July 7, 2024 • 7 mins
Ahead of the Melbourne Cup going on tour, keeper Joe McGrath joined BK to discuss the responsibilities associated with keeping an important award safe.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Whether it's gun boots or rugby boots. The Country Sport
Breakfast has you covered on gold Sport, your home of
live commentary on the show. Now it's time to catch
up with a gentleman who, to my way of thinking,
has actually got the best job in the world. He's
known as the Keeper of the Cup, the Keeper of
the Melbourne Cup. His name is Joe McGrath, who joins
(00:22):
us live in the studio. He tours the world with
this beautiful gold Cup.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Morning Joe, Good morning, b K. Great to be here,
welcome back.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
We spoke again last year and since then you've probably
toured the planet just taking that gold Cup and talking
to people about it.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yes, we're on our annual Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour again
and this year we're heading to six countries and thirty
nine destinations. And so far we've been to Japan and
the US, to the Belmont, to Saratoga where they ran
the Belmont Steaks and we had the Belmont Gold Cup
(00:57):
which was a winner. And you're in race for the
Melbourne Cups. And here we are in New Zealand and
back to Australia later today.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
How did you get the job of the Keeper of
the Cup.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Mate, Well it is. It's like I suppose a few
sliding doors moments you might want to call it. But
I did work at the Australian Racing Museum and I
was their director, which was a bit of a branch
out from the General Racing Administration, which I'd enjoyed previously.
And one thing led to another, and then someone said
(01:33):
they're taking this trophy, the Melbourne Cup. When I grew
up with racing and a passion for it, so I
was very aware of the importance of the Cup and
the history around it. And they said, oh, you know,
would you like to talk about it on the road,
And that's basically what happened. And I said to people,
I wrote this really nice, great four page speech for
(01:55):
the first day and never got to read it. Never
got to haven't read it since it's as you move
around you're talking to different groups and different people and
just seeing their responses with the cup and what it
means to them. You know, you're never tire of I
can assure you of that.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
The history of the Cup goes back to eighteen sixty one,
I think the first Melbourne Cup. I'll test your knowledge.
Name the horse that won the very first Melbourne Cup
in eighteen sixty one.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Well it was Archer well and he beat a horse
called Mormon. And the unusual thing is that Archer came
back the next year in eighteen sixty two and won
it again, and he beat Mormon again. So the first
two years were the same two horses. So yeah, I
think that the history is really something that's opened up
(02:43):
in my mind. As I said, I grew up with racing,
but through my time at the Race Museum, I really
came to appreciate that early history, in particular connected with
the Melbourne Cup is very much, you know, mirrors the
social history in Melbourne and it's fascinating to see what
(03:03):
did happen because it was a boom time. It was
the gold Rush era and people were flooding into Melbourne
trying to find a fortune and change their lives. And
at the same time racing was booming and the Melbourne
Cup was evolving.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And to look at the cup and you've got it
sitting here beside us. It's not very big, is it,
but it's still worth quite a bit of money.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Well, it's thirty eight centimeters tall, weighs three point eighty
five kilos, and would be eight hundred and forty thousand
dollars New Zealand, and a lot of people go, what
it can't be that and say, well, look gold, as
we know globally there's unfortunately there's been world wars going
on at the moment and and events that are pushing
(03:50):
gold prices to record highs. And we had a reevaluation
on the trophy in the last couple of years and
we've just you know, it's pushed its way up to
seven fifty thousand Aussie about eight forty New Zealand one
thousand dollars, and you know, it is quite a unique piece.
I would say it's the only trophy of its kind
(04:11):
that's made on an annual basis probably anywhere in the
world that uses one point eighty five kilos of that's
kilos of eighteen carrot gold. So it is unique. Sits
on a jarrow wood base, which is a wood over
in Western Australia and made by ABC Bullion in Sydney.
(04:33):
It's it's totally unique and we make a new one
every year and we're making twenty twenty fives as we speak.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Well, so why do they they do that? Make a
new one every year a lot of trophies, you know
they go for eternity.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Well, I think, I mean it's just a tradition that's
come with the race that they elected to present a trophy. Four.
