The plan for successful Melbourne businessmen Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford to run French-trained stayer Americain in the Melbourne Cup was hatched in February when they bought the horse.Ryan, who owns the Jayco Caravans empire, had already had horses with trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre.Americain was recommended to him by bloodstock agents David Medbury and Robert Rouston and they purchased the horse for $US225,000.At that stage the Dynaformer entire had won three races in France for another French

The plan for successful Melbourne businessmen Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford to run French-trained stayer Americain in the Melbourne Cup was hatched in February when they bought the horse.

Ryan, who owns the Jayco Caravans empire, had already had horses with trainer Alain De Royer-Dupre.

Americain was recommended to him by bloodstock agents David Medbury and Robert Rouston and they purchased the horse for $US225,000.

At that stage the Dynaformer entire had won three races in France for another French trainer, including a Group Two 3100m win at Longchamps in May last year and a Listed 2400m win in May 2008.

He had also had a stint in the US where he was placed once in four starts before returning to France.

Chantilly-based trainer De Royer-Dupre took over the horse over for the new owners.

"We bought him to run in the Melbourne Cup, he had already qualified for the race," Bamford said.

"Every race he won was a bonus."

Americain has hit a rich vein of form for De Royer-Dupre, winning the last five of his six starts for him.

Before leaving for Australia, Americain had completed a hat-trick of wins in the Group Two Prix Kergorlay (3000m) in August, beating Tuesday's seventh placegetter Manighar.

He became the first French-trained horse to win in Australia by taking out the Group Three Geelong Cup last month before he added the $6 million Group One Melbourne Cup (3200m) to his resume.

It was especially memorable for Ryan's wife Val who celebrated her 60th birthday on Melbourne Cup day.

Ryan, who has a stud farm near Nagambie in Victoria, has tasted big-race success before with a share in 2005 Victoria Derby winner Benicio.

One of Melbourne's wealthiest businessman, Ryan is also one of Australia's most committed sports fans with generous sponsorships across many sports including racing, cycling and rugby league.

Ryan was closely involved with the successful and controversial Melbourne Storm rugby league club as a director and was also a director of AFL club St Kilda which has lost the past two grand finals.

He could remember listening to the Melbourne Cup on the radio as a child but could not remember his first.

"It's been a big day," he said.

Bamford recalled sitting in the Flemington car park with his wife (Colleen) in 1993 holding his mobile phone to the radio so his friend Michael Smurfit could listen to his horse Vintage Crop become the first European-trained horse to win the Melbourne Cup.

"It was one o'clock in the morning (in Ireland)," he said.

"I won't tell you what he said."

Melbourne's leading label maker, Bamford said he sold half of his company to Smurfit in 1990.

Americain will return to France but the owners and De Royer-Dupre agreed that he could be back to have another crack at the 2011 Cup.