ONE of the most famous sporting trophies in Australia hit the Border at the weekend — and for one Wodonga mother the experience was surreal.
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Wodonga was one of 34 stops on the Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour.
The Cup is made of 18-carat gold and is valued at $175,000, but for some it is priceless.
For Fiona Fraser, who was overcome with emotion when she watched daughter Ruby, 6, slip on a white glove, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
“My (late) dad liked horse racing and I got a bit emotional thinking ‘gee I would have liked to have told dad about this’,” she said.
“It would have been nice if he could have been here to see it but I’m sure he was looking down very proud.
“It is a beautiful thing, the gold is so different in real life compared to seeing it on TV.”
“For me it was surreal and a really great thing to have the Cup come to Albury-Wodonga.”
The Cup appeared at the SS and A club on Friday night before visiting Wodonga Little Athletics and Wodonga Racecourse on Saturday.
Ruby has taken a liking to horses, like her pop, and said she felt very special to have the chance to hold it.
“I was a bit nervous holding it just in case I dropped it,” she said.
“I really like horses and I rode on a horse named Ruby on Friday.”
The Cup is being accompanied by racing legends Des Gleeson and John Russell on its 3½-month journey across Australia and New Zealand.
The tour has travelled more than 345,000 kilometres and visited 270 towns and cities in the past 11 years.
The 154th Melbourne Cup will be run on November 4.
