Point of Law leads home Australian trio to win Melbourne Cup
Britain’s King Charles III could get a chance to see Point Of Law again if Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup winner races in the northern hemisphere next year. Bred and owned by the British monarch but sold to Australia after winning a Newmarket Group Three in July, Point Of Law looks a transformed proposition after landing the 166th renewal of the race that famously stops a nation. The three-year-old colt, the most inexperienced Melbourne Cup winner of the modern era on just his sixth career start, and only his second in Australia, led home an unprecedented trifecta for trainer Ciaron Maher at Flemington. Point Of Law (6/1) was the first favourite in 13 years to win and beat his stable companions Zahrann and Juja Kibo. Sons And Lovers was best of Joseph O’Brien ’s quintet of runners in fourth. Maher saddled an unmatched seven horses in the race, his other runners finishing fifth, sixth, 10th and 17th. He picked up 6.8 million Australian dollars (€4.2 million) of the total prize fund (€6.3 million). Jockey Ethan Brown labelled the former John & Thady Gosden-trained runner a “superstar”. Maher, enjoying his second Cup success with a European import, didn’t rule out an international scope to Point Of Law’s future. “The world’s his oyster really,” said Maher. “He would be a horse that could race internationally at a good level, at the highest level. What’s the ceiling for him, but he can race in all the good races around the world because he can get better. “He’s obviously very talented. He’s won that very well and he’s a European three-year-old still. I think he’s got a bright future, a big engine and should be a lot of fun.” Maher saw Point Of Law run fourth in the Queens Vase at Royal Ascot in June and spoke to his then owner-breeder before privately purchasing the Frankel colt after he won in Newmarket. There was media speculation in Australia the sale could have been worth up to £3 million (€3.6 million). Point Of Law earned his new ownership in the region of €2.8 million by finishing first at Flemington. The attendance of 97,312 at Flemington was the highest in a decade, although it proved a frustrating race for Irish hopes. The JP McManus -owned pair, Trustyourinstinct and Goodie Two Shoes, could finish only 11th and 22nd respectively. O’Brien’s other runners were James J Braddock (seventh) and Kizlyar in 16th. Elsewhere, jockey Shane Foley lost his appeal on Tuesday against a 12-day suspension for careless riding which he picked up at Navan a fortnight ago. It was his fourth such offence in six months. Foley picked up an 11-day careless riding ban after his Irish Champion Stakes winning ride on Hotazhell in September. An Irish Horseracing Regulatory Board panel also rejected jockey Ross Sugrue’s appeal against the severity of a recent 14-day suspension incurred for weighing in light on the Galway winner Prince Palace, who was subsequently disqualified. Sugrue was 1.2lbs light on the Philip Rothwell-trained horse and the rider told the Galway stewards he couldn’t account for the discrepancy other than that he had used the toilet before the race. The 2025 Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Inothewayurthinkin is on course to return to action in Haydock’s Betfair Cup later this month. Gavin Cromwell’s charge failed to win in five starts last season, although he did finish third to Gaelic Warrior when defending his Blue Riband title. “We decided against starting Inothewayurthinkin in the John Durkan this season with him being run off his feet in the race the past couple of years,” Cromwell said on Tuesday. “The race at Haydock looks a good starting place for him and we’re hoping for some rain between now and then so the ground suits. “He hasn’t been a fast starter in the past couple of seasons, but this race should give him a better chance of a good result at this point of the season. He’s coming along nicely at home, so hopefully he keeps going in that direction and we see the best of him again this season.” The Wexford card cancelled on the bank holiday Monday due to waterlogging takes place on Wednesday, with selective watering taking place in advance of the racing. It presents the Grade One-winning mare The Big westerner with an opportunity to get her season under way in the Listed Chase, although ground conditions might be quicker than ideal. Her Coolmara Stables ownership will also hope their expensive purchase Palinca gets a run from first reserve in the opening maiden hurdle.