Overview

The 2002 Melbourne Cup didn’t just stop the nation; it took all Australians on one of the most inspirational rides in the history of sport in this country. When Damien Oliver crossed the line on Media Puzzle and blew a kiss to the skies, so completed one of the bravest rides racing has known. Just days earlier, Oliver’s brother Jason had died after a track fall. In The Cup, author Eric O’Keefe seamlessly pieces together all the parts of this classic story – the Oliver family tragedies, the genius of a jockey, Irish trainer Dermot Weld’s passion for the Melbourne Cup, the unlikely success of a Kentucky-bred stayer – and gives the reader a compelling insight into what it takes to win Australia’s most famous race.

The Cup is being made into a feature-length film, for release in 2010. Watch a video of Eric O'Keefe talking about his book on Weekend Sunrise.

About the The Author

Eric O'Keefe

Eric O’Keefe is a polo-playing, rodeo-loving American from Dallas, Texas, where he is a frequent contributor to the New York Times. His analysis and opinions have been chronicled in The Times, the Wall Street Journal, Investor’s Business Daily and on such programs as Entertainment Tonight. The author of several non-fiction titles, O’Keefe has interviewed entertainers, politicians and pop culture icons, including Bill Clinton, Billy Crystal, Clint Eastwood and Jay Leno.

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