31 Oct 2022

The psychology behind The Melbourne Cup

From Nights, 10:30 pm on 31 October 2022

The Melbourne Cup is Australia's most famous horse race - it's rich in tradition, it captivates thousands - and it also divides. Every year the race raises questions over animal welfare and the ethics of horseracing for profit.

It's dubbed as "the race that stops a nation", but is the whole nation really behind the cup? We put that question to Dr Katie Greenaway, a psychology lecturer at the University of Melbourne. 

Smokin' Romans (NZ) after winning  the TAB Turnbull Stakes at Flemington Racecourse on October 01, 2022 in Flemington, Australia. (Photo by George Sal/Racing Photos via Getty Images)

Photo: Getty Images