With the Lexus Melbourne Cup over for another year and the adrenaline subsiding, a wave of sadness has come over us as we think back to the event itself. The Melbourne Cup is one of Australia’s most iconic events and therefore is deserving of the attention and hype that builds months before the horses break out of the gate of Race 7 on Flemington. This year in the months leading up to the iconic event, nothing received more attention than the cup itself and the journey it took to take its place at the mecca of Australian horse racing.
We were fortunate enough to join the quarter of a million-dollar cup on the leg of its journey to Melbourne as it made its way across the country from Perth. Representing Lexus Australia, the Melbourne Cup’s new major sponsor, we embarked across the red earth, travelling from Adelaide through Broken Hill before heading East across the Blue Mountains to Sydney. Alongside myself, we were joined by John Letts, a Melbourne Cup winning Jockey from 1972 & 1980. He spoke a great deal about the lead up to the carnival, as well as what the athletes endure, and naturally the euphoria of crossing the finish line first.
Once we made it to Sydney, we were greeted with a brand new Lexus Hybrid ES300h. A luxurious 4 door sedan that boasts 160Kw, which is higher than its previous model. Don’t be fooled the ES 300h’s sporty chassis, it is remarkably comfortable and has been designed with the passengers in mind. the only downfall is that it doesn’t come with a chauffeur so you can immerse yourself in the spacious passenger and rear seats. The technology enthusiasts among us will love its features such as wireless phone charging, lane assist and the 12.3-inch touchscreen display in the centre dash.
The team and I were privy to an exclusive first look at the car, a whole month before it was available to the public. We were the first in the country to get our hands on the new model and got a rare insider look before it had even been advertised.
For the full visual experience of our journey, watch our time with Lexus and The Melbourne Cup Trophy in the video above.
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