# the length of the Flemington straight

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/the-length-of-the-flemington-straight
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A long way, a great distance, a large gap, a lot.

## Examples

- The two candidates are separated by the length of the Flemington straight.
- The quality of these two products differs by the length of the Flemington straight.
- You are the length of the Flemington straight behind the rest of the runners.
- The project is nowhere near finished; we are still the length of the Flemington straight from our goal.
- My current savings are the length of the Flemington straight away from what I actually need to buy a house in this city.
- After the argument, the couple sat on opposite ends of the sofa, looking the length of the Flemington straight apart.
- Despite their shared history, the two former friends now hold opinions separated by the length of the Flemington straight.

## Origin

The expression refers to Flemington Racecourse in Australia, a venue noted for a home straight measuring 450 metres in length. This particular stretch of track serves as the final focus for the Melbourne Cup, an annual event of sufficient national interest to have fixed the dimensions of the course into the local idiom for extreme distance.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.