It will take a trip back to the tiny bush town where it all started for Darren Weir's Melbourne Cup win to truly sink in.

The boy from Berriwillock, the female rider with racing in her blood and the long-shot horse who had been through the wars combined to win Australia's famous race.

It was a Melbourne Cup for the true believers, as Prince of Penzance's managing owner Sandy McGregor put it.

McGregor's father Stuart was president of the Stawell Racing Club when Weir first arrived, in memorable style.

The 18-year-old rode a horse into trainer Terry O'Sullivan's stable to begin work as a farrier and horse breaker, after his car hit a kangaroo.

McGregor's father took a shine to the hard worker, giving Weir one of his first horses to train.

"He used to shoe horses during the day and train them at night," McGregor said.

"Then he just grew and grew and he started training plenty of winners in the bush."

As Weir's training operations grew he made the move to the regional city of Ballarat, also opening a stable in Warrnambool where the horses enjoy the beach.

"It should be an education for the Australian racing industry that location because it's a vastly superior location for training stayers," McGregor said.

Prince of Penzance, initially passed in for $50,000 at a New Zealand sale, is one of the injured horses Weir has rehabilitated after two joint operations and major surgery for a twisted bowel.

A crucial part of his stable is Michelle Payne who grew up in Ballarat as part of a racing family.

Her strapper brother Stevie, who has Down Syndrome, drew barrier one for the $101 long shot.

Ballarat embraced their Melbourne Cup heroes, Prince of Penzance included, with a welcome back parade on Friday.

"I thought a few people might turn up, but geez, when we got there, the people that were there and the reception they gave the horse and Michelle and Stevie and also myself, it was an unbelievable feeling," Weir said.

"It's great for racing. And it's great for Ballarat as well. They've been a real important part of where I am today, to have those great facilities, and also Warrnambool."

Weir admits it has been difficult to get back to business as usual after the Cup, with staff tending to the 100 horses at his Ballarat stable and another 50 at Warrnambool.

"I haven't been quite as serious as I probably should be but I've got great staff so they've taken over and done a great job," the always-smiling Weir said.

"It hasn't really sunk in yet. It will be good when I get back to Berriwillock on Wednesday. I'm really looking forward to that."

Weir was raised on the family wheat farm in the town, home to about 300 people, in the drought-hit Mallee district in north western Victoria.

Berriwillock's website already boasts that it is "the home of Darren Weir, trainer of the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance".

The pub has been closed for renovations, although Weir tips it will be "rocking" on his return.

Weir has remained down to earth since beating the wealthy Japanese, the sheikhs and the best Europe could offer.

"It doesn't matter if you've got plenty of money in this job, you've got to have a lot of luck.

"We've had a bit of luck."

Weir's dream Melbourne Cup week ended with Dandino winning the Group Three Queen's Cup and Palentino, ridden by Payne, a Listed race at Flemington on Saturday.

Payne currently only has a couple of upcoming rides locked in, one with the first female trainer to win the Cup in Gai Waterhouse, and finally has a few days off to rest and celebrate her dream win.

"The fairytale is continuing and I'm just so lucky."