The Melbourne Cup, a 3,200–metre race for horses more than three years old, has long been called “the race that stops the nation”.

Held each year on the first Tuesday in November at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, it attracts racehorses from overseas, politicians, sporting identities, fashionistas and others from among the wealthy and the famous.

It’s also a bonanza for betting companies. As Australia’s biggest one-day race gambling event, the total amount wagered currently exceeds that of any other Australian horse race by far.

But much of the gloss has been rubbed off. Other prestige races are coming up on its heels, and punters are increasingly drawn to betting on other activities – such as AFL and NRL.

And there’s also been a long-term decline in interest in animal racing in general, amid growing concerns about animal cruelty.

So, is the Melbourne Cup still stopping the nation in the way it used to? Here’s what the numbers reveal.

In 2003, in-person attendance at........

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