Melbourne is hours away from hosting the race that stops the nation

The prestigious Melbourne Cup will be ran at Flemington Racecourse this afternoon.

Twenty-three horses will take part in the race, which spans 3.2 kilometres at the iconic racetrack in Melbourne.

Revellers can expect a wet day, with thunderstorms and hail expected in the afternoon and evening.

However, it won’t stop people from showing off their brightest colours as they take to the field as part of the iconic fashion parade.

Thousands will flock to the race track for the first time in two years after prolonged Covid-19 lockdowns.