The Victoria Racing Club plans to inform people by October 15 how tickets will be distributed after a crowd of 10,000 patrons for Melbourne Cup Day was approved by the state government on Sunday.

Chairman Neil Wilson said the VRC was grateful to be in a position to host racing fans at Flemington for three days of Cup week.

“The Melbourne Cup is Australia’s original major event, with a global audience reach of 750 million people, and is a significant driver of economic activity for Victoria,” he said.

“We are delighted that the ‘race that stops a nation’ will herald the re-start of our city.“

VRC CEO Steve Rosich thanked VRC members, partners and owners for their patience and understanding over the past 18 months, and said the club would now work closely with the Victorian government and health authorities to secure a deeper understanding of the event parameters for attendance.

“We are ready to host a COVID-safe event with crowds across three days of the Melbourne Cup carnival that utilises our numerous hospitality venues and expansive grounds, marking a major step in the reopening of our city and the state of Victoria,” Rosich said.

“We will now work with the Victorian Government to fully understand the event requirements for the VRC and attendees, and we will execute our plans accordingly.

“We will share further information with our members, partners, owners and the public as soon as possible and by October 15 at the latest.”