Ray Hadley says there’s a simple reason the Melbourne Cup is no longer the coveted event it used to be.

Although Ray has been involved in the racing industry for over 40 years as both a caller and an owner, he says it’s no wonder “the race that stops the nation” isn’t drawing the attention it used to.

“The Melbourne Cup, for me, doesn’t quite hold the same interest it did previously.

“I’ll tell you my problem with it. I’m looking down the page now at where the horses come from. They come from Ireland, they come from Great Britain, they come from Japan, they come from the USA.

“The ones that represent Australia are so few in number.

“It’s little wonder that the Everest is now rivalling the Melbourne Cup in terms of interest in Australia.”

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