Will there ever be a more captivating image than jockey Michelle Payne embracing her Down syndrome brother Stevie seconds after dismounting?

Woman has $900 winnings stolen after she posted Melbourne Cup ticket with barcode on Facebook - and one of her "friends is responsible".

Woman in blue dress caught on camera pushing a police officer into a garden.

The champagne was flowing at Waikato's Rich Hill Stud with a Group One celebration to toast their major role in a history-making Melbourne Cup result.

It was an Auckland afternoon of shining thoroughbreds, dazzling dresses and regularly refilled glasses - all centred around a three-minute horse race in Melbourne.

The Kiwi breeders of the Melbourne Cup winner say they are thrilled at his success.

New Zealanders placed more than a million bets in this year's Melbourne Cup - a new record.

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.

Preferment continues his preparation for the Melbourne Cup with a strong win in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington.

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.

Mark Stafford from the TAB is joined by Hayley Holt from "The Crowd goes Wild", Lotto man Jordan Vandermade. and Silver Fern Kayla Cullen. They give their picks and thoughts for the Melbourne Cup.