Horse racing-Point of Law runs down Royal Supremacy in Melbourne Cup thriller

MELBOURNE, Nov 3 : Point Of Law ran down surprise leader Royal Supremacy on the home straight to win the 166th running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday, giving trainer Ciaron Maher his second victory in Australia's biggest horse race.

The 4-year-old stallion bided his time for the first 2,900 metres as rank outsider Royal Supremacy opened up a lead of 20 lengths but exploded off the final corner and sprinted home to win the A$10.2 million ($7.16 million) handicap by two lengths.

"Please don't wake me up, it's an amazing feeling," jockey Ethan Brown said from the saddle as he brought the 6-1 second favourite in.

"I looked up and Royal Supremacy was about 20 in front. I thought, 'oh, God, just stay cool, stay patient, cut the bend'. And once he got that clear running, his turn of foot was enormous. He's going to be a superstar horse if he isn't already."

Zahrann finished second ahead of Juja Kibo to give Maher, who co-trained 2022 winner Gold Trip and had seven horses in the race, a sweep of the top three.

Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien prepared five horses for the race but had to settle for a best finish of fourth place through Sons and Lovers.

Favourite Hopewell Rock finished ninth, while Royal Supremacy's reward for leading for most of the race was fifth place.

Jockey Brown left his home in Alice Springs in Australia's remote Northern Territory as a teenager to chase his dream and spent six months out of the sport after a nasty fall at Flemington three years ago.

"I was inches from losing my life, but a bit of time off and I realised I wasn't any good at anything else," he said. "There was a slow burn inside of me."

Brown paid tribute to the trust Maher had placed in him by giving him the ride.

"He's done nothing