Chester

The Camden Advertiser

Cup buff gets gig
BY ILONA MARCHETTA
16/09/2009 10:18:00 AM

MAX Hitchins thought he was on to a brain exercise with a difference when he set out to memorise all 100 Melbourne Cup winners.

But Mr Hitchins wasn't satisfied when he was told, after completing the exercise, that there were quite a few people who could perform the feat.


So he went on to memorise the iconic horse race's second and third place-getters, learning anecdotes about them along the way.


Now famed in Australian racing circles, Mr Hitchins was an obvious choice to host the Melbourne Cup Ball at Camden's Camelot House in October. Camden is where you will find the grave of CHester the 1877 Melbourne Cup winner. In the picture Camden Mayor Chris Patterson is seen here with Max Hitchins.


The ball celebrates the 2009 Emirates Melbourne Cup Tour through Camden on Friday, October 23.


``I'm a Melbourne Cup nutter,'' said Mr Hitchins, who is a motivational speaker and hospitality industry professional.


``I grew up in a country town in northern NSW called Moree ... I was never interested in punting, I was more interested in the history of the races and the horses.''


He's found a way to put his hobby to use each year he collects and analyses data on racing horses around the world to narrow the 24 horses entered into the Melbourne Cup down to six likely winners. He sells the information as eBook How To Pick The Winner Of The Emirates Melbourne Cup.


Retired jockey John Letts, who won the cup on Piping Lane in 1972 and on Beldale Ball in 1980, will also attend the ball as a tour ambassador.


Tickets to the ball are $125 (each) or $1100 for a table of 10.


Details, bookings: 46547777.