Local link to The Cup

Today’s Melbourne Cup will have a local flavour with one of the runners being partly owned by a Warragul husband and wife duo.

Mathew and Sue Ridgway, from Warragul, have been in the horse ownership game for 35 years, and will be watching keenly as their horse High Emocean tries to win the nation’s biggest race.

High Emocean was a late call-up for the race, having won the Bendigo Cup last week to secure her spot in the starting 24. She will be just the third Bendigo Cup champion in the last 29 years to contest the Melbourne Cup in the same year.

While the 10 per cent ownership of the horse is under Mathew’s name, he said it was a birthday present from his wife, who had been “amazing” in their time as horse owners.

Mathew also said to have a horse in the race that stops the nation was “nerve wracking.”

“There’s a lot of mixed feelings, we’ve only just crept in. Still, you’ve got to be in it to win it,” he said.

Mathew and Sue still have strong memories of their last major success, when their horse Warning won the 2019 Victoria Derby.

“I never thought we’d have another horse get somewhere that big again, to be honest,” he said.

And while the bookies aren’t giving High Emocean the greatest of odds, given the short turnaround from the Bendigo Cup, Mathew said the inclement weather forecast could play right into her hands, as she races at her best on “a soft seven or a slow eight.”

“She’s in a good stable. They wouldn’t race it if they didn’t feel she was ready,” he said.

Despite his nervousness, Mathew might just be daring to dream.

“I wouldn’t mind bringing the cup back to Warragul.”