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The 2017 Melbourne Cup is a busy day with plenty happening – if you want to keep on top of all the major events of the day, you’ve come to the right place. This is our entertainment guide and full day schedule for the 2017 Melbourne Cup.
More 2017 Melbourne Cup
» Race report: Rekindling wins
» Who came last
» Complete finishing order
» Watch video highlights replay
» Re-live the race with our live blog
» Regal Monarch’s horror fall
» Winning trifecta and quinella
» Winning exact and first four
To begin with, there are ten races on the day. The big one, of course, is the Melbourne Cup itself which will be raced at 3pm AEDT, however, the racing starts much earlier than that with the Emirates 100th A380 Stakes at 11am AEDT, and continues until the final race of the day, the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at 5:20pm AEDT.
There’s roughly a 40-minute interval between each race, although the breaks on both sides of the Melbourne Cup are a bit lengthier to provide room for some extended buildup and celebration, as well as some pre-race entertainment at 2:20pm AEDT.
However almost as much a part of the day as the racing itself is the fashion, and there are a number of events related to this on the day – daily finals for both men’s and women’s racewear, the overall final for men’s racewear and the final for the design award.
The overall final for women’s racewear is not on Melbourne Cup day, instead, it’s on Kennedy Oaks Day, Thursday 9 November.
Gates open for Melbourne Cup Day at 8:30am AEDT. Entertainment at Flemington this year will be provided by Hot Dub Time Machine.
8:30 AM | Gates Open |
11:00 AM | Emirates 100th A380 Stakes |
11:40 AM | Tab.com.au Trophy |
11:55 AM | Fashions on the field daily final – Women’s racewear |
12:15 PM | Lavazza Short Black |
12:50 PM | Ronald Mcdonald House Charities Plate |
1:15 PM | Fashions on the field daily final – Men’s racewear |
1:25 PM | Schweppes Flemington Fling |
1:40 PM | Fashions on the field final – Men’s racewear |
2:00 PM | Lexus Hybrid Plate |
2:10 PM | Fashions on the field final – Design award |
2:20 PM | Pre-cup entertainment |
3:00 PM | Melbourne Cup |
4:05 PM | James Boag’s Premium Stakes |
4:45 PM | MSS Security Sprint |
5:20 PM | The Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes |
All times listed are AEDT.