Victorian Racing Club officials are hoping the Qantas airlines strike won't impact too seriously on today's Melbourne Cup.
The dispute, which came to a head when Qantas grounded its entire fleet at the weekend, has cast doubt over the attendance of thousands of visitors from overseas and across the country to Australia's most celebrated race.
The Melbourne Cup has continued to attract crowds of over 100-thousand, even in the wake of the global financial crisis, although the VRC's income from corporate sponsorship has taken a big hit since 2008 and has yet to recover.
There's an unprecedented lineup of 11 European stayers for this year's Melbourne Cup.
