Melbourne - New Zealander owners Stewart Barnett and Keith Neylon were winners on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington today - and they are already eyeing the cup itself for next year.
Their four-year-old stayer Southern Courage was a convincing winner of A$100,000 ($117,000) The Lavazza Long Black Handicap(2800m), justifying their decision in August to send him to Melbourne trainer Mick Price.
Barnett, chief executive of meat works company PPCS in Dunedin, and Neylon, from Hedgehope in Southland, were jubilant at the win and admitted to backing the horse at odds of around 20-1.
"We won enough to buy a drink," Barnett quipped.
They bought him at the National Yearling Sales at Karaka, south Auckland, three years ago for about $35,000 and he was educated by Canterbury trainer Neill Ridley.
"He was a slow maturer so when he started to come on we decided to send him to Mick," said Neylon, a New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing board member.
Price said Southern Courage was lucky to get a run today as he was stepping up in grade, but he thought the Bahhare gelding had plenty of potential as a stayer.
"He's too slow for anything under 2000m, but he is a clean winded horse and you never know what you can do with those horses."
Price said he would now aim Southern Courage at the group two A$400,000 Sandown Classic in two weeks and might look at the Sydney or Adelaide Cups next autumn.
And next year's Melbourne Cup?
Price replied: "I've told these blokes to book their tickets now."
