My favourite Melbourne Cup was in (I think) 1990 when Kingston Rule won. I didn't know anything about punting then. A good mate and I went flyfishing for trout (my passion back then) that day near Nimmitabel, on the Monaro in southern NSW. Being November, it was warming up and the trout were chasing mayflies. We caught a couple in the morning on the dry fly and then went to the Nimmitabel pub to watch the race. My horse didn't win but my friend won about $500 that and and he later used that money to buy a new flyrod. My mate and I enjoyed cheering home the winner and after a few schooners we went back to the river and there was a great hatch of mayflies happening and we had some great fun stalking and catching one fish each, about 1.5lb or so.

I guess the point of this story is that going to the races, and fishing for that matter, is much more about catching fish or winning money (although each puts a big smile on your face); its about having fun with your mates, enjoying the experience and being lucky enough to indulge in a passion that you love.