We know the Melbourne Cup is visiting Allora on Wednesday 14th September but what we didn’t know is the Melbourne Cup will be here for the whole day – not just an hour or so.

This is wonderful news as everyone will get a chance to see and maybe have a photo taken with the Cup.

First stop will be the Allora Sports Museum where a video will be shown on the actual making of the pure gold Cup.

There’ll be a small cover charge for adults with kids admitted free. The community is most welcome to attend. Times will be published before the tour. It’s also in the planning that the Cup will visit both our Schools.

Touring with the Cup will be well-known Champion Jockey John Letts who rode two winners in the Melbourne Cup.

Piping Lane in 1972 beating Magnifique and Gunsynd, then in 1980 rode Beldale Ball to victory.

John’s career which spanned more than 30 years resulted in him riding 2,350 winners including 97 cup wins with 30 in the city and 67 in the country.

He enjoyed huge success throughout Australia including eight Adelaide Jockey’s Premierships, three Adelaide Cups, an Australian Cup, Moonee Valley Cup, Sandowns Cup and the list goes on. He hung up his silks in 1988.

Then in 2010 John Letts was inducted in the Hall of Fame. No doubt a bigger thrill for him will be his visit to Allora on 14 September.

This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 31 August 2022.