For anyone connected to horse racing—whether you're in the industry, own a horse, part of a syndicate, or simply a passionate follower—the dream of having a runner in the Lexus Melbourne Cup is a powerful one. With only 24 horses earning a place at the starting gates and 3200 metres of track ahead, knowing your horse has what it takes isn’t just hope—it’s strategy.

In this video, we sit down with Terry Henderson, Director of OTI Racing, and assistant trainer Shae Dinunzio to uncover what goes into selecting and preparing a horse capable of taking on Australia’s greatest race. Their charge, Deakin, secured a coveted Golden Ticket with victory in the Listed Lexus Roy Higgins—and now, all roads lead to Flemington in November.