Horse sold by King Charles wins Melbourne Cup thriller

Dubai: A horse once owned by King Charles produced a stunning late surge to claim victory in the 166th Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday.

Point of Law, a three-year-old colt sold by the British monarch for an undisclosed fee earlier this year, secured the biggest win of his career in just his sixth competitive appearance.

With Australian jockey Ethan Brown in the saddle, Point of Law charged through the field before accelerating past his rivals in the closing 100 metres. Zahrann finished second, with Juja Kibo taking third, completing a remarkable result for trainer Ciaron Maher, who became the first trainer to claim all three podium positions in the race.

First contested in 1861, the Melbourne Cup is widely known as the "race that stops a nation" and remains Australia's most celebrated horse race. This year's event offered A$10.2 million ($7.04 million; £5.3 million) in prize money, making it the country's third-richest race.

"Don't wake me up, this is every jockey's dream," said a triumphant Brown.

The jockey revealed he had reminded himself to "just stay cool, stay patient" while Royal Supremacy established a commanding lead of more than 12 lengths. His patience eventually paid off as Point of Law powered home to secure the victory.

King Charles previously sold the colt to an investment group that included former Australian Football League star Chris Judd and his wife Bec.

"He's going to be a superstar horse. He's something special," said Brown of the horse that won the Geelong Cup last month. "He's in the best of hands with Ciaron Maher."

Maher enjoyed an extraordinary afternoon, having entered seven runners in the 23-horse field, a record number for a single trainer.

For Brown, who was raised in Alice Springs, the triumph represented a remarkable personal achievement. He admitted that competing in the Melbourne Cup had once seemed beyond his imagination and credited the support he had received throughout his career.

His victory was particularly significant given the serious injuries he suffered in a racing accident in 2023. Brown described being "inches from losing my life" following a fall that resulted in a six-month absence from the sport.

Thousands of spectators attended Flemington in bright sunshine, with British singer Robbie Williams providing the pre-race entertainment. His performance featured dancers, pyrotechnics and a 10-piece band, with organisers describing it as the largest pre-Cup show in the venue's history.

However, the occasion also attracted controversy.

Asterix was withdrawn from the race after officials discovered that a stable employee had applied penetrene, a treatment for inflammation and muscle discomfort, earlier that morning.

Although stewards accepted that the medication had been administered accidentally, race-day treatment is prohibited, and the incident was classified as a "serious breach".

According to The Age, trainer Chris Waller received a reported A$50,000 fine (£26,000; $35,000), describing the incident as an innocent error made by an employee working under pressure.

Meanwhile, animal welfare campaigners gathered outside Flemington as part of the nationwide "Nup to the Cup" movement. Protesters displayed placards reading "horse racing kills", "don't bet on cruelty" and "no more whips".

The demonstrations came amid signs of declining public enthusiasm for the event. A Guardian Essential survey found that only 9% of Australians expressed strong interest in the Melbourne Cup, while 23% reported moderate interest.

Despite those figures, more than 60% of respondents still considered the race an important part of Australia's national identity.

The event also continues to generate enormous betting activity, with a record A$382.5 million wagered on last year's Melbourne Cup.