As the key players in Rekindling's victory emerged early on Wednesday, Williams made it clear that the 2017 Melbourne Cup was "over and old news and I'm now looking towards next year".

With a seventh Melbourne Cup a realistic opportunity next year with a band of smart racehorses ready to be unveiled in the next year, Williams again put racing officials on notice that the race needed emergencies.

"I know that in years gone by it was a difficult software problem to have the extra numbers, because I was the deputy chairman of the TAB and knew what was involved," he said. "But that was then and now we've got the ability to have it changed and so we should.

"No one should have the disappointment of missing out on a start in this iconic race only to find that a horse has been hurt or became sick after final acceptances were taken."

Williams admitted that he'd had talks with Amanda Elliott, the VRC chairman, who is also in favour of the installation of emergencies for future Melbourne Cups.

A spokesman for Tabcorp confirmed that the company was ready to have talks with Racing Victoria and the VRC in a bid to overcome the software issues needed to take the race to 26 or 28.

Japan, one of the biggest gambling centres in the world, will be able to comply as they have the ability to bet to number 30.

But Williams, 77, was determined to begin laying plans for future Melbourne Cups. "We start today," Williams said. "I haven't got much time. I'm in the last quarter, but we're living and hoping.

"We've got horses with Aidan and Joseph O'Brien, we've got yearlings, two-year-olds, three-year-olds and you live in hope.

"Hopefully there will be something coming through."

Rekindling, trained by Joseph O'Brien, will go to Williams' Mt Macedon property for a three-week spell, as will Johannes Vermeer.

However Rekindling will then head back to Europe while Johannes Vermeer will stay in Australia and more than likely tackle weight-for-age races next year.

Williams admitted that Almandin pulled up poorly and it was discovered that he was sore.

"It's too early to tell if it is serious or not. We'll just monitor him in the next 10 days," he said.

Williams wants Rekindling to be set for the Ascot Gold Cup in England in June and take on another of his stayers, Order Of St George.

"I'd love to see Rekindling go back in the Gold Cup again against Order Of St George," he said.

"There's a lot of water to go under the bridge between now and then, but I'd like to give him three or four weeks on the grass, no more, so he doesn't get fat."