Melbourne Cup fever has hit Fiji.
People have started to dress up, many women will be wearing their best or most colorful hats and dresses, with some participating in fashion parades also.
In Suva, things will start rolling from this hour where places like Holiday Inn and the Suva Yacht Club have organized various activities leading up to the race.
Hotels and resorts in the Western Division are also preparing for fashion parades and auctioning.
We also spoke with some punters who are lining up to place their bets as we countdown to the race that stops a nation.
Meanwhile, a new report shows the Melbourne Cup is the city’s booziest sporting event.
The race day topped the tables as the worst sporting event for alcohol intoxication and assaults during and before the event.
Ambulance Victoria operations manager Paul Holman said ambulance services had to deal with alcohol-related assaults, hospitalization and illnesses, seeing about 130 patients over the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
For the race today, Americain, Dunaden, Red Cadeaux, Mount Athos, Green Moon, My Quest for Peace and Ethiopia are some of the favorites for the race that starts at 5pm today.
Story by: Dhanjay Deo and Aliki Bia
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Melbourne Cup fever has hit Fiji