Wild thong! Horse-owner makes Melbourne Cup strip pledge

SYDNEY: Flamboyant British billionaire Marwan Koukash has promised to parade around in just his skimpy underwear if his horse Magic Circle wins the Melbourne Cup next week.

Koukash told Australia's racenet.com.au that winning the Melbourne Cup would be like "having sex for the first time" -- and that his unusual celebration was no stunt.

"I will have a thong on at least -- my parts are not a pretty sight so I will keep them hidden away from the cameras," said Koukash, the former owner of the Salford Red Devils rugby league team.

"My thong is built in such a way, it is especially built, to enhance the look of my private parts. To make them look bigger than what they really are."

Koukash also promised a show-all celebration before Magic Circle won the Chester Cup in May, but kept his clothes on after British racing authorities reportedly warned him of a lifetime ban.

"I am not doing it for publicity trust me, I want to mark winning the Melbourne Cup with something and taking my clothes off is the way I want to celebrate it," Koukash said.

"I don't care if they ban me afterwards, as long as I win the Melbourne Cup they can never take that away from me."

Seven-year-old gelding Magic Circle is among the favourites to win the coveted Flemington race on November 6.

"There are a lot of owners who are stiff upper lip, you look at the way they receive their trophies and they don't even seem happy," Koukash said.

"I'm not classified as your proper owner like the other owners, I'm just a fan and sometimes I'm crazy."