The Carlton Football Club congratulates long-time Carlton supporter Kevin Bamford and his wife Colleen, the owners of the 2010 Melbourne Cup winner Americain.

Americain, the US-bred and French-trained horse won the 150^th Melbourne Cup at Flemington yesterday.

Bamford, Chairman of Melbourne company, Labelmakers, and co-owner Gerry Ryan bought the six-year-old stallion earlier this year and yesterday claimed Australia’s greatest race.

Bamford made an emotional tribute to the late Richard Pratt after winning the race, declaring it was the former Carlton President who planted the seed to win the race.

He said it was ''After one of the Cups we had a dinner and Dick just said, 'We've got to win a Cup.' Unfortunately, he's not here to see it. I miss him a lot.''