Ahh, Melbourne Cup Day – the race where every Australian punter from Alice Springs to Angourie pins their hopes on a pony. Also regarded by many as the biggest horseracing event in the world. Who would have thought that amongst all the expensive frocks and the fascinators; the gambled wages and the ‘good shirts’, that it would be a couple of surfers from Torquay who cleaned-up.
Well, surf industry moguls is probably a more accurate term for Brian Singer and Al Green, who are part of the consortium of owners for both last year’s Cup winner, Almandin, and this year’s champion nag, Rekindling.
According to the Geelong Advertiser, Singer, one of the original Rip Curl founders, had five horses racing in this year’s Melbourne Cup. Two came through, with runner-up Johannes Vermeer delivering the Quinella.
Singer, who has a three-decade association with the horses, isn't known for flaunting his success, but spoke to the Geelong Advertiser the day before the big race.
“I’ve had a little bit of luck, but you know, when you have a few horses it sort of helps a little bit,” he told the regional publication.
Other members of the winning consortium, which is headed by Lloyd Williams, include Music promoter Michael Gudinski and thoroughbred owner John Ingham. However, it’s obviously the allegiance between Singer and Quiksilver founder, Al Green, that’s most intriguing from a surf industry perspective.
Although Rip Curl and Quiksilver may be competitors on a global, surf-wear stage their inter-connected origins are well documented. Headed-up by Al Green, Quiksilver originally began as the board-short division of Rip Curl wetsuits in 1970. Green went out on his own with Quiksilver in 1976, but obviously preserved close ties with Singer and Warbrick from Rip Curl. Certainly, close enough to share a future interest in racehorses with Singer.
With long time sponsor Emirates set to discontinue their association with The Melbourne Cup, perhaps it’s time for Quiksilver and Rip Curl to join forces again and sponsor Australia’s most famous sporting festival. Just imagine, a RipQuik Melbourne Cup?
