Chris Waller has watched with envy the adulation success in the Lexus Melbourne Cup provides the winning trainer.
A winner of Australia's most famous race, Waller had to remain in Sydney due to COVID lockdowns when Verry Elleegant won the race in 2021.
This time around, the Waller team has five runners in the Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on Tuesday – Buckaroo, Kovalica, Land Legend, Valiant King and Manzoice – where the trainer will be on course to cheer them on.
"Winning our first Melbourne Cup, it was on the couch at home, it was a unique experience for sure," Waller said on Monday.
"I would say the phone started ringing 10 seconds after they cross the line, and it didn't stop for many days.
"I've seen the media scrums here at Flemington and the All Blacks would be proud of it.
"They all get around you. There's a lucky person in front of the cameras, in front of the microphones, delivering the story.
"Every Melbourne Cup has a new story and it's quite unique and one of sports great moments."
Waller hopes one of his five charges will be that new story when the winner crosses the line around 3.05 on Tuesday afternoon.