Point Of Law, a former racehorse owned by King Charles III, has claimed the 2026 Melbourne Cup after a late surge at Flemington Racecourse, giving Australian jockey Ethan Brown his first victory in the prestigious contest.
The three-year-old, trained by Ciaron Maher, came from behind to overtake Royal Supremacy in the closing stages, crossing the finish line ahead of stablemates Zahrann and Juja Kibo, who finished second and third respectively.
Royal Supremacy had established a significant lead during the race, but Brown remained patient before pushing Point Of Law forward in the home straight. The winning horse made its decisive move with approximately 150 metres remaining.
Point Of Law arrived at Flemington in strong form after winning the Geelong Cup on October 21 over 2,400 metres. That victory secured its automatic qualification for the Melbourne Cup and strengthened its position as one of the leading contenders.
The horse had previously belonged to King Charles before being sold earlier this year to a group of investors, including former Australian rules footballer Chris Judd and his wife, Bec. It is a son of Frankel and was previously trained in Britain by John and Thady Gosden before moving to Australia under Maher’s supervision.
At Flemington, Point Of Law started from barrier nine and carried 53kg over the 3,200-metre course, a distance it had never raced before.
Brown, who grew up in Alice Springs, described the achievement as a dream come true. He also recalled his serious riding accident in 2023, which left him hospitalised and unable to compete for six months.
“Don’t wake me up, this is every jockey’s dream,” he said after the race.
Maher’s successful afternoon saw him claim the top three positions, with seven horses representing his stable in the competition. The trainer had previously won the Melbourne Cup with Gold Trip in 2022.
The Melbourne Cup has been staged since 1861 and is widely regarded as Australia’s most prestigious horse race. Its A$10.2 million prize purse makes it the country’s third-richest race, while the 2025 edition generated a record A$382.5 million in betting turnover.
This year’s event also featured a performance by British singer Robbie Williams, whose appearance included a 10-piece band, dancers and pyrotechnics.
However, the race was not without controversy. Asterix, trained by Chris Waller, was withdrawn on race day after a stable worker mistakenly applied penetrene, a medication used to treat inflammation and muscle soreness. Stewards described the incident as a serious breach, and Waller was reportedly fined A$50,000.
Animal welfare campaigners also gathered outside Flemington as part of the Nup to the Cup movement, protesting against horse racing and calling attention to concerns about the treatment of horses.
A Guardian Essential poll published around this year’s event found that only 9% of respondents had a high level of interest in the Melbourne Cup, while 23% reported moderate interest. Despite the figures, more than 60% considered the race a unique part of Australia’s national identity.
