Normally after the Melbourne Cup, some protestor is making some ridiculous, noisy headline etc, colouring our Melbourne Cup experience in some greyness.
Well, not this time.
Here’s a story that should warm your soul re the Cup this year.
Yes, yes, yes, we know the obvious story about him – Australian bred, Australian owned, Australian trained and Australian ridden, that’s all wonderful, as was race caller Matt Hill emotively aying “he wins for Australia, we’re on top of ther world.”
But a bit of good old Aussie humanity here might actually make Matty’s claim true.
One of the many Aussie owners of VOW AND DECLARE (Declaration Of war-Geblitzt) has donated his winnings to research.
The softly spoken Geoff Corrigan, one of the main share holders in Vow And Declare, has, like over half a million others in Australia currently, lived numerous years with a parent suffering Dementia.
“My father had his mind ruined by Dementia. Sufferers become no longer the person you loved your whole life,” he said holding back tears recently.
So he has down his bit to help speed up the research in this crippling, horrific disease. H has donated his $50,000 winning share of the Melbourne Cup prizemoney to Dementia Australia.
“Imagine if they found a cure to dementia,” he opined.
“It would be like winning the Melbourne Cup for so many people.
“I could never thank my father for what he did and gave my mum and me, so this is some small way to help find a cure.”
Currently there is no cure and not even a preventative or anything that can help ease the suffering.
Vow And Declare, who was passed-in as a yearling when failing to reach his paltry reserve price of $60,000, has now won $5.7million for Geoff and his gang of fellow owners.
He, the horse, is enjoying some leisure time in the sunshine while spelling and the hope is he comes back as good, if not better, for a crack at the 2020 Melbourne Cup.
