The 2023 Melbourne Cup was in attendance on Gold Cup day to celebrate the start of the spring racing carnival.
Before racegoers got the chance to don a white glove and lift the cup that stops a nation, the famous trophy made a stop at the new Malua Racing Team Corstens stables.
Trainer Troy Corstens was joined by around 30 close friends, family and clients to officially open the new on-track facility.
The Corstens family has a close connection to the cup as his father and business partner, Leon, was a foreman for legendary trainer Bart Cummings, who won 12 Melbourne Cups.
The trainer hopes to have an even better connection to the cup in the future.
“It’s good (to have it here) it’d be better if it was mine,” Corstens said.
“It’s so hard to win these days; it has become the international cup.
“It’s just an honour to have it in Benalla.
“It’s very exciting (to officially open the stables). I love it up here.
“I grew up and was born in Ascot Vale, but I count myself as a Benalla person now that I’ve got a farm here and the stables here.
“I love the local community. I’ve spent a lot of time up here, as much as I can.”
It is bad luck for a trainer wanting to win on the first Tuesday in November to touch the cup, and Corstens was well aware of this.
While everyone was lining up to lift the cup, Corstens was happy to watch on.
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