Point Of Law, a colt bred and owned until recently by King Charles, is the 2026 Melbourne Cup winner after storming clear at Flemington on Tuesday. Trained by Ciaron Maher and ridden by Ethan Brown, the 6/1 favourite led home a remarkable one-two-three for his trainer, while Joseph O’Brien’s Sons And Lovers was the best of the Irish-trained challengers in fourth.
From Newmarket to Flemington
The Frankel colt began his career in the royal colours with John and Thady Gosden, winning the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July. He switched to Maher’s yard only around a month before the race and won the Geelong Cup on his first start for his new handler, as Racing Post reported.
In the race itself, outsider Royal Supremacy, another Maher runner, bolted into a huge lead of around 20 lengths. Brown sat patiently on Point Of Law until the home turn, then cut down the leader and pulled clear to win by three and three-quarter lengths.
Melbourne Cup winner caps Maher’s historic day
Maher saddled seven runners and filled the first three places, with 25/1 shot Zahrann, once trained in Ireland by Johnny Murtagh, second and Juja Kibo third at 13/1. Racing Post described it as a first in the history of the race. It was Maher’s second Cup after Gold Trip in 2022.
“I knew I had my best hand going into it, but it’s got to execute,” the trainer said.
For Brown it was a deeply personal success. The jockey suffered a near-fatal fall at Flemington in 2023 and spent three days in an induced coma before eventually returning to the saddle. He told reporters the colt is “going to be a superstar horse if he isn’t already”, according to Business Day.
How the Irish fared
O’Brien sent out five runners. Sons And Lovers, the topweight, ran a fine race under Dylan Browne McMonagle to take fourth at 25/1. Epsom Derby third James J Braddock, drawn widest of all, came home seventh. His rider Craig Williams called him “a horse with exceptional talent”, the Irish Times reported.
The two JP McManus-owned runners from the yard, Trustyourinstinct and Goodie Two Shoes, finished 11th and 22nd. The Irish Times reported that McManus had backed the heavily supported English raider Hopewell Rock to win around A$9 million, but George Boughey’s runner could only finish ninth. Racing Post reported that McManus also had a bet on Point Of Law at 15/2 on the eve of the race, reportedly netting around A$2 million.
Stewards busy on Cup day
It was not a clean day for officials. The Chris Waller-trained Asterix was scratched on the morning of the race after a prohibited ointment was found on his forelegs. Stewards accepted it was applied in error by a staff member, but Waller was fined A$50,000.
Ben Allen, who rode the runaway leader Royal Supremacy to fifth, was suspended for 16 meetings and fined after using his whip ten times before the final 100 metres, five more than the rules allow.
For Maher and his team, though, the night belonged to a horse who started life in Britain’s royal colours and is now this year’s Melbourne Cup winner.
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Sources: Racing Post, The Irish Times, Business Day
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