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Melbourne Cup Carnival 2014: guide

Seven's annual coverage of the Melbourne Cup Carnival begins on Saturday, with commentary led by Bruce McAvaney.

2014-10-30_0101Seven’s annual coverage of the Melbourne Cup Carnival begins on Saturday, and continues for a week with commentary led by Bruce McAvaney.

The Carnival jumps out of the barriers on Saturday with what many racing purists consider the best single day of thoroughbred racing in Australia. Victorian racing’s premier three-year-old classic, the Victoria Derby is the feature event for stayers over 2500m. It’s the only all-Group race day on the calendar and includes three other Group 1 races the Mackinnon Stakes, Myer Classic and Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Two days before the nation’s greatest race, our experts examine all the form in our special Melbourne Cup Preview Show on Sunday morning. From the locals to the internationals, our team of experts hosted by Bruce McAvaney dissect and analyse every Cup hopeful to help you back a winner.

Melbourne viewers will also see the annual Melbourne Cup Parade on Monday. Celebrating its 31st birthday this year, tens of thousands of fans will line Swanston St for this highly anticipated parade of thoroughbreds, jockeys, trainers and celebrity guests, hosted by Seven News Melbourne presenter Peter Mitchell with Simon Marshall and Richard Freedman.

After that it’s the first Tuesday in November, which means only one thing to Australians: the Melbourne Cup. The nation’s greatest race, a handicap run over ‘two miles’, attracts thoroughbred horses from around the globe as trainers and owners look to etch their name in racing history. Every year drama, intrigue and stories unfold around the Cup with winners coming from all walks of life.

Oaks Day and Stakes Day, on Thursday and Saturday respectively, round out arguably the best racing carnival in the world. The latest in fashion, colour and flair is celebrated on Oaks Day, with the feature race the Group 1 Oaks for three-year-olds. While families are again expected to flock to Stakes Day to enjoy the relaxed atmosphere for the VRC’s premier 1600m race.

Seven’s coverage will be hosted by Bruce McAvaney alongside Francesca Cumani, Richard Freedman and Simon Marshall, with Peter Donagen reporting on all the latest in the mounting yard.

Joh Griggs, Ryan Phelan, Edwina Bartholomew, Hamish McLachlan, Bec Maddern, Rachael Finch, Michael Felgate and Neil Kearney will report on all the colour and characters in the crowd from the punters on the lawn to the A-List celebrities in the Birdcage.

Australia’s premier race caller Greg Miles will be heard on Seven’s coverage throughout the Carnival. Pat Welsh will keep an eye on where all the big plunges are heading in the betting ring. And Basil Zempilas will MC all of the race presentations throughout the carnival.

They are the public faces of what is a huge production unit, involving hundreds of personnel and up to 50 cameras – around the courses, in tracking vehicles, in the air, in the jockeys’ and stewards’ rooms and also at times mounted on a jockey’s helmet to drop viewers into the saddle during the race itself.

As the free-to-air home of thoroughbred horseracing Seven broadcasts every major meeting on the Australian calendar including the Sydney Easter Carnival, the Caulfield Cup Carnival, the WS Cox Plate, Stradbroke Handicap, the Melbourne Cup Carnival and for the first time in January 2015, the Magic Millions.

Broadcast Schedule:

Saturday November 1
Victoria Derby Day
Sydney 11am Live on Channel 7, 5.30pm Live on 7TWO
Melbourne 11am Live on Channel 7
Brisbane 10am Live on Channel 7
Adelaide 10.30am Live on Channel 7
Perth 8am Live on Channel 7

Sunday November 2
Melbourne Cup Preview Show
Sydney 11.30am on Channel 7
Melbourne 11.30am on Channel 7
Brisbane 11.30am on Channel 7
Adelaide 11.30am on Channel 7
Perth 11.30am on Channel 7

Monday November 3
Melbourne Cup Parade
Melbourne 12pm Live on Channel 7

Tuesday November 4
Melbourne Cup Day
Sydney 10am Live on Channel 7
Melbourne 10am Live on Channel 7
Brisbane 9am Live on Channel 7
Adelaide 9.30am Live on Channel 7
Perth 7am Live on Channel 7

Thursday November 6
Oaks Day
Sydney 11.30am Live on Channel 7
Melbourne 11.30am Live on Channel 7
Brisbane 10.30am Live on Channel 7
Adelaide 11am Live on Channel 7
Perth 8.30am – 9am Live on 7TWO, 9am Live on Channel 7

Saturday November 8
Stakes Day
Sydney 11.30am Live on Channel 7
Melbourne 11.30am Live on Channel 7
Brisbane 10.30am Live on Channel 7
Adelaide 11am Live on Channel 7
Perth 8.30am Live on Channel 7

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