Jockey who has won the Melbourne Cup two years running reveals what it’s REALLY like riding in Australia’s biggest race

Champion jockey Mark Zahra, who rode the last two Melbourne Cup winners, has revealed what it’s like riding in Australia’s biggest race.

Zahra is chasing a historic third successive Melbourne Cup win aboard Circle Of Fire on Tuesday afternoon.

On Monday, the Victorian described to guests at the Ladbrokes Call of the Card what it’s like on the track during the race that stops a nation.

‘Everyone is trying to get their positions, get in where you can from middle to back and just switch off (and) don’t worry about the rest of the race,’ Zahra explained.

‘Make sure you’ve got your spike out the winning post the first time. And down the river, down the back there you just want to be idling along.

‘I remember Gold Trip, he wasn’t even touching the bridle and if you can do that for as long as you can you know you’ll have something at the finish.

‘Let the first wave go, you’ve got to be on the back of them, suck up for as long as you can and then you’ll be the one getting them late over the top.’

Zahra says there’s banter between the jockeys during the race, but he blocks out most of the noise until the last 50-100m.

Zahra has given an interesting insight into what it’s like on the track during the great race

Zahra is chasing a historic third successive Melbourne Cup win aboard Circle Of Fire

‘So there’s a few parts. There’s coming out on the track everyone is yelling and screaming, you get down behind the gates it’s quiet, then the crowd starts they get on their feet, the last horse goes in the barrier and then it starts again and they cheer you all the way down the straight,’ he said.

‘Plus you’ll have jockeys slotting in and out trying to get your spot. Once you come around to the river side down the back (it’s) dead silence. Everyone’s focused, you’re on the job.

‘Apart from hearing the horses hoofs that’s about it, you just want to make sure you’re nice and breathing there. Then probably as you get further into the race I’d say towards the 1000m a few little manoeuvres start happening so the banter becomes a bit (louder) …

‘And then the 800m when they really start to pile up, people taking neat runs, someone getting shaved, there’s a fair bit of noise and the crowd will start as you come to the straight so it’s on again. 

‘Usually if you’re really focused you won’t even hear the crowd. Both my last runs I didn’t notice the crowds ’til the last 50-100m.’

The Victorian became the first jockey since Glen Boss on Makybe Diva to win back to back Melbourne Cups

Nobody has won three successive Melbourne Cups on different horses, and Zahra is making some sacrifices in the chance he will make history.

One of his favourite pastimes is eating great food accompanied by fine wine, but that’s been shelved for the past few weeks. 

‘I’ve got to sweat a bit for it, but you’ve got to be in it to win it,’ Zahra told News Corp.

‘I’m always on a diet anyway but I just need to cut out having a blowout on the weekends.

‘So there’s no alcohol, very light eating and lots of training and exercise and we should be right.’