Huge outsider Prince of Penzance wins the Melbourne Cup as Michelle Payne becomes the first female jockey to ride a Cup winner.

From gravity defying fascinators to bright, painterly prints, here are our top race day looks.

John Key heads to the TAB for his annual cup bets.

Some lunatic bad-ass put six bullets through the front door of his family home, doubtless achieving the aim of terrifying the family of Melbourne's chief racing steward.

Empress Elect's homecoming will be crowned at Ellerslie today with a top three finish.

Today's event at Ellerslie will feature the course's 10 races plus big screen live coverage of the action at Flemington.

Unless he drifts further late in betting today, Fame Game will start one of the hottest Melbourne Cup favourites since the immortal Phar Lap.

When 10-time champion trainer Willie Mullins arrived in Melbourne for the first time during a 1993 world trip it coincided, by accident, with fellow Irishman Dermot Weld changing history by winning the Melbourne Cup with Vintage Crop.

Thousands of Kiwis cross the Tasman to see the Melbourne Cup each November. Ewan McDonald went to see why.

The Melbourne Cup tour has taken place in New Zealand this week and "the Cup" paid a visit to leading Kiwi contender Mongolian Khan at the Cambridge stable of Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman. Source: NZTMTube/Youtube

A select audience with a head for heights got a close-up view of the Melbourne Cup as it was taken around Auckland's Sky Tower Skywalk yesterday.

Shocking though the fatalities are, public need to understand that racing is natural for horses, professor says.

Never have those opposed to horseracing had their point proved so emphatically as in yesterday's Melbourne Cup, writes Sally Hibbard.

The respect among Melbourne Cup competitors was obvious 60 seconds after Protectionist defeated his A$6.2 million Melbourne Cup rivals at Flemington yesterday.

An Australian/New Zealand victory in the A$6.2 million Melbourne Cup suddenly looked further away when German stallion Protectionist thrashed his 21 rivals at Flemington yesterday.

New South Wales trainer Kris Lees didn't win the Melbourne Cup but there is no way he is going to be a loser out of the race.

Protectionist has won the 2014 Melbourne Cup, but the favourite Admire Rakti has died after finishing last in the race.

Riding a horse for Bart Cummings in the Melbourne Cup is an honour, even for the most experienced jockey.

Look for the Land Of The Rising Sun to shine as the Flemington sun begins its descent this afternoon.

Godolphin's Melbourne Cup contender Cavalryman is in doubt for today's race with a leg injury.

For those who plunge $5 into the office sweepstake every year, it is "the race that stops two nations", five minutes of thundering hooves, shimmering silks, palpitating punters.

A New Zealand trainer in charge of three runners in today's Melbourne Cup is hoping his Kiwi galloper - owned by Manawatu dairy farmers - will go all the way.

James McDonald took perhaps his final step towards being a truly international jockey at the weekend and isn't quite sure he's comfortable with it.

Kiwis punting on tomorrow's Melbourne Cup could win a nearly $28.2 million prize - if they can guess the correct order of the first 10 horses across the line.

Champagne, horses and hats. What’s not to love at the races, says Mike Dillon.

Your alphabetical guide to negotiating the course at Ellerslie.