Even if you hate the Melbourne Cup, you probably know famous winners Makybe Diva and Phar Lap. For decades, our most famous horse race has lived up to its name and stopped the nation, with Aussies putting down the tools and betting hundreds of millions on the outcome. I’m talking big bucks here — in 2021, we gambled $223.8 million on the race. But for every famous horse’s name you know, there are thousands of names you’ll never know. The very existence of horse racing encourages an industry plagued with animal cruelty allegations.
