Point Of Law, previously owned by the King and Queen, delivered a decisive Melbourne Cup victory at Flemington, heading an exceptional result for trainer Ciaron Maher. The favorite was ridden by Ethan Brown, whose career had almost ended following a near-fatal fall at the same venue in 2023.
Maher fielded seven runners and trained five of the first six finishers. Zahrann finished almost four lengths behind the winner in second, with Juja Kibo completing the trainer's sweep of the podium. Joseph O'Brien's Sons And Lovers placed fourth, ahead of Maher's Royal Supremacy in fifth.
Royal Supremacy established a strong pace and opened a substantial lead, giving Point Of Law a target to pursue. Although Brown found himself farther back than intended, he remained patient before securing a clear run. Point Of Law then produced a powerful acceleration to take control.
The victory carried particular significance for Brown, who credited Maher with encouraging his return to riding and consistently supporting him. Maher, meanwhile, praised his team and owners, expressing pride in taking all three leading positions. He had previously won the race alongside David Eustace with Gold Trip in 2022.
Before moving to Australia through a private purchase, Point Of Law was trained by John and Thady Gosden. He finished fourth in the Queen's Vase at Royal Ascot and won Newmarket's Bahrain Trophy, results that established him as a St Leger prospect. His Australian career began successfully with victory in the Geelong Cup on his first start for his new connections.
