Cruel cup? Punters love it
Wellingtonians poured into pubs as Melbourne Cup celebrations kicked off yesterday.
Many city restaurants and bars hosted events to celebrate the cup, playing the race live with a TAB handy and offering package deals of food, drinks and champagne.
But concerns over the treatment of racehorses was also in the spotlight, with Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses organiser Aya Oba saying the racing industry’s cruelty was hidden behind Melbourne Cup Day bubbles, long lunches and fashion.
Despite a report from The Guardian saying public opinion may be turning against the race – the love for the cup showed no signs of slowing in New Zealand.
In Wellington, nearly 200 people turned up at The Green Man Pub to watch the race.
Venue manager Liam Fielding said crowd numbers had been tracking down recently as corporate teams and businesses had less budget for such functions.
Some staff members had raised concerns about the Melbourne Cup and the treatment of horses but Fielding said they tried to make the event more about community, rather than the horse racing itself.
‘‘The turnout is really good – it’s really good to see people come and enjoy this event.
‘‘We’ve come off the back of the Rugby World Cup and we thought people were done but people from all backgrounds are coming to this – it’s great to host everyone and to make sure everyone has a good night.’’
Fielding thought there had been an increased awareness of animal treatment, which had affected hospitality as a whole.
In Auckland, a handful of people met at the Viaduct to protest the treatment of racehorses.
Daniel Rutherford-Smith, 25, said that it was unnecessary for horses to be treated cruelly and to die for people’s entertainment.
As protesters dressed up and carried around signs, others geared up to watch the race.
Alex Brown, assistant operations manager for Nourish Group, which runs Euro Bar and Restaurant, had 580 people come to watch the race, and similar events were getting more popular every year.
Chief executive of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Bernard Saundry said the race ‘‘which stops the nation’’ had never been more popular.
‘‘The Melbourne Cup remains a strong part of our social fabric with the industry employing 50,000 people and providing $1.6 billion in economic impact.’’