The iconic race that stops a nation will feature at least three locally-trained and owned horses, and the City of Warrnambool, along with its outlying areas, is barracking for a local victory.

Humidor, Amelie’s Star, Big Duke are already in the 24-horse Melbourne Cup field for Darren Weir’s Warrnambool satellite stable and that number may increase to four if Guardini wins the Lexus Stakes at Flemington on Saturday.  

The four horses trotted, cantered and swam in front of a large group of on-lookers at Warrnambool’s main beach on Thursday morning.

Weir’s Warrnambool foreman Jarrod McLean said the horses were in great shape leading into the Melbourne Cup.

“Humidor, Amelie’s Star and Big Duke would not be running in the Melbourne Cup if we never had the beach,” he said.

“Working on the beach assists the horses to get over any niggles or issues that do occur with horses from time to time.”

But Warrnambool is already a winner with the massive media coverage being shown far and wide,  highlighting Weir’s runners preparing for the first Tuesday in November on local beaches.

The media coverage will increase dramatically in the lead-up to Tuesday and if one of his horses is successful in the two-mile handicap, Warrnambool can expect to get a massive plug from Weir at the victory presentation, similar to what he did when Prince Of Penzance won the 2015 Cup.

The Melbourne Cup is now broadcast into more than 160 territories, promoting the event around the globe to an audience of hundreds of millions.

The horses on the beaches issue has been a bone of contention with groups looking to protect the area’s flora, fauna and appreciating the shoreline and its habitats and they have every right to have a voice.

But one can only hope that all parties can work together to achieve a win-win result for something which puts Warrnambool on the world stage.