Gold Trip has bolted home to win the 2022 Melbourne Cup, after rain threw a late spanner into betting at Flemington.
On a day of outsiders, the pre-race favourite Deauville Legend finished fourth, with the winner paying $19.40 for the win at the NZ TAB.
Knights Order and Smokin' Romans set the early pace, with Tralee Rose making a big run around the turn in a bid for victory. As the field thundered home, Gold Trip emerged in the middle of the track, passing the fading favourite, and holding off Emissary and High Emocean in the minor placings.
The victory was Gold Trip's second career victory, but provided jockey Mark Zahra with some payback, after the disappointment of 2021.
Last year, Zahra was suspended off winner Verry Elleegant and had to watch from afar, as Kiwi James McDonald took the spoils.
"I was in Byron Bay and getting told off for drinking too much, after Verry Elleegant won and it could have been my ride," said Zahra. "Redemption day today and just a miracle.
"It hasn't slipped my mind - I think about it all the time that I could have ridden her."
Interpretation failed to finish the course, after barely passing a late vet's check on the morning of the race, but Maher-Eustace Racing sources claim the horse is OK.
Camorra, Serpentine and Numerian finished far back, but were eventually eased across the line.
Final places were...
1-Gold Trip $19.40 win/$5.80 place
2-Emissary $7.40 place
3-High Emocean $9
4- Deaville Legend, 5-Realm of Flowers, 6-Daqiansweet Junior, 7-Smokin'Romans, 8-Stockman, 9-Kinghts Order, 10-Vow and Declare, 11-Arapaho, 12-Hoo Ya Mal, 13-Without A Fight, 14-Grand Promenade, 15-Young Werther, 16-Montefilia, 17-Tralee Rose, 18-Duais, 19-Numerian, 20-Camoora, 21-Serpentine, 22-Interpretation
More to come
