Guardian Essential poll: record number of Australians are turning their backs on the Melbourne Cup

A record number of Australians are losing interest in the Melbourne Cup, with a new poll revealing more than two-thirds expressing low or zero enthusiasm for the annual horse race. Support for the event has been declining steadily over the years, but the Guardian Essential poll revealed that only 9% of respondents now have a high interest in the race, down 7 percentage points from 2025. Another 23% display moderate interest, also down 3 points.

The survey, conducted in late October, indicates a significant shift in attitudes towards the Cup. While 39% of participants stated they had no interest at all in the race, up 8 points from last year, the combined high and moderate interest now totals just 32%, the lowest on record since Essential began polling on this topic in November 2022.

In November 2022, the combined low and no interest vote stood at 52%, but it has climbed to its highest recorded level of 68% this year. A poll conducted in 2019 found that 78% of Australians agreed the Melbourne Cup was a unique part of Australia's national identity, a figure that has since fallen to a strong majority view of 50%.

Growing concerns about gambling and animal cruelty have contributed to the erosion of the Cup's popularity. A majority of Australians (62%) still believe the event is an integral part of Australia's national identity, though this percentage has also declined since 2019. Half of respondents (50%) now believe the Cup promotes unhealthy gambling behavior, up from 47% in 2025, while 36% feel the Cup normalizes animal cruelty, down from 39% in 2025.

About half of the participants (50%) admitted they were less interested in the Cup than they used to be. In October's poll, just 12% of voters said they regularly wager on horse races and would bet on the Melbourne Cup, a 5-point decline from 2025. Conversely, 46% of people stated they have no interest in the Cup and would not place a bet, up 6 points from the previous year. An additional 25% reported rarely betting on horses but would watch the race and place a bet, while 17% said they would watch but not bet.