Field Assembled For The Greatest Cup Never Run
- Thursday, 29 July 2010 05:53
The who’s who of Australian racing gathered at Melbourne Museum on Wednesday, 28 July for the announcement of the runners in ‘The Greatest Cup Never Run’.
It was part of the launch of The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race, a coffee-table book of racing essays, illustrations and images compiled in honour of 150 years of the race that stops a nation.
The VRC and The Slattery Media Group event saw racing identities Glen Boss, Roy Higgins, Greg Carpenter, Terry Henderson and Mick Robins join special guests The Hon. John Brumby, Premier of Victoria, VRC Chairman Rod Fitzroy and event MC Bruce McAvaney, in celebrating the announcement of ‘The Greatest Cup Never Run' – a fictional Melbourne Cup field featuring 24 of the most outstanding racehorses of the past 149 years.
The champions who made the exclusive field of 24 include (in saddlecloth number order):
- Phar Lap (1930);
- Carbine (1890);
- Makybe Diva (2003-05);
- Peter Pan (1932,1934);
- Galilee (1966);
- Poseidon (1906);
- Rising Fast (1954);
- Rain Lover (1968-69);
- Comic Court (1950);
- Grand Flaneur (1880);
- Might and Power (1997);
- Archer (1861-62);
- Vintage Crop (1993);
- Delta (1951);
- Malua (1884);
- Nightmarch (1929);
- Poitrel (1920);
- Saintly (1996);
- The Barb (1866);
- Dalray (1952);
- Hall Mark (1933);
- Light Fingers (1965);
- Doreimus (1995);
- Think Big (1974-75).
Weights and barriers were also announced for each runner.
The field from the Greatest Cup Never Run will come to life on Emirates Melbourne Cup day when the race will be digitally simulated.
The field of 24 champions, including Phar Lap and triple Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, will go head-to-head with one runner taking out the crown of the greatest Melbourne Cup champion of all time.
Greg Carpenter, Racing Victoria Chief Handicapper – due to handicap his sixth Melbourne Cup this year – assembled the field of 24 champions and the associated weights.
A panel of 22 racing experts has assessed the field and will determine the outcome of the digitally simulated race, based on variables including weight, barrier and jockey.
“The past 149 years has seen countless exhilarating, courageous and heartbreaking Melbourne Cups, and it is the stories and emotions that make up this iconic race that we wanted to capture in The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race,” said Geoff Slattery, CEO of The Slattery Media Group, official publisher of the commemorative book.
“The most extensive historical and cultural account of The Melbourne Cup ever offered, the book is an exciting depiction of the history of the Melbourne Cup and a testament to its incredible national and international significance,” Mr Slattery said.
Thirty-five of Australia's premier racing and sporting writers contributed to the book, including John Harms, Andrew Lemon, Neil Kearney, Bruce Clark, Adrian Dunn, Andrew Rule, Gerard Whateley, Danny Power, Jim McGrath and Mike Sheahan.
Their commissioned work makes up the narrative behind The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race.
The launch of The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race and the announcement of the best-of-the-best horses in Melbourne Cup history are the latest in a line of celebratory events and initiatives to commemorate the milestone 150th running of the race that stops a nation.
According to VRC Chairman, Mr Rod Fitzroy, the publication of The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race, is an important component of the celebrations that will commemorate the 150th milestone of the great race.
“The book not only captures the essence of the Cup, but also highlights the risk and genius it took to establish the race and traces its continuing development to the phenomenon it is today,” Mr Fitzroy said.
To pay homage to the heritage of the Melbourne Cup, the 1910 Melbourne Cup trophy won by Comedy King and 2010 Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy were displayed at the event.
The Story of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's Greatest Race is available now at all good bookstores.
Recommended retail price is $99.95. For further information visit http://www.melbournecupstory.com/
