A closer look at “Record 68% of Australians Now Have Low or Zero Interest in Melbourne Cup, Guardian Essenti”, exactly as the source publishes it. A record number of Australians are turning away from the Melbourne Cup, with more than two-thirds now saying they have low or zero interest in the race that once stopped the nation, according to the latest Guardian Essential poll. Just 9% of Australians report high interest in the annual horse race, Just 9% of Australians report high interest in the annual horse race, a sharp drop from 17% in 2025.
The slide reflects growing public disapproval of gambling and heightened concern about animal cruelty in horse racing. The poll underscores a cultural shift: the Cup, long a fixture of Australian identity, is losing relevance as social attitudes evolve. With wagering under scrutiny and welfare issues in the spotlight, the race's future as a national unifier is increasingly uncertain. The full version stays on the original page, which this listing opens directly.