De Bortoli Rutherglen general manager Marc Scalzo with the 2024 Melbourne Cup winning jockey Robbie Dolan, who already has one hand on the Cup.
Photo by
Ian Johnson
Rory and Lilly O’Malley just love horse racing, which is no surprise given both their Pop and great-grandfather were jockeys and horse trainers in their heyday, so it was extra special for them last week when they got their own hands on the Melbourne Cup.
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As the wine sponsor for this year’s race, De Bortoli Rutherglen was the last stop on the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour last week, with 2024 Cup winner Robbie Dolan along for the ride.
Members of the public were invited to come and see the cup and have their photo taken with it, and Rory and Lilly jumped at the chance.
“It’s very heavy,” they said.
“It was great to be here and get to hold it.”
De Bortoli Rutherglen general manager Marc Scalzo welcomed the occasion and said it was a special moment when the cup was unveiled and the room fell to silence.
He said the Melbourne Cup was iconic with its own aura, unlike anything else he’d experienced.
“It's part of Australian culture,” Mr Scalzo said.
“It reaches so many different walks of life; not every Australian loves racing, but they all love the Melbourne Cup, and everybody knows Flemington.
“For the locals to come and touch the Cup, it’s been amazing; you can see it in their faces.
“They know it means something; it’s something you don't expect to see or hold, it's quite exciting.”
Jean Hogan (L) from Corowa with her daughter Jacque from Rutherglen. Jean said it was a great honour to hold the Melbourne Cup.
Photo by
Ian Johnson
Robbie Dolan rode Knight’s Choice to victory in the 2024 Melbourne Cup in a photo finish with Warp Speed that had the Irish born jockey pinching himself as if from a dream.
At the time Robbie was in a state of shock over the emotional win, with his dad over from Ireland to watch him race.
This week he said he felt fortunate to be involved in the Melbourne Cup and the Cup Tour.
“There’s an aura about the trophy; when you take the bag off it, people just gasp,” Robbie said.
“It's the People's Cup, that's what it’s been called for more than 100 years.
“I've seen firsthand the joy it brings; it's a very special thing.”
The 2026 Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday, November 3, the 166th running of “the race that stops the nation”.
This year, Robbie Dolan is looking forward to taking the trophy back to Ireland once again.
