Guardian Essential poll: record number of Australians are turning their backs on the Melbourne Cup

Growing disdain for gambling and animal cruelty concerns drive sliding interest in race that once ‘stopped the nation’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A record number of Australians are turning their backs on the Melbourne Cup, with more than two-thirds surveyed saying they have low or zero interest in the annual horse race. Support for the Melbourne Cup has been sliding consistently for a number of years, but the Guardian Essential poll found just 9% of Australians said they had high interest in the race now – nearly half the proportion in 2025. Continue reading...

澳大利亚人对墨尔本杯的兴趣降至有记录以来最低，仅9%表示高度关注。民调显示，对赌博的反感是主要原因，但仍有62%的人认为这项赛事是澳大利亚国家认同的独特组成部分。