Spring Racing Carnival: Keeper of the Cup adores touring nation with a ‘cultural icon’

Joe McGrath has been custodian of the Melbourne Cup for the past 14 years and adores what he describes as a privileged role

Keeper of the Melbourne Cup, Joe McGrath.

SHE has an entourage, a gruelling tour schedule and security is never far away, but Kylie Minogue isn’t Australia’s most well-travelled and respected Australian.

That honour goes to the three-handled, hand-beaten 18ct gold Emirates Melbourne Cup trophy, and Joe McGrath is the man responsible for keeping the cup safe before it’s dutifully passed to the winners on Cup Day.

McGrath, known as the cup’s custodian or “keeper of the cup”, takes the trophy into his care once production is complete in Sydney, and, admittedly, treats it like you would a two-year-old child. “You must know where it is at all times; you don’t need to stand next to it, but you need to know where it is,” laughs McGrath.

As part of McGrath’s custodian duties, the cup (along with security and entourage) goes on tour around Australia and New Zealand, meeting people, recounting cup stories and attending races. This year’s tour started on July 3 and will wrap up on November 1, Melbourne Cup Day. Embarking on a four-month tour, as you would expect, brings with it plenty of interesting tales.

This tour’s most memorable incident took place in Broome when the team, along with two-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey, Jim Cassidy, visited a school.

“We explain to people that it’s a three-handled, hand-beaten cup which is quite unique, and the three handles represent the owner, the trainer and the jockey,” McGrath says.

“I remember Jim explaining this to a group of kids and a little kid said, ‘What about the horse?’ which is a very good question! And of course, young kids just ask the first thing in their head,” laughs McGrath.

This year marks McGrath’s fourteenth year as custodian, a job he so clearly adores. “I’d love to think I could do this for another fourteen; it’s one of the most privileged roles, to be looking after what is a cultural icon in this country.”