The 2018 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour is coming to Mount Barker, home of starting gate manufacturer Steriline Racing whose gates have started the Melbourne Cup for over 20 years! Mount Barker is a fast growing community situated in the Adelaide Hills of South Australia. We look forward to welcoming the people’s cup!!!

For the first time as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, the iconic trophy will travel to Mount Barker, South Australia as one of 37 destinations. Starting gate manufacturer, Steriline Racing will join racing history when they play host to the 16^th annual Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour in 2018.

Steriline starting gates have had a long-term connection with the Melbourne Cup, starting the race for more than 20 years. With a proud and long-standing relationship with ‘the race that stops a nation™’*, the Steriline tagline ‘When the Nation stops, Steriline starts’ used in the early 2000’s is still true today.

The famous race previously starting from two starting gates that were connected together to start simultaneously. In 2010, the 150^th running of the Melbourne Cup started from one set of starting gates. It was a world first, being the largest starting gate in the world with 25 stalls in one set of starting gates.

When asked about hosting the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, Managing Director of Steriline Racing, John Fargher commented,

I have been fortunate enough to experience the spectacle that is the Melbourne Cup, and to be able to share a piece of that excitement with our staff who work on our starting gates behind the scenes is truly something special.

The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour to Mount Barker will be on Wednesday 10^th October 2018. The visit will not only include the starting gate manufacturer, Steriline Racing but will also visit throughout the Mount Barker community to engage the local citizens and give them a once in a lifetime experience.

Steriline Racing has been a valued member of the Mount Barker community for many years, working with the District Council of Mount Barker on a number of occasions to promote the growing community to the world. With Steriline starting gates exported to over 50 countries around the world, the emerging town of Mount Barker in South Australia is not a new address for racing clubs worldwide. And with the impending visit of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour, Mount Barker will once again be on the world stage.

The Melbourne Cup Tour commenced in 2003 and has travelled more than half a million kilometres and visited more than 400 regional, rural and metropolitan destinations, providing communities with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience the magic of the Lexus Melbourne Cup. Victoria Racing Club Chairman, Mrs. Amanda Elliott commented on the tour of the cup saying,

The appeal of our illustrious race stretches far beyond Flemington. The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour gives us an important opportunity to share the magic of the Cup with people everywhere.

With the 2018 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour traveling to 37 destinations, Mount Barker in South Australia and prestigious starting gate manufacturer, Steriline Racing is only one stop in the world travels of the cup. For the first year, the Cup will travel to Ireland and South Korea, along with stops in the United Kingdom before returning home to Australia.

2018 LEXUS MELBOURNE CUP TOUR DESTINATIONS: 

• New South Wales – Sydney, Louth, Bega, Dunedoo
• Western Australia – Perth, Boyup Brook
• New Zealand – Auckland
• Northern Territory – Darwin, Katherine
• Australian Capital Territory – Canberra
• Queensland – Brisbane, Mount Perry, Mission Beach, Gold Coast, Goondiwindi, Birdsville
• South Australia – Adelaide, Mount Barker
• Tasmania – Hobart
• Victoria – Melbourne, Nagambie, Shepparton, Skipton, Wodonga, Portland, Camperdown, Stawell, Wangaratta, Goornong
• The United Kingdom – London, Newbury, Somerset, Newmarket
• Ireland – County Kildare, Closutton, Owning Hill
• South Korea – Seoul

For further information about the 2018 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour please click here

^{*Footnote:“the race that stops a nation is a ™ and © of the Victoria Racing Club Limited 2006”}