World's media pokes fun at 'decadent and depraved' Cup revellers
Things got a little festive after the racing wrapped up at Flemington and the antics of Melbourne Cup revellers created waves around the world.
The weather forecast kept the official crowd to 97,479, but those in attendance still sparked one almighty party trackside.
Crowd behaviour was relatively good this year, with nine people arrested and 78 evicted (both down from last year).
But as the usual photos emerged of ladies shunning their shoes and lads losing their inhibitions, the world's media had a field day.
US sports website Deadspin field a piece headlined "The Melbourne Cup is decadent and depraved".
"It's not until you see these photos of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's most drunken and depraved horse racing event, that you can really understand just how out of hand [they] can get," author Bill Haisley wrote.
"Following the proud British tradition of getting equal parts dolled and f****d up at horse races — it is a perfect event for young and old alike to don their finest of outfits and guzzle copious amounts of alcohol. The entire state of Victoria even gets the day off from work, since Melbourne Cup day has been decreed an official local holiday.
"There is a lot of booze. There is a lot of littering. There is a lot of smiling. There is, for whatever reason, a whole lot of falling/lying on the ground. All of these factors combined create opportunities for some marvellous photography."
The International Business Times also had a crack.
"Australia's most prestigious horse race descended into Australia's biggest party, as the booze kept on flowing long after the Melbourne Cup had run," they reported.
"Around 100,000 spectators enjoyed the big day at Flemington racecourse — some rather more than others.
"Judging from these photos, the police must have been kept busy. Stewards had to step in to break up brawls, and several punters were carried away in ambulances.
"The Melbourne Cup is known as 'the race that stops the nation'. Perhaps this is because revellers are so hung-over the next day that they can't move."
Retired cricketer Kevin Pietersen said the racing crowd at Royal Ascot carried themselves a lot better.
"Well I was at Royal Ascot a few years back and that I think was a little more civilised," he told The New Daily. "This seems a bit looser."
