1. How Did The Melbourne Cup Start 2020
2. What Time Does The Melbourne Cup Start
3. When Did Melbourne Cup Start

The company said they paid out $5207.40 on a trifecta and $93,007.50 on a first four that had Master Of Reality finishing second. Craig Williams rode Vow And Declare to victory in the 2019 Melbourne Cup. Then came post-protest payouts of $3097.20 on the trifecta and $79,381.40 on the first. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal didn’t make it for Spain’s ATP Cup opener because of a sore back, deciding it wasn’t worth the risk a week ahead of the Australian Open. Novak Djokovic did double-time for defending champion Serbia, meanwhile, winning singles and doubles matches Tuesday to ensure a 2-1 comeback win over Canada. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal didn't make it for Spain's ATP Cup opener because of a sore back, deciding it wasn't worth the risk a week ahead of the Australian Open.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Rafael Nadal didn’t make it for Spain’s ATP Cup opener because of a sore back, deciding it wasn’t worth the risk a week ahead of the Australian Open.

Novak Djokovic did double-time for defending champion Serbia, meanwhile, winning singles and doubles matches Tuesday to ensure a 2-1 comeback win over Canada.

The top two players in men’s tennis took different approaches to their fine-tuning at the start of a hectic week of preparation for the season’s first major.

Both spent 14 days in hotel quarantine — as did all incoming players — because of Australia’s strict border regulations amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and both played in an exhibition event last Friday. Nadal played more of a hand in that, with Djokovic limiting his time on court because of a blister.

Djokovic was in his element on Rod Laver Arena while Serbia fans chanted and waved their national flag as he beat Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 7-5 to force a deciding doubles match, then combined with Filip Krajinovic for a 7-5, 7-6 (4) win over the Canadian pair.

Last week in Adelaide, Djokovic spoke about feeding off the energy of the crowds.

Back at Melbourne Park, where he has won a record eight Australian Open titles, he had plenty of energy to consume.

The large and loud band of Serbia supporters was a feature of Djokovic and his team’s win in the inaugural ATP Cup last year, which culminated with a victory over Nadal and Spain.

“It’s a pleasure to see them in such big numbers. Whenever they can, they show up,” Djokovic said. “Last year it was amazing. That was probably the best support outside of Belgrade that we ever had.

“We need that. In this kind of competition, it’s necessary.”

The second-ranked Nadal posted a statement on Twitter before his scheduled night match against Australia’s Alex de Minaur saying he had a stiff lower back and “hopefully I’ll be better for Thursday.”

Spain didn’t miss a beat, with Pablo Carreno Busta and Roberto Bautista Agut winning their singles matches to secure a win over Australia in Group B.

The ATP Cup, a 12-team competition in 2021, is one of the six tournaments crammed into the schedule this week to give players as much chance as possible to prepare for the Australian Open, which has been delayed three weeks from its usual January time slot.

With coronavirus cases under control, the government is allowing crowds of up to 25% capacity for the tune-up events for the season’s first tennis major, rising to 50% from the start of the Australian Open on Monday.

That’s something the players haven’t experienced since the pandemic started to change the international sports landscape.

Matteo Berrettini said having the crowd back helped during his 6-2, 6-4 upset win over U.S. Open champion Dominic Thiem in Italy’s 2-1 victory over Austria in Group C. Russia opened Group D with a win over Argentina.

KENIN BACK

Sofia Kenin had a sprinkling of fans in the stands to watch her first match back at Melbourne Park since her Grand Slam breakthrough at last year’s Australian Open.

She loved it, saying she really missed her fans, although she would have enjoyed a longer stint on the court at Margaret Court Arena. Kenin had just won the first set 7-5 when Camila Giorgi retired from their match at the Yarra Valley Classic because of injury.

Kenin had only one match win in previous trips to Melbourne Park in 2018 and ’19 before winning her first major title last year, when she beat Ash Barty in the semifinals and Garbine Muguruza in the final. Kenin also reached the final at the delayed French Open, losing to first-time winner Iga Swiatek.

“Obviously, it’s really special. Super glad to be here,” Kenin said of her return to Australia. “Trying to somehow handle the emotions on court. I feel like it’s going to be a little bit of a rollercoaster next Monday or Tuesday, whenever I play. I feel like you guys, the fans, will see a little bit more emotion.”

