Melbourne Cup king Lloyd Williams’ damning take on ‘depressing’ race
Melbourne Cup icon Lloyd Williams has given a scathing verdict on the “depressing” race that has lost its magic.
Cups king Lloyd Williams has taken an extraordinary swipe at the great race as he chases his eighth Melbourne Cup.
The colourful racing identity on Monday made surprising comments about the ‘Race that Stops the Nation’ as he prepares to watch his runners Cleveland and Serpentine in the $8 million handicap.
Williams won the first of his Cups 43 years ago and on Monday shared his opinions about how the race has been on a downhill slide in recent years.
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Williams, who last tasted Cup victory with Twilight Payment in 2020, says it can all be traced back to the emergence of corporate bookmakers in recent years.
The Crown Casino founder and larger-than-life punter said the flood of new betting agencies had taken away from the spectacle of the frantic scenes surrounding bookmakers at the track.
The 83-year-old, who is the most successful owner in Melbourne Cup history, will not attend the race this year.
“It’s depressing. Corporate bookies have made it all very disappointing,” he told RSN Breakfast.
“You need the blokes on the rails going up and down the rails. Back in 1987 was a perfect day when Kerry Packer put about $7 million on the second horse (in the Sydney Cup). That’s what you need. Now it’s all very depressing. You need a bit of colour.”
Williams has been involved in some of the most celebrated punting wins in Australian racing, having famously shared a $10 million pay-out with Packer when they landed the quinella in 1998.
The frank owner was happy to spill the beans about his extraordinary punting records.
“When you could really get on, I didn’t mind having 2, 3, 4, or five hundred thousand,” he said of the bets he wagered.
“What can you get on with these blokes these days. They shut your account, don’t they? They’ve taken the colour away from the game, actually. Disappointing. Disappointing.
“I just get sick of their ads.”
Williams has linked up with hall of fame trainer Gai Waterhouse in the Cup with Irish horse Serpentine, considered a long shot.
He also has the Kris Lees-trained Cleveland.
Williams made headlines earlier this week with a brazen declaration about Cup favourite Vauban, saying Packer would have triggered betting anarchy by putting a fortune on the red-hot favourite in different times.
“If I was back in my punting days with Kerry, we would certainly make this horse start a very warm favourite,” Williams told racenet.com.au.
“If Kerry and I were having a proper bet, we would be on the favourite to win plenty.
“I don’t bet any more. But Kerry and I used to have a lot of fun gambling.
“If I was back in my days with Kerry we would certainly make this horse start favourite.”
Williams has piled pressure on the French horse and jockey Ryan Moore, saying they look almost unbeatable.
“If you saw him he looks like a gridiron player, he is a tough horse,” he said.
“He is not terribly tall and he is the perfect looking animal.
“I have been to Werribee a couple of times and I know the team who have got the favourite.
“He will be extremely difficult to beat.”
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