Gold Trip has brushed aside an international challenge to win the Melbourne Cup, giving one of Australia's biggest stables a breakthrough in the race.
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One of five runners for co-trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace, Gold Trip defeated Emissary and stablemate High Emocean.
Gold Trip was given a perfect ride by Mark Zahra, who also celebrated his first win in the race.
Zahra settled Gold Trip worse than midfield in the hope he could ambush his rivals late in the race.
"I literally thought I'm a bit far back here but my one plan was not to be too close because I thought if I used fuel early I'd be weak late," Zahra said.
"As they jammed up, I got to travel up and up and I thought I'm still travelling so good here.
"I waited and waited and with the horse I've always said when you go you've got to go. I was righto. And then I had a fair way to go."
Under his 57.5kg impost, Gold Trip, a $21 chance, dashed past the favourite Deauville Legend ($4.40) only to be challenged immediately by Emissary ($26).
But when the race got serious over the final 200m, Gold Trip surged again for a decisive two-length win.
Emissary held on for second ahead of the fast-finishing High Emocean ($41) who got past Deauville Legend to take the minor placing - a further 1-1/4 lengths further back.
Maher has now completed a career sweep of the Melbourne spring carnival's most important races.
He trained Jameka to win the 2016 Caulfield Cup and teamed up with Eustace for Cox Plate glory in 2020.
Maher said the race unfolded as the stable had wanted it to.
"We just wanted to wait, wait, wait and we know he's got that good turn of foot. He was fantastic," Maher said.
It was a triumph for an old-fashioned approach to Australia's greatest race - as well as perseverance.
Of all the Melbourne Cup runners, none has been as busy during the spring as Gold Trip.
The import went agonisingly close to winning the Caulfield Cup before taking his place against the elite in the Cox Plate and finishing unplaced.
But under the urging of Zahra, Gold Trip delivered only the second win of his career and his first in Australia.
Twenty-two runners faced the starter but Gold Trip's stablemate Interpretation failed to complete the course, leaving Camorra the last horse to cross the line.
Australian Associated Press
