Paul Didham: The man that who starts the race that stops a nation

Racing, Flemington and the Melbourne Cup have long been part of
Paul Didham’s life. His father, ‘Midge’ Didham, rode Baghdad Note to Melbourne Cup victory in 1970 and Paul’s brother, John, competed in the Cup in 1995.

Paul was an apprentice jockey until he says size got the better of
him and he began working as a barrier attendant. When then chief
steward, Pat Lalor, asked him if he’d be interested in becoming a race starter, Paul discovered a new career and in 2002, he started his first Melbourne Cup.

“I left school at 14 to become an apprentice jockey – so I was never
going to be a doctor or lawyer!” he laughs.

“When Pat suggested becoming a race starter I was 22 and I hadn’t thought about it as a career but it’s a great job. There’s not many people who can say they get to start such an amazing race."

5.30pm, the afternoon before Cup Day

I usually work at the races at Ballarat the day before the Cup. It’s always busy which is good because I don’t have too much time to think about the next day! Around 5.30pm I start the last race and then jump in the car and head back to Melbourne. The field and barrier draw for the Cup is finalised on Derby Day so I’ve had the chance to have a good look at the barrier draw. Knowing where the horses are going to be, which horses might have a problem at the barriers and what the barrier attendants will need to do to help them is an important part of my job, and I think about that on the drive home.

8.30am, Lexus Melbourne Cup Day

I arrive at Flemington and head straight to my room, near the steward’s room. The paperwork takes about an hour to go through. The barrier sheets are printed off and the assistant starter Corey Mallyon and I go through the scratched horses and the gear sheets that list ear muffs, barrier blankets and any other equipment the horses need for the upcoming races. A lot of horses only wear ear muffs to the barriers, they are the distinguishing red ear muffs and they are removed behind the barriers.

10am through to 2pm

The horses arrive in the Mounting Yard for the first race around 9.30am and once the day starts, my job is quite repetitive. For the first race, I drive up to a certain point on the course, run across the track and then drive to the start and the barriers. I do that for every race. The race before the Melbourne Cup begins at 2pm. As soon as that’s done my full focus is on the Cup. The hour break between the two races can seem a bit long sometimes – I just like to get it started!

2.15pm

I do the paperwork before the Cup, so I know which horse needs what gear. I know the horses’ traits because I’ve been watching them for months. I know which horse might need a blindfold or barrier blanket or if the jockey must get off the horse before it’s loaded into the barrier. If we have new horses racing I might have been contacted by their trainers to discuss loading procedures. If a horse has an issue at the barriers, I’ll know about it beforehand.

2.40pm

The Melbourne Cup runners come into the Mounting Yard and I check them off. Then I jump in the car and head to the start and the barriers.

2.52pm

I’m with the barrier attendants who are the unsung heroes of the race. When a horse is playing up, they are in a metal structure with a 500- kilo animal and they manage to calm that horse, ready to race. I have around 15 barrier attendants on Cup Day and I assign each one a horse and barrier and I let them know any characteristics of the horses. The chief steward and I are in radio contact throughout this time. It’s a busy few minutes but the calmer I stay, the calmer everyone stays. I’ve been doing the job a long time and I have confidence in the barrier attendants I work with.

2.58pm

I get an all clear from the stewards and we start loading the horses. Corey and I share this job and we aim to get the horses in as quick as possible – in two minutes. At that time, I am behind the barriers, checking the horses are in the right spot. When there are only two horses left to load, I run up to the stand ready to press the start button.

2.59pm

Corey gives me an all clear from behind the barrier – he puts his hand up – and that tells me the jockeys are on and they are ready. I’m on the stand, watching the horses to see if any are upset or jumping around. At that point, it’s very intense.

3pm

I hit the button to open the barriers and wait for the roar from the crowd. During my first Melbourne Cup, that roar was a bit of a shock. There’s a huge sense of relief because the horses are on their way.

Corey and I jump in the car and drive to the 800m mark to watch them pass and then listen to the radio to hear who wins.

Post-Cup

I have three more races to start so I grab a soft drink and collect the barrier sheets for the next race. I finish about 5.30pm and after getting the all-clear from the stewards, I try to beat the rush home. I’m usually home by about 6.30pm and have dinner with my family. It’s a privilege to play a small part in the Melbourne Cup and while pressure is part of the day, I never forget to enjoy it, too.