Cup Carnival crowd could be record low

The Melbourne Cup Carnival is in danger of recording its lowest four-day crowd total this century but organisers are hoping a large attendance on family-oriented Stakes Day will boost the numbers.

Melbourne Cup Carnival crowds have been in decline since 2006 when a record 418,069 people squeezed into Flemington over four days.

A crowd of 65,000 is needed on Saturday’s Stakes Day to ensure 2016 beats this century’s low-water mark of 313,228 set last year.