Love, loyalty and bond for the Melbourne Cup has lived in my heart for over 54 years, but for a while I had been concerned about its future and travel path, but events have intervened, serious events.

My time-honoured allegiance to the Melbourne Cup was sealed in 1968 when as a young 17-year-old immigrant I first witnessed massive levels of sustained delirium unimagined in any sporting environment let alone a horse race. I vividly remember trying to make sense of this nationalistic euphoria before quickly succumbing to it myself.

The Racing Horse was to fulfil its racing ambition when invited to the 2017 Melbourne Cup by the Victorian Racing Club. To be a bit part of this euphoric occasion along with another 90,536 plus inveterate gamblers with a TV audience estimated at 750 million from 163 nations, was the ultimate racing thrill. Prior to my visit I had always thought this race was the greatest borne out of Antipodean blood, sweat and tears, after racing I knew it! 

In all its manifestations the Melbourne Cup is the one race or sporting event in the world that genuinely and emotionally connects with the common man of its country, something absolutely unique in a sporting context! Furthermore, the race has become so embedded into the country's psyche and DNA it produces its own electromotive force which generates unparalleled excitement, whilst at the same time carrying a reverence and sanctity shared amongst all its stakeholders. This distinction is unique, we know of no other comparison!

Australia has been a nation in transition and one that has undergone a major personality change, but up to now the Melbourne Cup has always managed to transcend that process. Each year the emotional connection towards this race by an adoring Aussie public fuels drama and excitement to unprecedented levels. No other race in the world can engender the same anticipation, contagious engagement and race-day intensity, where the ensuing atmosphere ensures each household, great-grandmother to grandson, feed on this giant monster buzz!

But this absolute love should never be taken for granted, and with regret a wrong turn had been taken by the custodians. We are aware of the fabulous work by the VRC Board and believe they originally acted in good faith, but inadvertently opened their doors to callous friends who threatened the heart, character and soul of the race. For the first time since 1861, the race was to be served on a platter to the likes of Coolmore and Godolphin and their associates.

The big two have main access to the premier staying sires, and if allowed would bring younger progressive European Group-rated horses with no weight to trump the locals. With today's ease of travel and quarantine no longer an issue, they will congratulate themselves on a job well done, upgrade their CVs, then plan their next assault for the following year!

Be assured, those living in Ballarat, Bankstown or Bundaberg will be of no concern to them, nor will the country's history, folklore or legends, instead, they will crush and defile a nation's dreams by taking this triumph of Aussie sporting life out of domestic reach. 

It was only natural the VRC want to showcase their fabulous race to the global stage and celebrate its eminence and success. But they forget they are custodians not owners, with no mandate/authority to sell the essence/history of the race and besides, their primary duty of care is to the real owners - the Australians, it is they who offer unconditional love and nutrition. 

Amanda Elliott is the VRC Chairman and when asked if the balance of the race was wrong, she told me emphatically: "No! The VRC is proud to host a race that is so desired by connections all around the world. Every year we receive a very healthy number of international nominations, with the final field consisting of some of Europe’s highest-quality stayers. It is our aim to present the best staying race in the world, whether it be made up of local or international runners" and note, the key word in her response is whether!

Just one week before the 2021 race she told me: "Makybe Diva will return to Flemington to commemorate the 15th anniversary of her unprecedented third victory and the great mare will parade in the Mounting Yard, the scene of her ascension to equine immortality in 2005. She is considered an Australian icon akin to Sir Donald Bradman and presented with the inaugural Spirit of Sport Award by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2005 after retiring from racing."

She continued: "The unforgettable image of Makybe Diva standing on the track in front of the grandstands after her third consecutive win always makes me emotional. She had taken all before her and she stood and watched as nearly 110,000 people rose to applaud and respect a great champion. She brought people to the track who had never engaged with racing before, and her victory became their victories. She demonstrated courage that really resonated with the entire population. There is a whole generation of Australians who fell in love with racing thanks to Makybe Diva." 

She used the line "her victory became their victories" but this is in total contradiction to her original "whether" comments. Under this provision there could never be another Makybe Diva or Phar Lap, thus denying Australians the chance to share moments she had so eloquently described!

The facts are Australia does not have the sires, structure or patience to breed genuine stayers so opening the race up globally without protection, will encourage and demand pillage. Their domestic calendar proves the point, from 333 Group races there are only 3 Group races (0.9%) over 3,000 metres or more:

• The Adelaide Cup (SA) 3,200 metre Group 2 (March)
• The Sydney Cup (NSW) 3,200 metre Group 1 (April) 
• Tattersalls Cup Handicap (QUE) 3,000 metre Group 3 (June)

All three races have produced Melbourne Cup winners and the suggestion is one or two more races need to be added and properly spaced into the racing calendar to domestically help the greatest horse race in the world!

Without serious readjustments or rule changes the 2017 winner Rekindling would have been remembered as the start of a demise. This three-year-old previously won a Group 3 and a Group 2 before travelling to Melbourne with just 8st 2lbs to carry. Of the first 11 places Australia provided just the fourth and eighth. If this was just a little disturbing domestically it was worse the following year.

Cut from the same cloth the 2018 winner Cross Counter was another three-year-old carrying virtually no weight (just 8st) after winning a Group 3 before made favourite for a Group 2 (beaten a head). Of the first 12 places the home nation provided just 3 and once again the best position was fourth.

 Thankfully the 2019 version was won by an Australian yard, but the win disguised the facts. Vow And Declare goes into the book as the winner but the best horse in the race was placed third and would have won by a length had Frankie Dettori not clattered him with his mount. Il Paradiso was another 3yo Irish colt carrying 8st 4lbs so part of the continuing trend. Winner apart, the Aussie runners finished 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 23rd and 24th.

