One final kick in the guts for Victoria

That crowd isn't scaring anyone. Picture: Getty

Today's edition of the race that stops a nation is going to be unlike anything we've ever seen as the $8 million dash plays out in front of empty grandstands.

Victoria has been hit hardest of any state in Australia by the COVID pandemic and in one final kick in the guts the absence of a crowd at Flemington is set to hand a huge advantage to the international raiders looking to continue their dominance of the event after Vow and Declare's win for Australia last year.

They're already considered two of the best chances to win the race and Anthony Van Dyck and Tiger Moth can go about their business in relative peace and quiet.

Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Corey Brown, who has backed Anthony Van Dyck to win the race, said the empty racecourse was a huge advantage for the international raiders.

"This goes for all the European horses – they’re getting a big benefit from the fact there’s no crowd," Brown wrote for foxsports.com.au. "Quite often they can get very stirred up by the big atmosphere on Cup Day, and can lose their race before it’s run. That won’t be the case for the Covid Cup."

Six-time Melbourne Cup winning owner Lloyd Williams agreed, saying it would be of extra benefit to inexperienced horses like betting favourite Tiger Moth.

“They’ve played into his hands this year. There’s no crowds there, so for an inexperienced horse he’s not going to face 100,000 people in the mounting yard," Williams told RadioTAB.

“If (jockey Kerrin) McEvoy gives him a good ride, he’ll be hard to beat. I’d love to own him.

“Provided nothing goes wrong with this horse over the next 12 months, you’ll hear a lot of him.”