The winning owner, the trainer and jockey get a two
thirds height version of the trophy in the breeder and
strap I get a half sized version of the Melbourne Cup.
And I just think it's a tradition that has flowed on.
(05:09):
Probably a bit cheaper for the club just to bring
out the perpetual trophy, put it back in a glass
case and then hand a miniature to the connections. But
you know that's been part of the alluring of the
of the race, and you know the trophy behind it,
and certainly in Australia and I know New Zealand's got
(05:32):
a very strong hand in it as well. It is
a cultural icon and one which everyone wants to win.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, I mean the first first Tuesday of November, the
race that stops two nations really is is quite quite famous?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yes it is, and I suppose from a New Zealand perspective,
I mean you're going back to eighteen eighty three when
a horse called Martini Henry won the Melbourne Cup. He
was the first New Zealand bred horse to win in
He won the Derby on the Saturday and the Cup
at his second start on the Tuesday. And since then
there's been forty three other New Zealand bred horses, of
course very elegant and twenty twenty one is the most recent.
(06:12):
But in between, you know, you know, you've got such
luminaries as Carbine in eighteen ninety and Kew and let
us not forget Farlap in nineteen thirty from Timaru, and
you know, telling those stories in and around you know, Farlap,
you know, young kids just you know, love hearing a
(06:34):
story of you know, horses that was probably not expected
to do much in life and which is a great
metaphor and similar for young kids just to hear his
story and basically took on and beat everyone and who
came near him.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Joe, good of you to drop by the keeper of
the Melbourne Cup. The keeper of the Cup. It's an
elegant looking trophy and we look forward to the first
Tuesday November.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Mate, thank you very much for having me.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
It's Joe McGrath joining us here on Goldsport. Interesting, so
many different notable timelines with the Melbourne Cup. The smallest
ever Melbourne Cup field only seven runners contested the race
back in eighteen sixty three, and the largest ever Melbourne
Cup field was eighteen ninety. Thirty nine horses lined up
(07:23):
in eighteen ninety phenomenal
Whether it's gun boots or rugby boots. The Country Sport
Breakfast has you covered on gold Sport, your home of
live commentary on the show. Now it's time to catch
up with a gentleman who, to my way of thinking,
has actually got the best job in the world. He's
known as the Keeper of the Cup, the Keeper of
the Melbourne Cup. His name is Joe McGrath, who joins
(00:22):
us live in the studio. He tours the world with
this beautiful gold Cup.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Morning Joe, Good morning, b K. Great to be here,
welcome back.
Speaker 1 (00:29):
We spoke again last year and since then you've probably
toured the planet just taking that gold Cup and talking
to people about it.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yes, we're on our annual Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour again
and this year we're heading to six countries and thirty
nine destinations. And so far we've been to Japan and
the US, to the Belmont, to Saratoga where they ran
the Belmont Steaks and we had the Belmont Gold Cup
(00:57):
which was a winner. And you're in race for the
Melbourne Cups. And here we are in New Zealand and
back to Australia later today.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
How did you get the job of the Keeper of
the Cup.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Mate, Well it is. It's like I suppose a few
sliding doors moments you might want to call it. But
I did work at the Australian Racing Museum and I
was their director, which was a bit of a branch
out from the General Racing Administration, which I'd enjoyed previously.
And one thing led to another, and then someone said
(01:33):
they're taking this trophy, the Melbourne Cup. When I grew
up with racing and a passion for it, so I
was very aware of the importance of the Cup and
the history around it. And they said, oh, you know,
would you like to talk about it on the road,
And that's basically what happened. And I said to people,
I wrote this really nice, great four page speech for
(01:55):
the first day and never got to read it. Never
got to haven't read it since it's as you move
around you're talking to different groups and different people and
just seeing their responses with the cup and what it
means to them. You know, you're never tire of I
can assure you of that.
Speaker 1 (02:12):
The history of the Cup goes back to eighteen sixty one,
I think the first Melbourne Cup. I'll test your knowledge.
