Natalie Barr’s big win on Melbourne Cup

Sunrise host Natalie Barr pocketed a handsome sum from the race that stops a nation after a chance encounter.

Sunrise presenter Natalie Barr has pocketed $800 from the Melbourne Cup after a handy tip from a colleague’s mum.

The Channel 7 morning show’s sports presenter, Mark Beretta, asks his mum each year to provide her tips to viewers for the race that stops a nation.

The advice prompted Barr to open an online betting account and place $50 on the Chris Waller trained mare, Verry Elleegant.

The novice punter admitted to viewers she had never bet online before, which took her an hour to figure out.

“I thought ‘there’s something called sporting bet or Sportsbet’ and I don’t know what that means, but I’d heard of the TAB, so I set up an account,” Barr said.

“But now I don’t know how to get it out.”

Sunrise co-host Natalie Barr bet on the winner after a tip from a colleague’s mum. Picture: Toby Zerna

The Melbourne Cup winner Verry Elleegant was ridden by James McDonald. Picture: Michael Klein

Beretta’s mum, Joan, had provided a windfall for many more Australians with Barr saying her message inbox was full with other viewers who followed the punting advice.

Joan’s tip was particularly welcomed by novice punters given the juicy odds of Verry Elleegant, which was paying about $15 to win.

The Peter Moody trained Incentivise went into the major race as the clear favourite, priced at $2.50.

It sat in second for majority of the 3200m race at Flemington and burst into the lead in the famously long straight.

Verry Elleegant raced into an Australian sporting folklore. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

But Verry Elleegant strode up alongside and steamed into the lead to hand jockey James McDonald his first ever Melbourne Cup victory.

“I just didn’t think this day would ever happen,” he said after Tuesday’s major event. “I ride in these races, I really want to win but sometimes you can overthink it and try too hard.

“I was very confident in the mare today. Thoughts went through my mind at the 500m when I saw Incentivise getting shoved along but I knew he would fight. There wasn’t a horse that was going to come from behind me, it was just a matter of catching him.”