As a kid who grew up in Australia during the 1980s, one of the classic national rites of passage was choosing a horse in the Melbourne Cup. With our little rainbow racing slips in hand, torn from the day’s newspaper form guide, we’d all sit around and discuss our horse’s likely run and its odds of winning.

Later, as a young journalist covering the fashion rounds in Melbourne, attendance at the Birdcage was a must for celebrities or those hoping to at least be associated with the rich and famous. Along with Fashion Week, the Cup’s hallowed VIP ground was a veritable runway of recognisable faces topped with fancy hats.

Once the race that stopped the nation, the Melbourne Cup has been in decline for over a decade. Credit: Vince........

© The Sydney Morning Herald