Point of Law won the 2026 Melbourne Cup at Flemington, coming from behind to catch stablemate Royal Supremacy and justify favouritism. Jockey Ethan Brown rode the Ciaron Maher-trained three-year-old to victory in the $10 million race after Royal Supremacy had led by about 20 lengths at one stage.
Maher had a record seven horses in the field and trained the first three finishers. Zahrann took second, followed by Juja Kibo, while Sons and Lovers, trained by Joseph O’Brien, finished fourth. It was Maher’s second Melbourne Cup win.
Point of Law was owned by King Charles until an Australian syndicate bought the horse in August. He had risen to the top of the betting after a strong run in the Geelong Cup and had previously won the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July.
Brown said winning the Melbourne Cup was a dream come true and praised the horse’s finishing speed and Maher’s care. The win marked a major comeback for Brown, who spent six months away from racing after a serious fall at Flemington in the 2023 Australian Guineas. He said the accident had left him in hospital and close to giving up the sport.
Maher said his team had gone into the race with strong prospects but had not expected Royal Supremacy to lead by such a margin. He said Point of Law had thrived in the test of staying and praised his staff for securing the top three places.
Earlier on race day, Asterix was scratched after receiving the anti-inflammatory treatment Penetrene, which is prohibited on race day. Trainer Chris Waller was fined $50,000 and said the treatment had been applied by mistake, taking responsibility for his team. Waller’s remaining runner, Soul of Spain, finished 13th.
Sources: The Guardian Sport.