The founder of the last Australian-owned corporate bookmaking firm, Michael Eskander, is urging Racing Victoria officials to cap the internationals for future Melbourne Cups so local stayers still have a chance of competing in the $6million event.
While Eskander admits that much of the revenue his firm, Betstar, has collected over the past two decades has been derived from gambling against international visiting racehorses, he is concerned the Australian bred, owned, trained and ridden stayers will fall further behind.
PICTURE GALLERY: Melbourne Cup horses at Werribee quarantine centre
”It may sound silly but I have made so much money from laying these horses that I should be keeping quiet but it’s about the big picture and allowing local horses some access into the race. Trust me, and history will support me here, once-a-year punters and even some of our sharpest gamblers around, will not bet on the race,” he said. ”And why, because it’s just too confusing for them. Take last year, they told us Mount Athos just wins, just a matter of going around. And down it went.
”They [VRC] should cap the Melbourne Cup and so, while the internationals will be a part of the race, at least Australia will not be left out. The locals made the race great so they’re entitled to be represented.
”Lets not mince our words, the likes of Bart Cummings have made the Cup the marvellous event it is today. And if it was my call, I would have his [Cummings] runner in there. If you are talking financially, I love those jets touching down carrying racehorses with beaming and glowing reputations. And then the bookmaker comes out it me as soon as I hear ‘he’s won this or he’s won that’, … just keep letting them on I say.”
Leigh Jordon, Racing Victoria’s international recruiter, said: ”The race is now an international race and an event open to all comers if they pass the qualifying conditions. People forget that the connections can invest close to $200,000 to run in both the Caulfield and Melbourne cups, so I think they deserve their spot.”
Jordon says he can understand Eskander’s view.
”As an Australian I love to see the locals win but the international participation since 1993 has made the Melbourne Cup a world-class event. This year’s running of the Melbourne Cup is arguably the best we have seen and that wouldn’t be the case if the internationals were not competing,” he said. ”The international participation places the focus from around the world on Australia for Melbourne Cup day, the spin-offs through tourism, investment in our economy and the wagering on the race cannot be underestimated.”
* Cox Plate runner-up Happy Trails won’t race again this spring after showing signs of soreness following a track gallop on Wednesday.
* Bart Cummings will rely on fate and attrition to get his 88th Melbourne Cup runner next Tuesday, after he and co-trainer James Cummings decided not to accept with Precedence for Saturday’s Lexus Stakes or Mackinnon Stakes.
