In less than an hour's time we shall be bringing you the simulcasts of five races from the Melbourne Cup raceday at Flemington. It's great that we are able to simulcast the Melbourne Cup, the famous "race that stops a nation", as a standalone event this season, without affecting our midweek night race schedule.
We've received some very positive results from the simulcasts we've run so far this season, both in terms of betting and viewing. During the AAMI Victoria Derby simulcasts last Saturday, I spent a few hours visiting four of our Off-Course Betting Branches, and I saw many racing fans staying there to watch our live simulcasts. I chatted with some of the racing fans there and it's nice to hear that the feedback given by them is very positive. Furthermore, they show keen interest in getting more simulcast information from our betting branches as well as from racing papers.
We'll see in the near future how we can do more to cater for their needs. The Melbourne Cup will be run at noon today and I shall be especially watching out for defending champion Viewed in this race. He ran a fantastic race in the Mackinnon Stakes, finishing a creditable third in this 2000m event three days ago. He should be the horse to beat and I'll be interested to see if he can land this prestigious race for the second year in a row. Another Bart Cummings-trained runner, Roman Emperor, also looks capable of challenging for top honours, given his promising performance in the Caulfield Cup. But I don't think anyone should overlook the chances of Alcopop. This five-year-old is enjoying his perfect season, winning four races in a row, and I think he deserves to be considered at least for a place.
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