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The first Tuesday in November this year sees the running of the 150th Melbourne Cup. Curator Isa Menzies gives an insight into the race that stops the nation: from the glitz and glamour to the seamy underside of horseracing in Australia.

Hear what the Melbourne Cup means to the owner of a cup winner, the first female trainer to win both the Melbourne and Caulfield Cups, the grandson of the inaugural Melbourne Cup winning trainer, and a former jockey who has won the Melbourne Cup twice.

MC for the day Bryan Martin provides a brief background to the Melbourne Cup and Andrew Sayers, the new Director of the National Museum, outlines why the Museum recently declined to lend Phar Lap’s heart to Melbourne for the horse’s re-assembly.

To introduce this session Louise Douglas talks about not only Phar Lap’s heart but also many other objects associated with the Melbourne Cup in the National Museum of Australia’s National Historical Collection.

Rod Fitzroy, Chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, outlines events taking place during 2010 to mark the 150th Melbourne Cup race, including the launch of a commemorative coin set struck by the Royal Australian Mint and three legacy projects.

Former Australian political leader and statesman, Andrew Peacock talks about ‘chasing a dream’ of winning a Melbourne Cup and from his experience describes how, unlike the Melbourne Cup, other great horses race around the world don’t stop any nation.

Having researched written three volumes covering the social and political history of Australian racing, Andrew Lemon has been working as a consultant historian with the Victoria Racing Club and talks about why the Melbourne Cup.

Dr Chris McConville combines his great interest in horse racing with his expertise on the history of gambling in Australia to talk the Melbourne Cup from a gambling point of view.

Rod Fitzroy discusses how it’s a little bit of good luck and a lot of good management that has delivered for a century and a half an annual event that so commands the attention of the whole nation as does the Melbourne Cup.