Finance-economy-racing-Australia, by Nei

Finance-economy-racing-Australia, by Neil Sands A man fills in a betting slip in a suburban pub as the global economic crisis is said not to be preventing Australian punters from having a flutter on the country's biggest horse race, the Melbourne Cup, according to bookmakers, in Melbourne on October 30, 2008. While organisers admit corporate interest in Melbourne Cup to be run November 04, has been flat, bookmakers say most Australians have defied the gloom generated by financial meltdown ahead of the event billed as "the race that stops a nation". "Business has been great -- betting on the Melbourne Cup's showing no sign of slowing down," said Neil Evans of online bookmaker Centrebet. "We're traditionally an industry that's been regarded as pretty bullet-proof when it comes to tough economic times because were a relatively cheap form of entertainment for people who are down on their luck. AFP PHOTO/William WEST (Photo credit should read WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)