Barty needed four match points to finish off her 6-3, 6-3 win over Ana Bogdan in a night match, her first in competition in almost a year.

“I had so much fun out there today. I missed you guys so much,” the top-ranked Australian told the crowd in an on-court interview. “This is one of my favorite places to play in the entire world.”

Barty opted against traveling during the pandemic, and skipped the U.S. Open and her title defense at Roland Garros.

“I missed it a lot. I wrestled with the decision I my head for quite a while,” she said, “”but my health had to be prioritized.”

In later matches, fourth-seeded Petra Kvitova beat 40-year-old Venus Williams 7-6 (6), 7-5 and the sixth-seeded Muguruza beat Alison Van Uytvanck 6-2, 6-0.

OSAKA CRUISING

Third-ranked Naomi Osaka won her opening match in the Gippsland Trophy, beating Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-2.

Osaka, who won the U.S. Open last year and the Australian Open in 2019, will next face No. 371-ranked Katie Boulter, who upset No. 14 Coco Gauff 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

Kaia Kanepi beat No. 4 Aryna Sabalenka 6-1, 2-6, 6-1, while fifth-seeded Johanna Konta and No. 7 Elise Mertens also advanced.

ANDREESCU’S ABSENCE

Bianca Andreescu’s absence from competitive tennis will continue for another week after the 2019 U.S. Open champion withdrew from the Grampians Trophy.

The 20-year-old Canadian hasn’t played since the 2019 WTA Trophy because of knee and foot injuries, and is coming off a hard lockdown in Melbourne.

“After discussing it with my team, we have decided to focus this week on training,” Andreescu said. “See you all at the Australian Open!”

KYRGIOS, SANDGREN WIN

In the other ATP tournaments, Nick Kyrgios returned after almost 12 months off to beat Alexandre Muller 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (4) in the first round of the Murray River Open, and two-time Australian Open quarterfinalist Tennys Sandgren won his first match since coming out of the hard lockdown at the Great Ocean Road event.

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There were 78,500 people at Flemington on Melbourne Cup day 1976. Those still living, hold indelible memories of their visit to the historic course on the day mother nature threw a tantrum.

Intermittent rain right through October had deterred people from spending up on new Cup outfits, and the crowd was down by many thousands on expected figures.

Almost 25 mm of rain fell in Melbourne on the Monday night, but the weather improved considerably by Cup morning.

I didn’t expect to be required in Melbourne on Cup day 1976. My station 2GB had arranged to take Bert Bryant’s call from its sister station 3UZ in Melbourne, but there was a curious turn of events a week before the Cup.

A small group of radio stations headed by 2SM in Sydney, had no network affiliations interstate and asked 2GB if they could help out by providing an independent Cup commentary.

Live TV coverage of horse racing in Australia was still in its infancy .The O-1O Network didn’t commence its 4 day coverage of the Melbourne Cup carnival until 1978 and were exclusive providers for many years.

In 1976 it appeared there would be no live TV coverage of the Cup, but a snap decision was made by the Nine Network late in the previous week to cover the great race. I assumed they would take the commentary from Radio 3UZ or course commentator Joe Brown of the ABC.

I received a message on arriving at Flemington that my call would be taken by Channel 9. It’s interesting to note that this was the last Melbourne Cup to be covered live by the Nine Network and the reason makes interesting reading.

When the VRC invited tenders from TV Networks in 1978, it was stipulated that the Melbourne Cup alone was not available. The controlling body wanted every race over the four days to go to air. Kerry Packer wasn’t prepared to suspend some high earning programmes and that was the end of Channel Nine’s interest in the Melbourne Cup carnival. It also meant that I never got to call another Cup.

A Sydney friend, the late Richard Messenger was with me in the broadcast box, when we noticed the first storm clouds gathering on the horizon. We took little notice at first, but boy they were moving quickly. Within minutes the light was failing rapidly, the thunder was starting to roll, and the lightning was jumping all over the sky.

It was just after 2pm and hundreds of spectators who’d been gathering on the lawns started to move off in search of shelter. The clouds were low and menacing and appeared more green than black.

It was eerie, it was intimidating and it was scary - and then the storm unleashed all its fury. I’ve never seen rain like it. The noise on the roof was deafening and I saw a few sheets of galvanised iron sagging under the sheer weight of water.

