Melbourne Cup race is a locally recognized holiday in Australia. It is celebrated on the first Tuesday of November. Melbourne Cup 2020 falls on 3rd November. The cup involves horse racing and due to its intensity, it is commonly referred to as “a race that stops the nation.”

History of the Melbourne Cup
Frederick Standish is credited with having come up with the idea of the Melbourne Cup. The first event was held in 1861. This particular race attracted 4,000 people, and it involved 17 contesting horses. However, initially, 57 runners had expressed interest in taking part in the race. The first horse to ever win the Melbourne Cup was known as Archer, and he is said to have had a funny run and a tongue that hung out. This impressive horse stood at the height of 1.6 metres and came from the southern region of Sydney.

The Melbourne Cup became a half-day public holiday in the city in 1865, meaning government officials and public servants would take half the day off from work. A good proportion of private businesses would also follow the directive and shut their doors at midday. By 1877, the event had become a full day holiday.

The first time the Melbourne Cup was held on a Tuesday was in November of 1875. In previous years, it had been held on Thursdays. The winner of the 1875 tournament was Wollomai. In 1930, the most famous horse of the day, Phar Lap, participated in the race and finished in the first place. He also made history after becoming the shortest-priced favourite in the event.

Towards the end of the 20st century, foreign-trained horses were introduced to the Melbourne Cup as it grew in popularity internationally. However, many of the foreign horses were unable to cope with the conditions in the city and performed poorly. The first woman to ride a horse in the event was Maree Lyndon, and although she was not among the winners, she opened doors for future female riders.

To date, Bart Cummings has been the most successful trainer in the event, having won more than 12 cups. His most recent win was in 2008. His record has earned him the nickname Cups King.

Venue and time for the 2020 Melbourne Cup
The Melbourne cup will be held on Tuesday, 3rd November 2020 which is considered a public Holiday to allow fans to enjoy the whole event. It will start at 3:00 PM in the Randwick Racecourse. The venue’s address is at the Alison Road Randwick, NSW. Melbourne cup fields are normally announced on the last Saturday before the racing day.

The Melbourne Cup 2020 fields will be announced on the last Saturday of October in the evening by 7:30 PM. The announcement is highly anticipated as people prepare for the big day. Suggestions for the Melbourne Cup Fields are decided based on the nominations made in the last week of August. These are updated weekly after which the final acceptance is made. The number of the Melbourne cup horses is restricted to 24 horses regardless of the presence of several nominations.

Apart from attending and experiencing the race directly, some venues stream the events of the day on huge screens which help the viewer not to miss out on even the finest details of the game. These places include bars and pubs. Areas like Hyde Park and Botanic Gardens have these screens and as such one can engage in a picnic while enjoying the race without the hassle of dealing with huge crowds in the field.

2020 Melbourne Cup tickets
The tickets for the cup can be secured through online means. These can be secured early to avoid the last-minute rush. They are secured from websites like Ticketek. Their costs range between $90 and $238 for the adults. Tickets for reserved seats are more expensive than the general ones. These tickets are currently available and open for purchase in anticipation of the 2020 Melbourne Cup day. The cost of the tickets depends on the position that one takes during the whole event. Whereas some prefer to stand on the

How to dress on Melbourne Cup 2020
Melbourne Cup 2020 does not only involve horses but also incorporates the element of fashion in the fields. It is a glamorous event where all the attendees are invited to dress to impress. Chiffons, silks, embroidery, and sequins are recommended in this event. The dress code should be in line with the traditions and norms of racing fashion. For instance, midriffs and strapless dresses should be avoided. The dress code should be relaxing but not boring.

Also, bright colors are recommended as they bring out liveliness in the field. The footwear should also embrace relaxation and as such, they should be fancy but comfortable. Uncomfortable heels should be forgone during this occasion as they may reduce the chances of enjoying the events of the day.

Betting tips
Similar to other games, betting is a common phenomenon during the Melbourne Cup Day. Millions of Dollars are spent on this day as fans place bets through TAB. Before placing bets, it is crucial to carry out in-depth research about the participants and trends of the race to make the right decision.

The age of the horse matters
Based on the past performance, the age of the horses determine their ability to win, older horses tend to win the race. Winners range from four to five years.

Past results
This sport has created winners and losers over the ages. In the past five years, from 2015 to 2019, the winners were, Prince of Penzance, Almandin, Rekindling, Cross Counter, and Vow and Declare. Their weight in Kilograms were; 53, 52, 51.5, 51, and 52 respectively.

Melbourne Cup 2020 is a highly anticipated and enjoyable event for different parties. It blends different aspects like fashion, sporting, socializing, and gambling. The annual Melbourne Cup is a great tradition that enhances socialization and hence it is worth attending and you will need to be prepared for your transportation and accommodation in Melbourne in advance.

Image by Rondell Melling from Pixabay

World Ozone Day 2020: Protecting Ozone layer, protecting ourselves

By Ravindra Soni Wed, 16 Sep 2020

Have you ever wondered that, even though most of the products available these days are eco-friendly, why are we still dealing with pollution? Why do our products still leave toxic chemicals that aid in the depletion of the earth’s protective layer, Ozone?

Even though most of the countries have reduced chlorofluorocarbons based products, why is climate change an issue of the 21st century? Well, it’s a known fact that about 5% of the total ozone layer has been depleted, this dip alone has melted a major chunk of our ice-caps.

World Ozone Day: Products that you used can be harmful to environment

This Ozone Day, let us take a sharp look towards some very important facts associated with ozone and the products that we use which directly or indirectly affect it. To begin with, let us consider a few drops of chemical-based sanitizing and cleaning solutions or a detergent. The by-products of these chemical-based cleaning solutions are not residue-free in nature, they tend to leave chemical toxic substances in water bodies and on land.

And when these daily products are used in micro quantities, they can cast upon serious ailments like respiratory infections, heart diseases, skin problems. This leads us to search for alternate and a more sustainable solution. With this context, we shall now talk about the Ozone layer and its solutions.

Why is it important to protect Ozone layer?

Everyone knows the Ozone layer protects us from the harmful UV rays emitted by the sun. One of the main causes of its depletion is mainly because of our uncontrolled actions derived from chemicals. Ozone here can be of great help to eradicate this problem caused by excessive usage of chemicals giving rise to new health problems.

It is to be understood that, Ozone as a natural element destroys bacteria like E.coli and also two superbugs which are methicillin resist Staphylococcus aureus and Clostridium difficile. So it is the need of the hour to adopt innovative and eco-friendlier technologies like aqueous ozone solutions for a sustainable future.

The importance of Ozone was discovered in 1839 when this stable molecule was widely recommended as a strong industry-based oxidizing agent. Initially, because of its properties to kill micro-organisms and remove organic stuff in the water, this was used in the food industry and in heavy-duty water treatment plants. Later due to technological advancements ozone-based solutions were also used in various medical therapies like to sanitize soft tissues, cancer, because of its potential to increase O2 levels in blood.

When Ozone is in an aqueous form, it has the capacity to auto de-compose quickly, producing oxygen without leaving any harmful residues to the person nor the environment. The features mentioned above makes ozone a special and a naturally available agent for usage in sanitizers and cleaners, replacing them with the current set of toxic chemicals used.

Hence, this Ozone day, let us all take a pledge to reduce the usage of substances that can deplete our Ozone layer. Together we shall opt for solutions that will protect us, our planet, and the generations to come. Hence remember Ozone, is all that is there between us and the green future, as a shield.