Jockey Jye McNeil dreams of a tumultuous Melbourne Cup winning reception on Valiant King tomorrow after his silent triumph five years ago in the iconic Flemington race which stops a nation.

Victorian-based McNeil, confident he will be hard to beat on the Chris Waller-trained second favourite, wrote his name into Australian history books aboard 2020 victor Twilight Payment.

But a COVID lockdown had been enforced when the Irish stayer raced clear and Flemington was virtually deserted. Only jockeys, trainers, selected officials and restricted stable staff were permitted oncourse.

There were no cheers or adulation as Twilight Payment and McNeil, who was then 26, hit the line.

“A Melbourne Cup win had for years been only in my wildest imagination,” McNeil said on Monday. “But when my lifeti

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