It might have been only 5 or 6 minutes. I really don’t know. It seemed like 5 or 6 hours, and then it was gone. The scene it left behind is something I haven’t seen since on an Australian racecourse. The mounting enclosure resembled a lake and there were huge pools of water filling every indentation on the lawns.

A couple of larrikins soon appeared, one in a wetsuit and flippers, the other in a pink Easter bunny suit, and both frolicked in the water.

Any other race meeting would have been called off immediately, but Stewards made the decision to go ahead, with a revised start time for the Cup. An amazing drainage system at Flemington did its job so well, that the big race started only 7 minutes past advertised post time.

All those who called the race were comfortable enough as they came down the straight the first time and were not too concerned as they went down the back straight. From the lateral view the colours were still recognisable.

I remember a freakish incident as they raced down the back, involving the wonderful New Zealand horse Battle Heights. The gelding had run second to How Now in the Caulfield Cup, before missing a place in the Cox Plate. Stepping up to 2 miles on a heavy track in the Melbourne Cup, he looked a realistic chance.

Jockey Larry Olsen told me only recently, that the horse was balanced and relishing the heavy ground as they raced down the back, but suddenly lost his rhythm and got very rough in his action. Larry noticed that his hind fetlock bandages had unravelled in the mud and were trailing out behind him - an incident that could have caused serious consequences.

It wasn’t until they passed the 600 metres and started to swing for home that all commentators realised they had a struggle on their hands. The fronts of the jockey’s jackets were completely covered in brown slush. The symbols of recognition had disappeared.

It was “hit and miss” for all callers until they got to the 200 metres mark, where the lateral view of the colours was again visible. I recall seeing the number six saddle cloth on Van Der Hum as he started to draw clear. I had a quick peep at the race book to make sure I had the right horse, as he powered through the mud to beat Gold And Black, Kythera, Reckless and Happy Union.

How Did The Melbourne Cup Start 2020

Because of his well-documented ability on heavy tracks, Van Der Hum started favourite at 9/2.

He was nominated for the Cup by trainer and part owner Leo Robinson, just in case Melbourne had a wet Spring. Van Der Hum didn’t race at all as a two and three year old, and he’d won only three ordinary races before being nominated for the Cup. Connections got a shock when VRC Handicapper Kevin Ryan gave him 53 kgs in the Melbourne Cup, but the prospect of a wet Melbourne carnival prompted them to make the trip.

He arrived on a plane which also carried sheep and cattle and touched down at Tullamarine well after midnight on the Friday night. Van Der Hum had only a few hours in his temporary stable accommodation, before being taken to Caulfield for the Herbert Power Hcp (2400 metres). Making light of a hurried and arduous trip, he destroyed the opposition in the Herbert Power winning by 7 lengths. He finished a creditable third in the Caulfield Cup, before missing a place in the Cox Plate won brilliantly by Surround.

The Flemington storm was “heaven sent” for Van Der Hum, who must have been giggling in his stall as the rain bucketed down. For jockey Bob Skelton, a Melbourne Cup win consolidated an already imposing record in 3200 metre events. He won three straight Wellington Cups on Great Sensation, and two Perth Cups on Magistrate. He went close to another Melbourne Cup in 1987, when second on Rising Fear to Sheik Hamdan’s At Talaq. Bob rode well over 2000 winners before turning to training on a 16 acre property at Mornington.

What Time Does The Melbourne Cup Start

Bob Skelton was one of nine children and one of five jockeys in the family. W.D. “Bill” Skelton had spectacular success in NZ and earned recognition in Australia with two Group 1 wins on the brilliant Dary’s Joy. Frank Skelton rode two NZ Cup winners before weight beat him, and Errol rode plenty of winners before succumbing to weight problems.

Bob once told me an amazing story about his youngest brother Max, who rode successfully in Singapore and Malaysia. He returned to NZ in 1976, only to sustain dreadful injuries in a track accident. He was diagnosed paraplegic after being struck in the back by a horse.

A few months later he was sitting in his wheelchair watching brother Bob ride Van Der Hum in the Melbourne Cup, when he suddenly felt one of his toes twitch. That was the first exciting moment of a rapid and complete recovery for Max, who shortly after started a riding school in Christchurch.

When Did Melbourne Cup Start

I finished my race calling career with a million wonderful memories of a million unforgettable races. But that 1976 Melbourne Cup was something else again. It was pure theatre.