Carolyn asked ... why the Melbourne Cup is also run on the first Tuesday of November

The answer is...not really sure! The first Melbourne Cup was held on a Thursday in 1861 and moved to a Tuesday in 1875. The four day carnival we enjoy today was also adopted in 1875. In 1877 the first Tuesday in November was declared a public holiday in Victoria so the public could enjoy the hugely popular race. The race was held in November because it was between the winter football season and the summer cricket season and would guarantee the sport of horse racing large crowds and media coverage.