Wines and Petracca giddy up for 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival

Growing up in Echuca, Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie spent much of his childhood around horses and attending country race meetings with his family.

A regular at the Melbourne Cup Carnival, he owns several horses as part of a syndicate including Adelaide-trained Not Usual Glorious who was an early nomination for the Lexus Melbourne Cup before connections decided to put the dream aside for another year.

Wines said he’s always had a passion for racing and is looking forward to celebrating this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival alongside Christian.

“Off the footy field one of my greatest passions has always been horse racing. The quality of the racing during the Melbourne Cup Carnival, the elite athleticism of the horses and the skill of the jockeys is truly astounding to watch whether you’re at Flemington or watching on from home,” Ollie said.

“The Melbourne Cup Carnival is such a great celebration and I love that Cup Week is celebrated across Australia, including in my hometown of Echuca which has a pretty epic race meeting on Cup Day!”

Newly crowned premiership player Christian shares Ollie’s enthusiasm for the Melbourne Cup Carnival and has been a regular at Flemington since his teenage years.

The Norm Smith winner said he is looking forward to reconnecting with his family and friends, cheering on some superstar horses and soaking up the celebratory atmosphere of Melbourne as it comes alive during spring.

“Coming off the back of a bumper footy season, the Melbourne Cup Carnival kicks off another truly special week that sporting fans and all Victorians alike can enjoy,” Christian said.

“As a long-time racegoer I’m really excited to partner with the VRC as an ambassador alongside Ollie, who I’ll be leaning on for some tips!”

VRC Chief Executive Officer Steve Rosich said the club was delighted to welcome sporting superstars Ollie and Christian to the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador stable.

“We are very excited to welcome Ollie and Christian to our suite of ambassadors. As passionate horse-owners and race-goers we know they will have a wonderful time revelling in the spirit of the week,” Mr Rosich said.

For racing enthusiasts looking to elevate their race day experience, the VRC’s Giddy Up platform is the perfect place to visit, where entrants can enjoy free-to-play tipping, sweeps and trivia games for the chance to win over $120,000 in prizes.

The 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival begins with Penfolds Victoria Derby Day on Saturday 30 October, followed by Lexus Melbourne Cup Day on Tuesday 2 November, Kennedy Oaks Day on Thursday 4 November, and Paramount+ Stakes Day on Saturday 6 November.

Revel in Cup Week with the 2021 Melbourne Cup Carnival broadcast live and free on Network 10 and streamed on 10 Play.