7:25pm - And the action at Flemington has come to an end, with Akari winning the 10th and final race, paying $10.40.
Betcha Flying placed second, with Xilong third.
Thanks for joining us today. Vow And Declare was the big winner in the Melbourne Cup, but there was plenty of drama behind, with the minor placings being shuffled on protest.
Join us next year for the 2020 edition of the race that stops two nations.
6:41pm - The MSS Security Sprint has just been won by fast-finishing Tactical Advantage, paying $7.70, with Holbien second and Milwaukee third.
One more race on the card - the Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes at 7:15pm.
6:09pm - While the dust was settling on the Melbourne Cup results, another race was run at Flemington. Yulong Prince took out the Furphy Plate, paying $10.40 for the win.
Looks Like Elvis was second and So You Win third.
6:03pm - We can now bring you the full finishing order for the 2019 Melbourne Cup...
First: Vow And Declare
Second: Prince Of Arran
Third: Il Paradiso
Fourth: Master Of Reality
Fifth: Surprise Baby
Sixth:Mer De Glace
Seventh: Finche
Eighth: Cross Counter
Ninth: Steel Prince
10th: Magic Wand
11th: Twilight Payment
12th: Sound
13th: Constantinople
14th: Mirage Dancer
15th: Hunting Horn
16th: Raymond Tusk
17th: The Chosen One
18th: Latrobe
19th: Southern France
20th: Youngstar
21st: Neufbosc
22nd: Downdraft
23rd: Mustajeer
24th: Rostropovich
5:47pm - Vow And Declare is still winner, paying $11.70/$3.90, with Prince of Arran promoted to second ($4,60), Il Paradiso into third ($6.80) and Master of Reality relegated to fourth.
5:44pm - The protest was upheld and we'll bring you updated results as they come to hand.
5:37pm - Family drama on course... stewards have lodged a protest fourth against second, which is trainer Aidan O'Brien against son Joseph O'Brien.
5:19pm - And the Aussies are loving it - they have a winner!
Looks like there could be an inquiry into second and third - there was some jostling among the three frontrunners as they approached the line. Vow and Declare seems clear of any trouble, but there was contact, which may have actually helped the winner sneak through to victory by a head.
Il Paradiso finished fourth, but was finishing fast and may have been impeded by Prince of Arran, who was fading from the lead.
5:12pm - Vow and Declare is paying $11.70 for the win and $3.90 for the place at the TAB. Second is Master of Reality ($7.50) and third Prince of Arran ($4.60).
5:05pm - Vow and Declare wins! What an incredible run... stayed hand on the inside throughout, took the lead down the straight, lost it and then regained it in the final strides.
5:04pm - Around the final bend and Twilight Payment still leads...
5:04pm - Vow and Declare still handy...
5:03pm - Twilight Payment leads down the backstraight...
5:03pm - Youngstar an early leader from Vow and Declare...
5:02pm - The field is set and they're racing this time...
5pm - The field are entering the starting gates now. There's always one horse that doesn't want to get in and who can blame them...
Whether you agree with horse racing or not, Flemington is certainly picturesque.
4:50pm - Ten minutes to go...
4:30pm - Less than half an hour out from the big race and here are the latest odds...
1. Cross Counter - fixed $13, tote $17.90
2. Mer De Glace - fixed $9, tote $9.30
3. Master of Reality - fixed $21, tote $22.90
4. Mirage Dancer - fixed $41, tote $36.60
5. Southern France - fixed $26, tote $22.90
6. Hunting Horn - fixed $51, tote $44.80
7. Latrobe - fixed $19, tote $27.40
8. Mastajeer - fixed $17, tote $14.70
9. Rostropovich - fixed $71, tote $56.10
10. Twilight Payment - fixed $41, tote $38.70
11. Finche - fixed $8, tote $7.70
12. Prince of Arran - fixed $17, tote $14.80
13. Raymond Rusk - fixed $21, tote $31.10
14. Downdraft - fixed $21, tote $29.10
15. Magic Wand - fixed $19, tote $34.30
16. Neufbosc - fixed $126, tote $75.20
17. Sound - fixed $81, tote $59.20
18. Surprise Baby - fixed $12, tote $11.80
19. Constantinople - fixed $9, tote $9.60
20. Il Paradiso - fixed $15, tote $19.70
21. Steel Prince - fixed $81, tote $59
22. The Chosen One - fixed $31, tote $30.50
23. Vow and Declare - fixed $11, tote $11.40
24. Youngstar - fixed $31, tote $39
4:23pm - Meanwhile, singer Mahalia Barnes isn't drawing rave reviews from the punters...
