Sportsupdated 1h ago2 min read
MapPoint Of Law Wins Melbourne Cup At Flemington, Ethan Brown Says “Every Jockey’s Dream”
6 Western Mainstream3 OtherMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
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Point of Law wins the Melbourne Cup at Flemington, ridden by Ethan Brown. Three-year-old was formerly owned by King Charles.
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Point of Law wins
Point of Law won the Melbourne Cup at Flemington, giving trainer Ciaron Maher his second Melbourne Cup victory and completing a trifecta with Zahrann and Juja Kibo finishing second and third. Jockey Ethan Brown rode Point of Law to victory, and Brown said, "Don't wake me up, this is every jockey's dream," in a post-race interview. Royal Supremacy led by about 20 lengths at one point, but Brown pushed Point of Law from the middle of the pack to overtake on the home stretch.
Ciaron Maher had a record seven horses in Tuesday's race, and the BBC said the Melbourne Cup has run in Australia since 1861. The prize for the race was A$10.2m ($7.04m; £5.3m).
Maher trifecta and quotes
The ABC News & Headlines report said Point of Law maintained his form to win, running down stablemate Royal Supremacy in the straight and beating Zahrann and Juja Kibo also from the Maher stable. The ABC News & Headlines report said the race was won by 3.75 lengths, after Brown pushed Point of Law out of the chasing pack for an "incredible finishing burst". Brown told himself "just stay cool, stay patient" as Royal Supremacy raced more than a dozen lengths ahead before the late move.
Ciaron Maher had the trifecta, and the ABC News & Headlines report said Royal Supremacy finished fifth with Shockletz sixth and Only Mr Monaco finishing 17th. The BBC said organisers at Flemington entertained the crowd with Robbie Williams, and the day included controversy after Asterix was scratched for receiving penetrene earlier that morning.
Controversy and stakes
Race stewards said the medication applied to Asterix in error still constituted a "serious breach," and the BBC said trainer Chris Waller was reportedly fined $50,000 for what he described as a simple mistake by a staff member. The Melbourne Cup drew a record $382.5 million in bets last year, and a Guardian Essential poll found just 9% of people had high interest in the race this year. Maher became the first trainer to achieve the trifecta, with Zahrann coming in second and Juja Kibo third, and Sons and Lovers finished fourth.
Brown told Channel Nine, "Please don't wake me up," and Brown described winning as a dream come true. The Guardian also said focus returned to the horses after Robbie Williams' pre-race performance, and it said 23 of the expected 24 runners paraded through the mounting yard.