A bit of rain would help Zacada in the Cup today. Photo / Bradley Photography
The O'Leary brothers won't be the only New Zealand farmers cheering on a horse they own in today's A$7 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
Dan, Humphrey, Michael and Shaun O'Leary have become well-known as the owners of the warhorse Who Shot Thebarman, who will be having his fourth crack at
the Melbourne Cup in a bid to better his best result, third in 2014.
One of the opposition this year is Cambridge stayer Zacada, who is owned by Rotorua dairy farmers Andrew Bryant and David Armstrong along with Sir Patrick and Justine, Lady Hogan. "We got to know the Barman boys when we ran in the Sydney Cup (Gr.1, 3200m)," Bryant said. "They won it and we came so close (beaten a nose). It was such a huge thrill."
There has been no joy in four starts with Zacada since the Sydney Cup and his owners were on tenterhooks awaiting confirmation of a place in the Melbourne Cup field until late Saturday.
"It was an absolute roller-coaster," Bryant said. "One minute we looked like we'd just get in, then there was a doubt.
