Ciaron Maher has become the first trainer to fill the first three places in the Melbourne Cup, with Point Of Law, Zahrann and Juja Kibo running one-two-three at Flemington on Tuesday.
Maher had seven of the 23 runners in the $10.2 million race, and he is the first trainer to take the Cup trifecta, ABC Sport reported. Point Of Law, ridden by Ethan Brown, won from Zahrann (Ben Melham) and Juja Kibo (Sam Clipperton), who fought out the minor placings in a photo finish, Brisbane Times reported.
It is Maher’s second Melbourne Cup after Gold Trip in 2022, Nine reported. The 45-year-old has also won a Cox Plate and two Caulfield Cups, according to Brisbane Times.
Maher: ‘I’m very proud of the team’
“I certainly didn’t know that Royal Supremacy would lead by that far, but nothing is better than a true staying test and Point Of Law just thrived,” Maher told Nine after the race.
“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 of the team.”
Read more: Point Of Law Wins 2026 Melbourne Cup for Maher and Ethan Brown
Royal Supremacy, another Maher runner, opened up a huge lead in the middle stages but faded in the straight and finished fifth. Maher’s other runners were Shockletz (sixth), Middle Earth (10th) and Mr Monaco (17th).
Brown: ‘He’s a superstar horse’
Brown said he feared he had left his run too late. “I looked up and Royal Supremacy was about ten in front and thought ‘oh no, I’ve left my run too late here’ but I had full confidence in the horse,” he told Nine. “He’s a superstar horse and I was just the beneficiary. It’s every jockey’s dream to do this. I can’t believe it.”
Read more: Melbourne Cup 2026 Predicted Finish: Where We Have All 24 Runners Finishing
Point Of Law also became the fourth horse to win the Geelong Cup and Melbourne Cup in the same year, after Media Puzzle (2002), Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011), the ABC reported. Vauban finished last of the 23 runners.
Melbourne Cup 2026 full finishing order
The full finishing order, as published by Nine:
1. Point Of Law
2. Zahrann
3. Juja Kibo
4. Sons And Lovers
5. Royal Supremacy
6. Shockletz
7. James J Braddock
8. So You Are
9. Hopewell Rock
10. Middle Earth
11. Trustyourinstinct
12. Knight’s Choice
13. Soul Of Spain
14. Zakouma
15. Enfjaar
16. Kizlyar
17. Mr Monaco
18. Strictly Business
19. Wine Dark Sea
20. Future History
21. Onesmoothoperator
22. Goodie Two Shoes
23. Vauban
Scratched: Asterix
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