.3 seconds.