The least experienced runner in this year’s field, Frankel (GB) colt Point Of Law led home a one-two-three finish for Ciaron Maher as the northern hemisphere bred 3yo charged away under Ethan Brown to win the $10.2m G1 VRC Melbourne Cup (3200m) by three and three-quarter lengths.
In stark comparison to his last start victory in the G3 Geelong Cup where he settled outside the leader after jumping from barrier 18, Brown had the son of Frankel back past mid-field after jumping away from barrier 8 in the 23-horse field.
As Point Of Law’s G1-winning stablemate Royal Supremacy (IRE) dialled up the pace and went clear of the field, the Australian Bloodstock raced gelding was some 20 lengths clear at one stage as he tried to control the tempo.
One of the first to start to make a move from back in the field was the eventual winner’s stablemate and this year’s G2 Metropolitan winner Juju Kibo (IRE) but as the home turn was reached, Royal Supremacy was still 12 lengths in front, but the runs were starting to come.
Bjorn Baker’s So You Are, a winner of his last four starts all at stakes grade, started to come out of the pack for Rachel King while Juju Kibo was still making ground as Zahraan (IRE) and Point Of Law were also starting to make their presence known.
Passing the 200m mark, Royal Supremacy was still in front, but could not withstand the finishing burst of his stablemates as Brown drove Point Of Law back to the inside and with just 53kgs on his back, powered away untouched to win by three and three-quarter lengths.
Improving off his Caulfield Cup sixth last time out, Zahraan took second place just ahead of Juju Kibo to give Ciaron Maher the first three home.
It was only the Joesph O’Brein trained top weight Sons And Lovers (GB) who finished in fourth that stopped Maher getting the first five across the line with Royal Supremacy in fifth and Shockletz (NZ) in sixth.
A name for the history books ?? POINT OF LAW storms clear to claim the 2026 Lexus Melbourne Cup for @Brown_ethan8 and @cmaherracing. #MelbourneCup https://t.co/nEaf3MmI7p
— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 3, 2026
Having saddled up seven runners in this year’s field, Maher finished with six inside the top ten – an absolutely brilliant achievement.
“I knew I had my best hand going in to it,” said Cup winning trainer Ciaron Maher. “We just had to execute. I certainly didn’t know that Royal Supremacy would go and lead by that far but nothing better than a true staying test.”
“Point Of Law has just thrived. I can’t thank all the team enough all the owners - what a ride they have been on. It's been a whirlwind really.
“I’m very proud of all the team. To get three horses in the first is - and I don’t know where the rest finished just yet - but very proud. I’ve got my mum and dad here.
“I’m still digesting it all, I haven't seen where the others finished but couldn't be prouder, just all the owners, you just heard from Will Bourne, he spends a lot of time overseas and sometimes I think I work for him, I'm at work and he's overseas.
“All the connections he's made, he's got an eye for it but then just everyone that's had anything to do with all these horses, a lot of them are in Queensland, Sydney, the winner Point Of Law in Peter Butts' colours, he's a beautiful man and there's a lot of good owners in that horse.
“But I think that'll be pretty special for him, racing in his colours. Just my team, they're amazing. That horse has really come on from Geelong. I was very confident. It's pretty special.”
“I think the world's his oyster really. He's obviously very talented. He's won that very well and he's a European three-year-old still. I think he's got a bright future, a big engine and should be a lot of fun.”
Having to make a decision between the winner and the runner up, jockey Ethan Brown made the right call.
“I’ll just start with Ciaron. It’s been well documented how he talked me out of horse training at one stage.
“I was about 22 years old but he’s done nothing but support me and back me in. I’ve buggered up plenty of times on his horses and he has had nothing but faith. He’s believed in me and shown that by putting me on. Quite speechless.”
“He's nothing but good to me. He's supported me from when I came back and even before that.
“I've buggered up plenty of times for him and he just keeps fronting up and putting me on and it just shows he's sort of, how do I explain it, he wants to help me I guess and to be able to win a Melbourne Cup for him, I've got to pinch myself, I'm still lost for words.
“Looking at the race I thought he has got the best turn of foot in the race by far. I got shuffled back a bit further than I would have liked but I was busy working with him and getting him to settle and I looked up and Royal Supremacy was about 20 in front and I thought oh god.
“So, I had to just stay cool, stay patient, cut the bend and once he got that clear running his turn of foot was enormous. He is going to be a superstar this. He’s something special.
“When he quickened down at the 350, I thought the race was over then. I know Royal Supremacy was still a fair way in front but there's not many horses that can quicken like that off the back of the 3200.
“He burnt early at Geelong and then we ran along a bit mid-race but somewhat controlled it. And he was still able to quicken off that tempo, and I learned a lot about the horse that day. That's why I thought he's got the best turn of foot. If we can just switch him off, save that for one last burst, that's the result.”
“Don't wake me up. I'm lost for words. I mean, where do you start? This is the race that we all try and win. To be in a position at such a young age to do so, I mean, it's just indescribable.”
Bred by King Charles III and raced previously for John and Thady Gosden in the Royal Colours before his private sale to Ciaron Maher Racing, the lightly raced Point Of Law is the winner of four of his six starts, unbeaten in Australia with earnings $6,188,200, clearly with the promise of more to come.
Point of Law is a third-generation product of the Royal Studs with both his dam and grand-dam bred by the late Queen Elizabeth II.
He is the first winner for stakes-placed Deep Impact mare Portfolio, a daughter of stakes-winning Dubawi mare Diploma with third dam Enticement also a stakes-winner that was raced by The Queen but purchased as a yearling from Tattersalls October Book 1 by John Warren Bloodstock.
One of 200 individual stakes winner for Juddmonte Farm’s Frankel, Point Of Law became the 45th individual G1 winner for the Champion Sire who stood for a fee of £350,000 this year.
