Australia buckles down for the Melbourne Cup

I am no more amazed when, suddenly at this time of the year, I start getting calls and messages from long lost friends and relatives now residing overseas.

Most, if not all, are one-time Singaporeans now turned Australian citizens and, down to a man, woman, aunt, uncle, cousin and ex-girlfriend, there is just one thing they want to know.

Without shame, they will ask: “You are a tipster. So, what’s good for this year’s Cup?”.

Of course, they are referring to the Melbourne Cup and my reply has always been the same. “Guys, you are Down Under. I am up here. How would I know?”

But these calls and messages always bring on a smile as it reminds me that we are heading into November and, even, Christmas.

Yes, no need to be blinded by the lights along Orchard Road. My mates from Down Under always make sure I know that it is “that time of the year”.

Melbourne Cup time.

A fixture on every first Tuesday of November, it is the year’s biggest gala. In Aussie slang, a “rip-snorter” of a party.

This year, it is on Nov 5 and like all footy-loving Aussies, these former Singaporeans have also been caught up in the manic mystique of “The Cup”.

I do not blame them. Not one crikey bit! After all, it is an Australian celebration and those blokes have every right to be a part of it.

The Melbourne Cup has always been called “Australia’s Greatest Race” or “The race that stops a nation”.

I say it has become more than that. Over the years, it has evolved into one of the greatest races in the Southern hemisphere – maybe even, the world.

What still amazes me is that it is just another handicap race.

And, if you are wondering what “handicap” means and what it does, well, it takes away a pre-ordained factor.

You see, the weights in a handicap race are arranged so smartly that, in theory at least, even the worst horse has the same chance as the best.

That is part of the beauty of the Melbourne Cup. The permutations are mind-boggling. But there is more to it.

Through the years and whether you roost in Perth, Sydney or Singapore, if you are just a wee bit inclined to have a “flutter on the ponies” you will want a slice of the Melbourne Cup pie.

So, back to my mates from Perth. What do they enjoy most about this Australian ritual? Right now, it is not so much the pomp, fashion or the booze.

Sure, it is there. Just look to the parade ring, the VIP marquees and on the lawn. That is usually where the racing establishment asserts itself.

It is there, in that atmosphere which exudes money that we see women balancing on their six-inch stilettos and the men in their finest Sunday suits.

But look elsewhere. It is more about the common bloke. The office betting pool and the pub sweepstakes. The electrifying atmosphere is everywhere -- at the workplace, in the bars and even by the barbie pits.

And it is not so much about money. It is more about picking the winner as it guarantees you bragging rights until next November. Yes, everyone wants something from the Melbourne Cup, including the ex-Singaporeans.

Until they left to set up home Down Under, it was easy for them to dodge the gallops at Bukit Timah and, later, Kranji. All they had to do was ignore the races.

Not so in their new home town. They, who, at one time, did not know which end of the horse entered the feed bucket, are now a once-a-year punters.

Yes, once in Australia, they quickly found out that they could not escape the vibrancy of the Cup. They were bombarded left, right and centre. So it was, they were soon plonking a few dollars into the office pool and the pub sweepstakes.

Like any racing journo knows, tipping the Melbourne Cup winner gives them a sense of smug satisfaction.

I know the feeling – which is why when my once-a-year mates from Perth and elsewhere popped the question recently, I did not beat around the bush.

I told them that, come Nov 5, I was going to have something on Buckaroo and, if he was to fight out the finish, I reckoned he would have to do battle with Onesmoothoperator and Circle Of Fire.

My cousin, Cliff, from Perth is with me on that count. He too reckons the winner is going to be Buckaroo. Why? “Easy,” he replied. “Buckaroo is trained by Chris Waller. Yes, the same guy who gave Winx to the world.”

Fair enough – even if you are splitting hairs, none of the wonder mare’s 37 wins, let alone 43 career starts, came in the Melbourne Cup.

Still, Buckaroo is not Winx, but he does have a big heart which will come into play as he – like the others – will have to run a lung-buster over the back-breaking 3,200m.

He and the rest will have to give their all. And when there is nothing left to give, they must dig in and give some more even if it means crossing the line exhausted.

That is the beauty of the Melbourne Cup. It is out there on the green grass of the Flemington racecourse that history is made and legends are born.

On Nov 5, a horse with a tremendous “engine” will gallop into folklore – his jubilant jockey, standing high in the irons like some Titan.

The Flemington grandstand will erupt. So too, racing fans in the TAB’s betting shops, offices, schools and homes all across that great continent. My pals, included.

And oh, I do like this time of the year and yes, a lot of it has to do with the calls and messages I get from Down Under.

It reminds me just how great it is to have friends and family who, even if Buckaroo flops like a bag of potatoes, will certainly invite me over for a barbie the next time I visit Perth.

Will it help if I say “please”?

brian@sph.com.sg