Point Of Law Wins the Melbourne Cup as Maher Trains a Historic Trifecta

Point Of Law won the $10 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, surging home under jockey Ethan Brown to beat stablemates Zahrann and Juja Kibo and complete a historic trifecta for trainer Ciaron Maher. The favourite won the 3,200 metre race, the 166th running of the Melbourne Cup, by three and three quarter lengths, according to The Straight. Maher became the first trainer in the Cup's 166 year history to train the first three horses home, AAP reported.

A stable sweep

Maher saddled a record seven contenders and had six horses finish in the top 10. His frontrunner Royal Supremacy led by as much as 20 lengths before the field reached the home straight, then held on for fifth, while Shockletz finished sixth. Sons And Lovers, trained by Joseph O'Brien, was the first internationally trained horse home in fourth.

"I knew I had my best hand going into it and I just had to execute," Maher said, in remarks reported by AAP. "I certainly didn't know that Royal Supremacy would lead by that far, but there's nothing better than a true staying test."

The win was Maher's second Melbourne Cup, after Gold Trip in 2022.

From the royal stable to Flemington

Point Of Law is a son of Frankel who was bought by the Maher camp from the royal stable of King Charles III after he won the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy, over 2,615 metres, at Newmarket in July. A recent Geelong Cup triumph had him installed among the favourites, and Tuesday's win was only the second victory of his four start career.

"Point Of Law, he's just thrived. All the owners, what a ride they've been on," Maher said. "It's been a whirlwind, really, but I'm very proud of all the team. To get three horses in the first three spots. I don't even know where the rest finished yet, but very proud."

A jockey's comeback

For Brown, the win was his first Melbourne Cup and a remarkable fightback. Three years ago he suffered life threatening injuries in a horror race fall on the same track and lost more than five litres of blood. The Alice Springs raised jockey was talked out of turning his hand to training by Maher, who has been one of his greatest supporters.

"He's done nothing but support me and back me in," Brown said. "I've buggered up plenty of times on his horses and he's had nothing but faith. He's one of many people, but he's believed in me. I'm quite speechless."

Shockletz rider Harry Coffey also raced through injury, riding just 48 hours after surgery to insert a plate in a fractured collarbone he suffered in a Victoria Derby day fall.

Drama before the jump

There was drama before the race when leading trainer Chris Waller was fined $50,000 by Racing Victoria stewards, who found his runner Asterix had mistakenly been given the medication Penetrene on both forelegs in its stable just hours before the Cup. Asterix, part owned by former New Zealand cricketer Mark Greatbatch, was scratched, leaving 2020 Cup winning jockey Jye McNeil without a ride and reducing the field to 23. Early rain cleared and the Cup was run in bright sunshine on a track rated a soft 5.