Ciaron Maher has become the first trainer in the 166-year history of the Melbourne Cup to train the trifecta with his horses, led by winner Point Of Law, fighting out the finish of Australia’s most famous race.
Roughie Royal Supremacy ($51) escaped with a mammoth lead through the middle stages of the 3200m race and led to the 150m before being gathered up by the airborne Point Of Law ($6.50f), who ripped away in stunning fashion to score by almost four lengths.
Maher, who has established a training empire in recent seasons, said he was sure this was his best chance to win the cup but could not have predicted the result with Zahrann ($31) and Juja Kibo ($14) filling the placings.
“I knew I had my best hand going into the race, but you’ve got to execute,” Maher said.
“I certainly didn’t know Royal Supremacy would lead by that far but there’s nothing better than a true staying test
“Point Of Law, he’s just thrived. I can’t thank all the team enough. All the owners, what a ride they’ve been on.
“It’s been a whirlwind, really. To get three horses in the first three spots – I don’t even know where the rest finished yet – but I’m very proud.
Point Of Law was formerly owned by King Charles III and when the entire won the Geelong Cup to earn Melbourne Cup qualification, Maher joked that his mother had brokered the deal with the king to buy the horse.
“It’s unbelievable to do all this,” Maher said.
“One of my proudest moments was racing at Royal Ascot with Mum and the Royal Family.
“To win the biggest race in the country and one of the biggest in the world, it’s pretty special.”
Some thought the colt, who is still only three years old by the northern hemisphere breeding schedule and with only five previous starts to his name, would struggle to handle the magnitude of the heaving crowd.
But the son of Frankel paraded magnificently and was slammed into favouritism shortly before the start.
He was assisted by an expert steer from Ethan Brown, who has elevated into one of the country’s best jockeys in the last few years.
Brown had a chance discussion with Maher years earlier when he had contemplated hanging up the boots in favour of training and the ace condtioner had convinced him to keep going.
“Please don’t wake me up,” Brown said.
“It’s been well documented how he talked me out of horse training when I was about 22 years old
“I’ve buggered up plenty of times on his horses and he’s had faith. He’s believed in me and put me on. I’m speechless.”
Brown’s life hung in the balance in early 2023 when he fell heavily in the Australian Guineas at Flemington, sustaining life-threatening injuries.
He lost more than five litres of blood when lacerating his liver, severing an artery, damaging his right kidney and hairline fractures to three vertebrae in his lower back.
“There was just something burning inside me (to get back riding),” Brown said.
“I was inches from losing my life and I thought maybe it wasn’t worth it.
“I took some time off and realised I wasn’t much good at anything else.
“It’s been a bumpy road with a lot of challenges thrown my way.”
Even to ride Point Of Law in Tuesday’s cup, Brown had to waste hard for the 53kg weight.
“It’s been a three-month process (to get to 53kg),” he said.
“I rode Zahrann in the Caulfield Cup and thought, ‘I don’t want to do that again’. But then this horse won the Geelong Cup.”
Despite racing upfront in the Geelong Cup, Brown this time anchored Point Of Law to race in the second half of the field.
The galloper trucked up behind runners and shot into action when finding clear running inside the final 400m.
“He’s got the best turn of foot in the race by far. I looked up and Royal Supremacy was about 20 (lengths) in front,” Brown said.
“I just had to stay patient. Once he got that clear running, his turn of foot was enormous.
“Probably at about the 300m mark (I knew I was going to win).”
Brown says the lightly raced conveyance will blossom with more grounding.
“He’s in such good hands with Ciaron Maher,” he said.
“He’s going to be a horse that’s a future star, if he’s not already one here today.”
Brown was apprenticed to trainer Mick Kent, who taught him to ride, but he was assisted greatly by Maher.
When Brown’s career was at the crossroads, Maher convinced him to persevere.
“I sat down with him one day and I wasn’t really riding. I said, ‘would you support me if I did get back?’” Brown recalls.
“He said yes and that was about six years ago. He’s given me lots of advice along the way.”
Amidst the celebrations with Maher, Brown found his mother and struggled to hold back the emotion.
“I nearly started crying when I saw Mum. She was bawling her eyes out,” he said.
“If it wasn’t for her pushing me out into the big world, I wouldn’t be here today.
Maher had already won the cup with Gold Trip in 2022 but this was next level.
“Whether you’re a trainer, strapper, jockey or an owner, this is the one you dream of,” Maher said.
Maher’s other runners also performed highly with Royal Supremacy only chinned out of fourth place by Sons And Lovers ($26) on the line.
Shockletz ($10) was sixth, Middle Earth ($17) 10th and Mr Monaco ($31) 16th.
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