Bunbury jockey Damian Lane scores 2016 Melbourne Cup ride

Lane, 23, who is now based in Melbourne, will ride outside chance Beautiful Romance ($51) in the race that stops a nation for the Godolphin stable. 

The stable, owned by United Arab Emirates prime minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, have been entering runners in the big race since 1998, but are yet to taste victory, despite success in other major races around the world. 

This year five of the 24 horses in the race will don the royal blue silks of Godolphin, including the favourite Hartnell. 

Beautiful Romance is a four-year-old bay filly and comes to Australia with eight races and three victories. 

Trainer Saeed Bin Suroor, told races.com.au, the horse has what it takes to win the 3200 metre feature race. 

“She’s doing really well,” Bin Suroor said. “She’s a group two winner at York in England and is doing really well.”

Her last race in England before travelling to Melbourne was a third place finish in the Listed Harvest Stakes on September 23. 

Bin Suroor drew barrier one for Beautiful Romance on Saturday afternoon. 

The ride aboard Beautiful Romance is Lane’s second Melbourne Cup appearance, having partnered Quest For More in 2015 and finishing inside the top 10. 

The race was made famous by jockey Michelle Payne, whose win aboard Prince of Penzance, was the first in a Melbourne Cup by a female jockey.

WATCH: The 2015 Melbourne Cup.

Regardless of who wins this year’s race, there will be a local connection, with the Melbourne Cup trophy presented to the winner of the $3.6 million race, visiting Bunbury in August.

The solid gold trophy valued at $175,000, was bought to town by former Cup winning jockey Wayne Harris and visited the Dolphin Discovery Centre before taking a tram ride down Victoria Street and ending up at the Bunbury Trotting Club.