The Melbourne Cup could end up in Amanda Elliott’s hands for longer than the duration of the annual street parade, thanks to the horse racing family behind the real Downton Abbey.

The Victoria Racing Club chairman shares the job of carrying the $200,000, 18-carat gold Cup during Monday’s parade with Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle.

In her inaugural year overseeing the Melbourne Cup carnival, Ms Elliott’s job on Tuesday will be to hand that trophy to the winning owner after the running of the $6 million race.

If the punters are correct, favourite Almandin will win back-to-back Cups and retired Melbourne businessman Lloyd Williams will get a record sixth trophy.

There is a chance, though, that Ms Elliott will be handing the trophy to herself and the other owners of her first Melbourne Cup runner Libran.

Ms Elliott has already got a pass mark for an important part of an owner’s job, drawing a good barrier for the horse trained by champion mare Winx’s trainer Chris Waller.

“I was absolutely petrified,” Ms Elliott said after the barrier draw.

“Everyone said to me ‘what’s the pressure like for your first Derby Day as chairman of the VRC?’.

“I went ‘well not nearly as much as drawing a barrier in the Melbourne Cup’.”

Ms Elliott bought her “tiny share” in Libran through racehorse ownership company Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, after becoming friends with its chairman Harry Herbert.

Libran is the fourth Melbourne Cup runner for Mr Herbert, who grew up in Highclere Castle, otherwise known as Downton Abbey in the TV series and the country seat of his older brother as the Earl of Carnarvon.

His brother-in-law John Warren is the Queen’s racing manager, a role previously held by Mr Herbert’s father for 30 years.

The VRC expects tens of thousands of people to line Swanston Street for their chance to see the real racing royalty – the jockeys and trainers – in Monday’s parade, which begins at noon.

Credit: AAP