Edward Sadler had good reason for not being at Flemington on Tuesday to cheer on his father's Melbourne Cup runner Winchester.

Sadler was instead at Randwick for the first time to call the picnic race meeting for the on-course patrons at the Sydney track.

The 20-year-old, who is now based in Sydney, is the son of Flemington trainer John Sadler who had Winchester in the Melbourne Cup.

But the imported stayer could only manage 17th in the big race.

"Nine times out of 10 I would have loved to have been at Flemington but getting the opportunity to call the races at Randwick was too good to pass up," Sadler said.

"But my eyes were fixed on Winchester during the race."

Sadler watched the Melbourne Cup on a television in the broadcast box at Randwick.

He got his passion for race calling from his late grandfather Frank O'Brien who was a famous caller in Melbourne.

"I was really excited heading here today," Sadler said.

"To call the races at Randwick was exciting enough for myself personally.

"For Dad to also have a runner in the Melbourne Cup was still exciting, even if the result didn't go the way we would have liked."