Point of Law chased down a runaway leader. Its trainer swept the Melbourne Cup podium
Ciaron Maher trained the first three finishers as Ethan Brown rode Point of Law to victory after Royal Supremacy built a huge lead.
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Melbourne Cup: King's former horse Point Of Law wins prestigious Australian race
A runaway lead, then a late surge
Point of Law ran down a runaway leader to win the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, giving trainer Ciaron Maher an unprecedented sweep of the race’s first three places. Jockey Ethan Brown guided the winner past Royal Supremacy, another Maher runner, in the home straight; Maher’s Zahrann and Juja Kibo finished second and third.abc +1
Royal Supremacy had opened a lead of roughly 20 lengths during the 3,200-metre race. Brown said he had been shuffled further back than he wanted and had to keep Point of Law settled before finding clear running for the final burst. Royal Supremacy held on for fifth.racing +1
“It’s been well documented how he talked me out of horse training at one stage,” Brown said of Maher afterward. The jockey said the trainer had continued to back him despite mistakes: “He’s believed in me and shown that by putting me on.”racing
A first for the trainer, a comeback for the jockey
Maher had seven runners in the 23-horse field and became the first trainer to supply the top three finishers in the Cup’s 166 editions.abc +1 It was his second victory in the race: he co-trained Gold Trip to win in 2022. The Joseph O’Brien-trained Sons and Lovers finished fourth, separating Maher’s first three horses from Royal Supremacy.reuters
Point of Law was making only his sixth career start and had won the Geelong Cup in the lead-up.abc +1 For Brown, the win came three years after a serious fall at Flemington kept him out of racing for six months. He told Racing.com that at one stage he had doubted he would return, before deciding he needed to ride again.theguardian +1
A late scratching and more racing ahead
The field lost one contender before the start. Asterix was scratched after a stable worker applied a liniment on race day, when treatments are prohibited. Trainer Chris Waller was fined A$50,000; he said the application was a mistake.theguardian +1
The Flemington carnival continues on Thursday with Oaks Day, followed by Champions Stakes Day on Saturday.racing