4:17pm - Sure Knee calms Waller's nerves on Cup Day
Trainer Chris Waller has described the win of Sure Knee in an early race at Flemington as a nerve settler for the Melbourne Cup.
Waller saddles Cup favourite Finche, to be ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, and was in the winner's enclosure earlier winning Tuesday's TAB Trophy with Sure Knee.
Under McEvoy, Sure Knee ($5) scored a 2-3/4 length win from Aliferous ($17) with Extreme Pride ($8) a long neck away third.
"Kerrin didn't panic, which was a great sign, and it's great to be winning a race on Cup Day, as it helps settle the nerves a little bit," Waller said.
Sure Knee is owned by the Ingham family and carried the all-cerise colours made famous by champions like Octogonal and Lonhro.
A winner over 1600m at Flemington during winter, Sure Knee was aimed at Tuesday's 1700m race, because the mare has a liking for the bigger tracks.
"I targetted this with the Ingham family, because they always like to have a runner though Cup week," Waller said.
"They don't obviously have the same numbers they used to, so we have to be careful with what we choose.
"We always have a runner for them every year, had more placings than winners, but they'll get a big thrill out of this."
AAP
4:02pm - Teleplay takes out the sixth, heading off favourite La Tigeresa and Sweet Scandal.
Teleplay is paying $13.90 - the biggest outsider to win so far today.
3:51pm - Nearing the start of Race Six - the Jim Beam Stakes - which is the last before the Melbourne Cup.
Favourite for this 1400m journey is La Tigeresa at $3.60, but trainer Chris Waller has second-favourite Sweet Scandal ($4.20), ridden by Kiwi jockey Michael Walker.
3:27pm - And Garner it is, winning from Can't Be Done and Hawker Hurricane.
Surprise Baby is gathering some momentum in the Melbourne Cup betting, now paying $12, after starting theday at $17.
Finche is still favourite at $8, with Mer De Glace and Constantinople at $9.
3:14pm - Five minutes away from the fifth at Flemington... favourite is Garner at $4.
2:58pm - And we have a winner in Fashions on the Field - NZ swimwear designer Carena West, who is also Auckland Racing Club fashion ambassador.
2:53pm - Today is shaping as a big day for trainer Chris Waller, who has Finche in the Melbourne Cup and has already won two of the first four races.
Waller guided hot favourite Shared Ambition home in The Macca's Run Handicap - the fourth on the card - paying $1.40. Creedence was second and Big Blue third.
2:42pm - Meanwhile, at the fashion show...
2:20pm - Race Three - The TAB Trophy Handicap - has been won by favourite Sure Knee, paying $5, from Aliferous and Extreme Pride.
Sure Knee was ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, who brought Cross Counter home to victory in last year's Melbourne Cup, and trained by Chris Waller, so maybe a good omen. McEvoy and Waller will combine with Cup favourite Finche today.
And latest odds for the Melbourne Cup see Finche firming as favourite, paying $8, but Constantinople ($8.50) edging past Mer De Glace ($9) as next pick.
As predicted, the track is firming up as the day progresses.
Actually, thanks to a typhoon-inspired 'draw', Namibia avoided the wooden spoon at the Rugby World Cup. Russia took the prize for worst team in Japan.
2:04pm - Apparently Melbourne Cup jockeys will be sent a pre-race text by Racing Victoria, warning them of excessively using whips during the 2019 classic.
Rules in Australia allow unlimited use of the whip during the final 100m of a race, but only five times before that. Last year, jockeys - including winning rider Kerrin McEvoy - blatantly flaunted that rule and six were fined a total of A$7700, but The Age is reporting that won't be tolerated this year.
"If a jockey goes over, it has to be a significant penalty and they've been made well aware of the whip rule, which they ride under every day," chief steward Robert Cram told The Age.
"Given the spotlight of the race, we know the spotlight is on us."
Animal rights groups are tageting the Melbourne Cup to vigorously protest cruelty to the horses.
1:48pm - Race Two at Flemington is in the books. The Grinders Coffee Roasters Trophy Handicap was won by fast-finishing Bravo Tango, paying $7.20. East Indiaman finished second, with William Thomas third.
Favourite Phaistos was fourth.
1:39pm - The Newshub office sweepstake draws have just taken place. We're running High Rollers ($5) and Low Rollers ($2) options, with payouts for first, second, third and last.
Radio host Ryan Bridge has drawn the favourite Finche in the High Rollers and my boss, Cathy O'Sullivan, was the lucky one in the Low Rollers.
1:31pm - Latest from Flemington...
Aryaaf wins the first race of the day - the Darly Ottawza Stakes - paying $9.40 for the win and beating favourite Muntaseera by about two lengths.
