War Horse rides into Melbourne for the Cup

The Australian cast of War Horse have been rehearsing in Sydney for the last month ahead of an official Australian premiere on New Year's Eve in Melbourne.

But while the rest of the cast continue their demanding rehearsal schedule, the multiple Tony and Olivier Award-winning horse Joey will be trackside at Flemington Racecourse tomorrow as part of the 2012 Melbourne Cup Day celebrations.

Aussie actor Cody Fern (Albert) and his beloved puppet horse Joey, operated by three gifted puppeteers, will deliver the Emirates Melbourne Cup

trophy to Flemington's Mounting Yard, ahead of the race that stops a nation. They will hand over the $175,000 trophy to the Chairman of the Victoria Racing Club, Mr Michael Burn.

Joey will also wow the ladies with a special appearance at The VRC Oaks Club Luncheon on Wednesday 7 November and visit The Birdcage on Emirates Stakes Day (Saturday 10 November).

High profile appearances are second nature to Joey, having already performed a very special salute to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at the monarch's Jubilee celebrations earlier this year. The Queen is said to be a fan of the show, and there is no doubt Australian audiences will feel similarly when the production begins its Australian tour in just under two months.

Joey's other official engagements in November include the opening of Arts Centre Melbourne's Breath Of Life Exhibition (Friday 9 November), a special appearance at Newcomb Secondary College, Geelong on Monday 12 November, and some regional stops in Ballarat (13 November) and Shepparton (15 November).