Millicent stock agent John Chay is the talk of the local racing fraternity as his horse “The Map” is running in the $8m Melbourne Cup at Flemington this afternoon.
Chay and former Millicent sporting identity Ian Ferguson have a small share in the six-year-old mare.
Although “The Map” was runner-up in the Adelaide Cup in March and won the Andrew Ramsden Stakes to qualify, it is unwanted by bookies.
Current betting has it regarded as an outside 50/1 chance.
It is the first horse from South Australia in 15 years to enter the race which stops the nation.
If successful, Ferguson and Chay will have to share the purse with numerous other stakeholders.
The local pair are members of a syndicate which is managed by high-profile stock agent Ronnie Dix.
Chay’s firm sponsors the annual Millicent Cup and he told The SE Voice on Adelaide Cup Day that he long had an interest in thoroughbred racing.
“Our syndicate purchased ‘The Map’ as a yearling around four years ago,” Chay said.
“It is the best horse we have raced.”
The price was $35,000 and its career earnings currently stand at $865,000.
In other local racing news, Mount Gambier builder Shane Dycer was close to a major pay-out in the recent W.S.
Cox Plate.
He co-owns Docklands which ran fifth in the $5m race.