The second on the card is due to start in three minutes.
12:41pm - As well as the Melbourne Cup, there are nine other races at Flemington today, with the first scheduled for 12:55pm (NZ Time).
Here's the schedule...
12:55pm Darley Ottawa Stakes (1000m)
Favourite = Muntaseera (fixed $5, tote $5)
1:35pm Grinders Coffee Roasters Trophy Handicap (1400m)
Favourite = Phaistos (fixed $2.20, tote $2.50)
2:10pm TAB Trophy Handicap (1700m)
Favourite = Sure Knee (fixed $4.20, tote $6.40)
2:45pm The Macca's Run Handicap (2800m)
Favourite = Shared Ambition (fixed $1.55, tote $2.60)
3:20pm Schweppervescence Plate (1000m)
Favourite = Garner (fixed $5.50, tote $8)
3:55pm Jim Beam Stakes (1400m)
Favourite = Sweet Scandal (fixed $3.70, tote $4.90)
5pm Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m)
Favourite = Finche (fixed $8.50, tote $8.20)
6pm Furphy Plate (1800m)
Favourite = Junipal (fixed $4, tote $3.90)
6:40pm MSS Security Sprint (1200m)
Favourite = Parsifal (fixed $3.40, tote $5.40)
7:15pm Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m)
Favourite = Xilong (fixed $3.80, tote $6.20)
12:32pm - The full field will face the starter today, so no scratchings. It's never nice to draw a horse, only to find they won't even make the start.
The track is assessed as 'soft', after a day of rain yesterday, but it's expected to improve as the day progresses.
12:04pm - Here are the latest TAB odds for today's big race.
With fixed odds, you get paid the dividend at the time you placed the bet, but the tote odds fluctuate - a bit like the stock market - and you get paid the dividend at the time the race starts.
1. Cross Counter - fixed $13, tote $17.60
2. Mer De Glace - fixed $9, tote $8.90
3. Master of Reality - fixed $23, tote $23.60
4. Mirage Dancer - fixed $31, tote $33.60
5. Southern France - fixed $26, tote $22.20
6. Hunting Horn - fixed $41, tote $43.10
7. Latrobe - fixed $21, tote $27.60
8. Mastajeer - fixed $17, tote $14.60
9. Rostropovich - fixed $81, tote $55.10
10. Twilight Payment - fixed $41, tote $37.50
11. Finche - fixed $8, tote $8.20
12. Prince of Arran - fixed $18, tote $14.10
13. Raymond Rusk - fixed $21, tote $29.40
14. Downdraft - fixed $19, tote $26.50
15. Magic Wand - fixed $18, tote $32.60
16. Neufbosc - fixed $126, tote $77.40
17. Sound - fixed $101, tote $59.40
18. Surprise Baby - fixed $13, tote $13.30
19. Constantinople - fixed $8.50, tote $9.90
20. Il Paradiso - fixed $13, tote $19.80
21. Steel Prince - fixed $71, tote $58.70
22. The Chosen One - fixed $41, tote $33
23. Vow and Declare - fixed $11, tote $11.50
24. Youngstar - fixed $31, tote $35.70
*****
Kia ora, good morning and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the 2019 Melbourne Cup from Flemington, timed to jump at 5pm.
If you're not at all interested in horse racing, this is the one day of the year you'll likely turn your eyes to the TV and take a ticket in the office sweepstake.
Throughout the day, we'll update you on the field and conditions - and the antics of punters at the racecourse.
One other thing about Melbourne Cup Day - while the horses will be strutting their stuff on the track, the humans will be performing - for better or worse - off it.
If you're still putting together your office draw, Newshub has everything you need in our Melbourne Cup Sweepstakes Kit.
Kiwi Melbourne Cup hopes hang on The Chosen One
As they fly the flag for New Zealand in Melbourne, 19 Kiwi owners have their hopes on one horse.
Bred by southern farmers, the Dennis brothers, The Chosen One is the only NZ-owned horse in the Cup.
"It makes you very proud," co-owner Tony Dennis told Newshub. "It's something most NZ people have never been able to achieve."
The Chosen One is a rank outsider, but the stallion's already proven his pedigree by beating Prince of Arran in the Herbert Power Stakes.
Kiwi jockey Michael Walker is confident too. He rode Prince of Arran to third last year.
This year, he's back on the same horse and believes he's peaking at just the right time.
"He's bigger, he's stronger, he's better," Walker said. "He's flying."
New Zealand's best hope may be trainer Chris Waller, who has two at the Cup. This year Finche is among the favourites, as Waller seeks his maiden Cup win.
But the odds can count for little on Cup Day and even outsiders are in with a chance.
More to come