Name the horse that won the very first Melbourne Cup
in eighteen sixty one.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
Well it was Archer well and he beat a horse
called Mormon. And the unusual thing is that Archer came
back the next year in eighteen sixty two and won
it again, and he beat Mormon again. So the first
two years were the same two horses. So yeah, I
think that the history is really something that's opened up
(02:43):
in my mind. As I said, I grew up with racing,
but through my time at the Race Museum, I really
came to appreciate that early history, in particular connected with
the Melbourne Cup is very much, you know, mirrors the
social history in Melbourne and it's fascinating to see what
(03:03):
did happen because it was a boom time. It was
the gold Rush era and people were flooding into Melbourne
trying to find a fortune and change their lives. And
at the same time racing was booming and the Melbourne
Cup was evolving.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
And to look at the cup and you've got it
sitting here beside us. It's not very big, is it,
but it's still worth quite a bit of money.
Speaker 2 (03:27):
Well, it's thirty eight centimeters tall, weighs three point eighty
five kilos, and would be eight hundred and forty thousand
dollars New Zealand, and a lot of people go, what
it can't be that and say, well, look gold, as
we know globally there's unfortunately there's been world wars going
on at the moment and and events that are pushing
(03:50):
gold prices to record highs. And we had a reevaluation
on the trophy in the last couple of years and
we've just you know, it's pushed its way up to
seven fifty thousand Aussie about eight forty New Zealand one
thousand dollars, and you know, it is quite a unique piece.
I would say it's the only trophy of its kind
(04:11):
that's made on an annual basis probably anywhere in the
world that uses one point eighty five kilos of that's
kilos of eighteen carrot gold. So it is unique. Sits
on a jarrow wood base, which is a wood over
in Western Australia and made by ABC Bullion in Sydney.
(04:33):
It's it's totally unique and we make a new one
every year and we're making twenty twenty fives as we speak.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Well, so why do they they do that? Make a
new one every year a lot of trophies, you know
they go for eternity.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
Well, I think, I mean it's just a tradition that's
come with the race that they elected to present a trophy. Four.
The winning owner, the trainer and jockey get a two
thirds height version of the trophy in the breeder and
strap I get a half sized version of the Melbourne Cup.
And I just think it's a tradition that has flowed on.
(05:09):
Probably a bit cheaper for the club just to bring
out the perpetual trophy, put it back in a glass
case and then hand a miniature to the connections. But
you know that's been part of the alluring of the
of the race, and you know the trophy behind it,
and certainly in Australia and I know New Zealand's got
(05:32):
a very strong hand in it as well. It is
a cultural icon and one which everyone wants to win.
Speaker 1 (05:41):
Yeah, I mean the first first Tuesday of November, the
race that stops two nations really is is quite quite famous?
Speaker 2 (05:49):
Yes it is, and I suppose from a New Zealand perspective,
I mean you're going back to eighteen eighty three when
a horse called Martini Henry won the Melbourne Cup. He
was the first New Zealand bred horse to win in
He won the Derby on the Saturday and the Cup
at his second start on the Tuesday. And since then
there's been forty three other New Zealand bred horses, of
course very elegant and twenty twenty one is the most recent.
(06:12):
But in between, you know, you know, you've got such
luminaries as Carbine in eighteen ninety and Kew and let
us not forget Farlap in nineteen thirty from Timaru, and
you know, telling those stories in and around you know, Farlap,
you know, young kids just you know, love hearing a
(06:34):
story of you know, horses that was probably not expected
to do much in life and which is a great
metaphor and similar for young kids just to hear his
story and basically took on and beat everyone and who
came near him.
Speaker 1 (06:51):
Joe, good of you to drop by the keeper of
the Melbourne Cup. The keeper of the Cup. It's an
elegant looking trophy and we look forward to the first
Tuesday November.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Mate, thank you very much for having me.
Speaker 1 (07:01):
It's Joe McGrath joining us here on Goldsport. Interesting, so
many different notable timelines with the Melbourne Cup. The smallest
ever Melbourne Cup field only seven runners contested the race
back in eighteen sixty three, and the largest ever Melbourne
Cup field was eighteen ninety. Thirty nine horses lined up
(07:23):
in eighteen ninety phenomenal
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