Adversity helped make Marwan Koukash fabulously wealthy.

Combined with some unorthodox logic, he is convinced it will also assist in achieving a racing dream and win him the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday.

Koukash's horse Mount Athos, one of around 100 that he owns, is running in his second Cup, and the memories of his first have made him one of the favourites for this year's race.

The seven-year-old appeared to have his prospects severely compromised when he drew barrier 22 in the 24-horse field.

Koukash thinks otherwise.

"Many people seem to think our draw is bad. I don't think so," Koukash said.

"We will bloody win."

His reasoning stems partly from over-active optimism and partly from the fate Mount Athos suffered from the favourable barrier eight in last year's race.

Under ace English jockey Ryan Moore, Mount Athos got a long way out of his ground, travelled eight-wide into the straight and got a shoulder charge from Americain at the 400m that nearly knocked him off his feet.

He still ran fifth and was getting home better than any horse in the race.

"Last year we were drawn eight and in many people's eyes that was a very good draw," his owner said.

"But where we ended up tells you it's not always good to be there."

Koukash, a Palestinian who spent a large part of his childhood in a Jordanian refugee camp before moving to Kuwait and England and got his first pair of shoes when he was 12, sees barrier 22 as an advantage.

"If you are drawn 22 that means you can dictate what you want to do in the race.

"We've got four or five furlongs before the first turn to go forward and slot in where we want to be.

"I'd rather be on my horse from barrier 22 or 23 or 24 than the majority of the other horses that have drawn well."

Koukash also offered a novel take on the statistics that abound in a Melbourne Cup, suggesting they have little relevance.

"When you look at the statistics of where horses have won from, it doesn't mean anything," he said.

"You've had no winners from gate 18 because probably all the horses who have run from that gate are absolute s***. If you've got the horse, you can win from any gate."

As well as provoking a Melbourne Cup obsession, Mount Athos' 2012 performance convinced Koukash to replace England's best rider with one of Australia's finest, Craig Williams.

"The year Mount Athos is stronger than last year, he looks better, feels better, in better form and with a better draw.

"More importantly, we've got Craig Williams and I can't think of anybody who is better than him for overcoming a wide draw.

And when that is done and the Melbourne Cup is his, Koukash will turn to another pet project - stealing star Australian rugby league players for his newly acquired Salford Red Devils rugby league club.