Abbie Chatfield says she turned down 'a lot of money' to attend the Melbourne Cup

Abbie Chatfield has ripped into Australian celebrities and social media influencers for attending the Melbourne Cup.

The annual event has been mired in controversy in recent years, with the 'Say Nup to the Cup' campaign highlighting how horses die or get injured while Aussies drink and celebrate trackside.

As Australia gears up for the Race that Stops the Nation tomorrow (November 1), A, B and C-listers are being called out for agreeing to attend.

Chatfield has launched in a scathing rant on Instagram where she said she turned down an offer to go and it cost her a pretty penny.

“Guys, I thought we were done with the races,” the 27-year-old radio host said.

“I thought that wasn’t a thing anymore. Like, why are so many people going to the races? What the hell?”

She uploaded another story responding to a fan who asked whether she was even invited to the Melbourne Cup.

“I was offered money to go. A lot of money,” she explained, though admitted she didn’t even know what specifically she was offered it for.

“And I said f**k no.”

She further explained how there are loads of ways that celebrities and influencers get paid to go to the annual event.

But Chatfield felt the races didn't align with her personal views and therefore turned down the pricey offer.

Delta Goodrem was hit with loads of criticism earlier this month when she confirmed she was going to be an ambassador for the Melbourne Cup once again.

She posted a photo of herself with a horse saying she was very excited to head to Flemington for the races.

But, according to the Daily Mail, her fans were not impressed.

The news outlet claimed one supporter wrote: "Disappointed Delta that you have a platform where you can use your voice to bring attention to some cruel practices in the racing industry."

Another added: "Horse racing is not magic. It is straight up cruelty,' while someone else said: 'The cruelest commodity in Australia. Horse racing."

There have been six horses to die at the Melbourne Cup between 2013 to 2021, according to 9News, and another died in a lead-up race on Cup day.

There is a theory that the horses that tend to become injured are the ones that come from overseas.

The last Australian horse to die at the Cup was all the way back in 1979.

Last year's event was drama-free, however there were only two international horses running in the main race.

Commentator Gerard Whateley said in 2021 (via Yahoo News): "There’s not a scientist or mathematician in the world that wouldn’t recognise this as a cluster. It’s as upsetting as it is confronting and it’s worse than that.

“29 horses arrived in Australia from overseas to contest this year’s Spring Carnival, three are dead and at least two others have suffered career-ending injuries.

"That’s a frightening toll."