A local father has rung his son Jason “just to see who he likes in the Cup”, before steering the conversation to the real reason for his call.

Retired driving instructor Keith Brannigan, 71, had been a vocal fan of the John Sargent-trained Gust Of Wind ever since she “rounded them up like bloody Bernborough” on debut at Scone.

Backing her aggressively at all subsequent career runs, Brannigan had “multiple cracks” at the $41 offered about his favourite mare in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, as well as a long-range futures bet at triple figures.

But severe interference at a crucial moment destroyed the mare’s winning chances, ultimately finishing sixth, beaten just 2.6L behind shock winner Prince Of Penzance.

“I swear she would have won that race if she wasn’t poleaxed: that Dettori bloke, fair dinkum…” he said.

“$41, it just makes you sick. And as for that Weir thing that won? Give me a huge spell.”

Brannigan then briefly lost focus and asked how the grandkids were doing, before circling back to the daughter of Darci Brahma.

“Jase, did you know she was the last horse to beat Winx?”

More to follow.