The Melbourne Cup has lost its common touch.
It was created way back in 1861 in the image of Australias egalitarian values. The design of the race is characterised by the notion of a fair go. Its a handicap race – the best horses carry the most weight to level the playing field. This supposedly gives all horses a fair go. Its all about equal opportunity.
Megan Gale with the Lexus Melbourne Cup in Lexus ahead of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.Credit:Daniel Pockett
As Australian historian John OHara puts it, “The real importance of the Melbourne Cup is to be found in what it symbolises. The inherent uncertainty of the race and its promotion of the concept of equality of opportunity symbolised colonial Australia.”
But lets be honest, the race is no longer a representation of Australian egalitarianism. Its now a reflection of a new world of globalisation and the business of sport.
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Its now what rich elites do for fun, leaving the Aussie battler with just two chances – Buckleys and none. Perhaps thats the way its always been. After all, its referred to as the “sport of kings” for a reason.
The evidence of this is overwhelming. Last years Cup winner, Rekindling, was trained by a 24-year-old Irishman, Joseph OBrien, and owned by an Australian millionaire, Lloyd Williams.
Williams has something of an obsession with the Melbourne Cup and scours the world for the best stayers to compete in Australias mighty race. Whatever hes doing is working. Williams has now won six Melbourne Cups and has another favourite, Yucatan, in this years race.
Yucatan, favourite for the Melbourne Cup.Credit:AAP
His fifth victory in 2016 nudged him in front of billionaire Malaysian entrepreneur Dato Tan Chin Nam, who won four Melbourne Cups, all trained by the legendary Bart Cummings.
Chin Nams best chance of a fifth Cup came in 2010 with his duel Cox Plate winner, So You Think. However, it was not to be as French-trained, American-bred stallion Americain stormed home to win. Americain was owned by Jayco caravans magnate Gerry Ryan and Melbourne entrepreneur Kevin Bamford.
Other rich winners include Sheikh Fahad Al-Thani, who won the 2011 Melbourne Cup with Dunaden. Sheikh Fahad is a member of the ruling Qatari royal family and worth billions.
Cummings, who won the Cup 12 times for millionaires and battlers, never really embraced the internationalisation. He feared the international raiders took the place of hard-working Aussie horses, trainers and owners who support the Australian industry week in, week out. He wanted a cap on how many overseas horses were allowed in.
His grandson, James, is now the Australian trainer of one of the worlds biggest and richest worldwide stables, Godolphin. Its owned by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, and ruler of the Emirate of Dubai.
Godolphin hasnt won the Melbourne Cup yet, but its back this year with the Cummings-trained Avilius and two highly fancied international horses, Caulfield Cup winner Best Solution and Cross Counter. Then theres British billionaire Marwan Koukash, who has boldly claimed hell strip down to his underwear if his horse, Magic Circle, wins the Cup on Tuesday.
A total of eight of the top 10 horses in early betting are prepared by European-based trainers. Theyre here for the prestige but, make no mistake, theyre also here for the money, which has grown to a record $7.3 million this year. The winner alone will take home $4 million.
So it seems winning the Cup is now reserved for a select, privileged, wealthy few. This is not a strange anomaly, unique to the Melbourne Cup, or horse racing for that matter. Rather, its a sign of the times.
Popular sport in any era reflects the society in which it exists. We were once egalitarian and equal. In many respects, we still are. But in todays global and commercial world, sport is business and money talks.
So to find the winner, your best bet may well be to do away with studying the horses and instead inspect the wealth of the rich and famous owners.
They spend money to win. And in the Melbourne Cup, at least in recent history, they usually do.
Thats now the world we live in.
Sam Duncan is an Age columnist and a lecturer in sports media and marketing.
