THE final field for the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep has been locked-in following the official barrier draw at Flemington Racecourse last week.
The draw saw 24 rural and regional Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour destinations – including Maffra and Seaspray – allocated a barrier for this year’s Cup, with Victoria Racing Club (VRC) Chairman Neil Wilson overseeing the proceedings.
Maffra, represented by the Maffra RSL Sub-Branch, drew Barrier 17 and will be supporting Irish gelding Camorra, piloted by Ben Melham, come 3pm this afternoon.
Seaspray, represented by the Seaspray Surf Life Saving Club, drew Barrier 7 and will be cheering on another Irish horse, Numerian, ridden by Tommy Berry.
At the time of print, Camorra is currently tipped at $51 for the win, while Numerian is an outside chance at $71.
The race favourite is Deauville Legend, yet another gelding from Ireland, with odds at $3.70 starting from Barrier 9.
Mr Wilson said the VRC was looking forward to welcoming the 24 national sweep representatives to Flemington on Cup Day, being today, to watch their horse compete.
“The VRC is extremely proud of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour and all it represents when taking the People’s Cup back to the people of Australia,” Mr Wilson said.
“The Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep is an important addition to the tour.
“We look forward to welcoming all 24 town representatives to Flemington to be part of the magic of Lexus Melbourne Cup Day, a once in a lifetime experience.
“This is the fourth year of the National Sweep and we are delighted to see the $50,000 prize go to meaningful community programs in the past three years, such as the Royal Flying Doctors in Kangaroo Island and various local initiatives in Bunyip.”
The town that draws the barrier of the eventual Lexus Melbourne Cup-winning horse will be presented with a cash prize of $50,000 to put towards a registered charity for a local community initiative.
Bendigo in central Victoria took home the $50,000 donation last year, with the winnings put towards local charity Sunshine Bendigo.
Said charity aims to provide practical support to local families experiencing challenging times through collecting, sorting, and redistributing new and pre-loved baby goods and nursery equipment to families in need.
