Point Of Law, a four-year-old stallion trained by Ciaron Maher, triumphed in the 166th Melbourne Cup race at Flemington, securing trainer Maher his second victory in Australia's premier horse race. The horse mounted a dramatic late charge, overtaking the previously leading Royal Supremacy on the home straight and crossing the finish line just two lengths behind the winner. Jockey Ethan Brown described his victory as an incredible sensation, noting that the horse's quick turn of foot in the final stretch was extraordinary. Zahrann and Juja Kibo completed the top three. Joseph O'Brien, the Irish trainer who had entered five horses, came away with fourth place through Sons and Lovers, while the heavily favoured Hopewell Rock finished ninth. Royal Supremacy, which led the race for most of the race, was relegated to fifth place. Brown, a 27-year-old based in Alice Springs, expressed his gratitude for Maher's trust in him, stating that the trainer had placed faith in his ability to ride Point Of Law, which was a significant factor in the victory. Maher praised Brown's focused performance during the race. A few hours before the start, Asterix, one of the pre-race favorites, was scratched from the race due to a fine of A$50,000 handed down by Chris Waller, the horse's trainer, after a stablehand applied an inappropriate liniment to the gelding's forelegs without the stewards' consent.