Harry and David Eustace were just boys playing with horses in their father’s stables in Newmarket when the FBI (Freedman Brothers Incorporated) dominated Australian racing 30 years ago.

Lee, Anthony and Richard’s names continue to appear on the roll of honor at some of the country’s biggest races including the Melbourne Cup, Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup.

The EBI (Eustace Brothers International) doesn’t have the same sound, but whether it’s Dave, who conquered some of Australia’s biggest races as Ciaron Maher’s training partner, or British trainer Harry, who takes a live opportunity on En Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, they are living up to that nickname.

That two young British riders from the same family but with different backgrounds have had such an influence on the sport in this part of the world in such a short time is quite surprising.

Ironically, Harry Eustace’s first job after college was working for the Freedmans in Markdel. He later returned to Australia as William Haggas’s traveling foreman with G1 winner Addeybb and G3 winner Young Rascal.

He chose to return to the UK to begin his training career, unlike his younger brother who never left after spending a spring in quarantine in Werribee.

Less than a decade later, his meteoric rise shows no signs of slowing as he opened his Hong Kong account with three winners in his first month of runners in Sha Tin and Happy Valley.

Speaking from his new base in Asia, David Eustace said it was the nature and prosperity of the Australian racing industry that has given both brothers their opportunities.

“It’s certainly a testament to Australia and racing there,” Eustace said.

“I have no doubt that the Australian psyche and attitude is to give young people a chance if they are willing to do it.

“That probably also means competing in a broader sense; if you’re young and ready for it, there are opportunities.”

“I guess that attitude comes from mom and dad because they certainly instilled in us that if you put your head down, work hard and have fun, that’s the best way to go.

“I think we both feel very lucky to have grown up in a racing field and love the game.

“We weren’t forced to do it by any means, but we loved it since Day Dot.

“Thanks to their hard work, they can now enjoy it – they spent a lot of time in Australia when I was there and now they are there to support Harry before he comes to Hong Kong.”

Eustace traveled to Melbourne to watch his brother’s horse, Docklands, run fifth behind Via Sistina in the Cox Plate.

I was back in Hong Kong and cheering from afar as Sea King booked their place in the Melbourne Cup with a dominant performance in the Bendigo Cup.

Victory in the $500,000 race eclipsed any of the young trainer’s exploits at home and now gives him the chance to orchestrate his own part of Melbourne Cup history, two years after Dave co-trained Gold Trip to win the race iconic.

WATCH: Sea King’s Bendigo Cup victory

While it’s been an unexpected rise to prominence with Sea King, Eustace can’t wait for Tuesday.

“I haven’t felt an emotion like that in a long time,” he said.

“It was absolutely fantastic.

“Harry had the horse on and was a comfortable watch throughout, he traveled like a steam train and when Dec (Declan Bates) let him go you knew he was going to hold up well.

“He became Docklands’ galloping partner and he turned out to be a galloping partner.

“To have a real live opportunity at the Melbourne Cup is incredible.

“If he was able to win the grand prize, it would be a dream and I would be very proud of him.”

Eustace sees parallels between a horse he trained to win the Bendigo Cup, High Emocean and Sea King.

The sturdy mare was a late inclusion in the Melbourne Cup field after winning over 2400m the previous week at Bendigo, but backed it up to finish third behind fellow Gold Trip.

Eustace also highlighted the form of the Ebor, in which Sea King achieved a creditable sixth place, which is already accumulating this spring.

“I looked at his form and Ebor, time and time again, has been very competitive in the race but hadn’t even qualified for the Cup,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone, not even Harry, could say with confidence that he planned to finish there on Tuesday, but sometimes things like that work.

“I immediately thought of High Emocean when Harry said he was going to the Bendigo Cup.

“He snuck into the Melbourne Cup through Bendigo and ran a great race so this could happen.”