Entry to Melbourne Cup fulfils long-held dream

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Real-estate sales manager Colin has long dreamed of owning a Melbourne Cup starter.

Living in Essex before immigrating to New Zealand in 2000, he shared a passion for the sport with his father.

“Even growing up in England we knew about the Melbourne Cup. It’s the race that stops the nation, everyone gets a day off work – that sort of thing.”

Colin and his father talked about buying a horse together but could never justify the expense.

When his father passed away in 2015, leaving Colin some money, he decided it was time to give the dream a go.

“People always told me buying a racehorse isn’t the best business decision because it’s rare to make any money on them. But they also say you’ll have a lot of fun.”

The Edwards didn’t enjoy instant success. The first horse they bought into didn’t live up to expectations on the track, and the second never raced due to respiratory and other health issues.

They were almost ready to give up when

Goldman came to their attention and they became convinced he was worth a shot.

The horse’s initial trials in Australia produced only average results, so expectations were not high going into the stayer’s first race.

“There was nothing that suggested he would be a superstar,” Colin said.

But he won his first race by five lengths and a second by six lengths.

That led Waterhouse to put him up against top opposition at Flemington last month, when he blitzed the field, leading throughout and bringing Colin’s Melbourne Cup dreams close to reality.