Wagga bookie P-J Carey has Gold Cup connections that go back to the 1940s

But his connection to the Murrumbidgee Turf Club goes all the way back to the 1940s when his father took bets at the very same race.

Details are scarce as P-J 's father, John, died when P-J was young, but the family have found various tax receipts and other documents from 1946, which suggest he took punts come Gold cup day. Around that time John was living at number 7 the Esplanade and plying his trade as a Wagga bookie.

"My dad, when he was a Rat of Tobruk he was doing SP and bookmaking over there, when he was in the army," he said.

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"He was from England, he came over here on the boat when he was 17. And when World War II finished he had one of those soldier settlement farms out at Murramai, near Leeton, then he came to Wagga."

P-J grew up in Balranald and started his own bookmakers in 1990 long after John had passed, but joining the betting trade was never in doubt.

Alongside his father, his maternal grandfather was a steward and handicapper in Victoria and his uncle was a prominent horse trainer in Adelaide. Horses are in the blood.

And come Gold cup day, P-J will take a minute to imagine his father standing track-side way back when, much like he is today.

"He may well have [stood here]. You don't often think about it on course, but it does come to mind from time to time," he said.

"It's good to come here for the Cup carnival."

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