Why Melbourne Cup race caller Matt Hill says today’s race will be ‘tricky’ to call

Matt Hill has the voice that will stop the nation this afternoon.

He’s been tasked with the job of calling the Melbourne Cup for the third time this year.

Ahead of the biggest moment of his year, Hill spoke to 3AW’s Tony Jones, filling in for Neil Mitchell, about how he prepares for the big race.

“The prep for the cup itself starts on the Saturday night, three nights ago, learning the colours,” he said.

“Every five minutes I’ve got to myself during the three days leading up to the cup I have a glance and learn the silks.

“You can’t spend enough time learning them.”

Hill said this Melbourne Cup will be harder to call than most.

“This is a tricky cup because there’s a couple of horses, such as Hunting Horn and Latrobe, who are virtually wearing the same thing!,” he said.

It has been a long road to this point for Hill, 38, who first sat in the broadcast box with former race caller Greg Miles more than two decades ago.

“I sat next to Greg Miles when I was 15, and that stool is still sitting in the box to this day, very empty, waiting for another young gentleman or woman to sit in the box next to me,” he said.

Although today is the third time he’ll call the race, Hill says he still can’t quite believe it.

“I do pinch myself. It’s surreal,” he said.

But he’s firmly focused on the task at hand.

“Unlike any other race through the year I’m basically in a trance,” Hill said.

“I wouldn’t know if there were 30 people standing behind me in the broadcast box.

“In that three minute and 15 second race there’s so much going on in the brain. Concentration is the absolute key.”

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Image: Vince Caligiuri / Stringer (Matt Hill) & Darrian Traynor / Stringer (Melbourne Cup)