As expected, the trend continued in 2020 race when the Irish-trained Twilight Payment beat the unlucky Irish-trained Tiger Moth. Worth pointing out the winner was from the fifth crop of foals sired by the Teofilo whose offspring has included Cross Counter (winner in 2018). The first three in the 2020 race were all trained in Ireland and the UK.

The book could easily read 2017: REKINDLING 2018: CROSS COUNTER 2019: IL PARADISO 2020: TWILIGHT PAYMENT. So, what is our point?

First, we look at the entries and reminded Australia contributed 16 runners (67%) of the field in 2012 whilst the UK & Ireland provided 6 (25%). 

2019: AUSTRALIA 12 (50%) UK & IRELAND 10 (42%)  OTHERS 2
2018: AUSTRALIA 11 (46%) UK & IRELAND 10 (42%)  OTHERS 3
2017: AUSTRALIA 12 (50%) UK & IRELAND  9 (38%)  OTHERS 3
2016: AUSTRALIA 14 (58%) UK & IRELAND  8 (33%)  OTHERS 2
2015: AUSTRALIA 13 (54%) UK & IRELAND  9 (38%)  OTHERS 2
2014: AUSTRALIA 12 (50%) UK & IRELAND  7 (29%)  OTHERS 5
2013: AUSTRALIA 15 (63%) UK & IRELAND  7 (29%)  OTHERS 2
2012: AUSTRALIA 16 (67%) UK & IRELAND  6 (25%)  OTHERS 2

Our view is there should be a maximum of 6 foreign invaders (world-wide and all to meet the new recommendations), leaving 18 places for the Australians. It is absolutely imperative they are given the opportunity/chance to win their own race and build on its fabulous history as previously described.

Talking of caps, it must be wrong for any owner with a bank balance ego to have six runners in this race. At best it is not in the spirit of the race but at worse obscene! Braggart Lloyd Williams negatively impacts on the spirit of the Melbourne Cup so becomes part of the problem. As he intensifies his relationship with Coolmore he is quite happy to short-cut the process by buying up ready-made entrants. He is an Australian with an estimated wealth of A$700m and in 2017 had more than a quarter of the field running for him - what next 8-9-10? What if Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum wanted to own 6 of the runners in the race, what if Hamdan Al Maktoum, Sheikh Ahmed Al Maktoum and Sheik Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum wanted 6 horses involved also? What has any of this to do with the great Australian spirit? Absolutely nothing!

A cap of two runners per owner and two runners per trainer is not unreasonable, the race must be bigger than an egotistical individual - it is the people's race, it must remain the people's race!

I have been told by the politically correct on a number of occasions there is no such thing as an Aussie way of life, everything is borrowed from elsewhere, in a sporting context that is simply not true! In fact, the Melbourne Cup is the purest example an of Aussie life and has not been/could not be copied. It epitomises effort, the competitive spirit and the ability to put on a spectacular show whilst retaining fair dinkum, no worries and she'll be right mate.

In political areas the 'borrowed from elsewhere phrase' is regretfully true, for example wokerati has not only penetrated Aussie life but giving birth to something quite grotesque and at odds with what I love about Australia. An acute example was Melbourne's appalling handling of the Covid-19 situation, something that received ridicule from around the world and unfortunately besmirched Australia!

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Back to the race, there have been two major events since to scupper Amanda Elliott's and the VRC vision. Covid-19 clearly had a massive impact on proceedings, but more so the justifiable furore regarding the death of seven horses in the eight races between 2013-2020. Significantly, ALL seven horses were international horses - the last Australian horse to die as a result of the Melbourne Cup was in 1979! This clearly proved a welfare issue that had to be addressed. Before this carnage most within racing accepted acclimatisation is of the utmost importance for international horses in a gruelling two-mile race of this nature. The numbers made dire reading and something Amanda could not challenge!

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Following the death of Anthony Van Dyck in the 2020 race, Racing Victoria have now adopted 41 of the 44 safety recommendations of an inquiry, below we list those that are reasonable and mandatory:

• All international runners will have to undergo precautionary testing before being allowed to travel and diagnostic imaging for each run
• All horses must have a CT scan of their distal (lower leg) limbs before the race and an additional veterinary inspection on the day before
• There will now be a cap of 24 overseas entries at Melbourne's Spring Carnival which is down from an uncapped peak of 42 in 2018
• International horses will only be allowed to start in one race in Australia in the lead-up to the Melbourne Cup
• Any horse who has suffered a previous fracture, or undergone orthopaedic surgery, will not be allowed to run

 Importantly and correctly, the review consulted with dozens of parties including veterinarians, trainers, jockeys, owners, track managers and racing clubs, but not all in racing agreed.

English trainer Charlie Fellowes disagreed with the outcome of the report, he said: "This report and subsequent conditions for getting a horse to run in the Melbourne Cup are a disaster for any European trainer dreaming of winning this great race. I get that changes had to be made but this is too far and basically makes it impossible for us to come down. Connections of international contenders would have to fund all the scans and checks before their horses set off for Australia."

He is probably right; it is a disaster for European trainers but our main concern, setting aside horse welfare and the greater veterinary oversight and screening, is for the sanctity of the race itself and not whether it is convenient for British and Irish trainers. 

We have a wish list for the Melbourne Cup 2022 and one that is not unreasonable. As always, our first priority is to hope for zero deaths and injuries this year. We also hope the winner is trained by an Australian, ridden by an Australian and owned by an Australian (excluding Lloyd Williams). Should the above happen the Australian Stakeholders win also.

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