Owner Lloyd Williams wrote another chapter in his astonishing Melbourne Cup record when the northern hemisphere trained three-year-old Rekindling triumphed to give young Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien a Melbourne Cup winner at his first attempt.
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The son of High Chapparal becomes the first three year old to win the race since 1941 and he was the second scorer for jockey Corey Brown, who won on Shocking in 2009.
Second home was Johannes Vermeer, also in Williams colours, who is trained by O'Brien's father, Aidan, while the third to finish was another European raider, Max Dynamite, for Irish trainer Willie Mullins.
READ MORE: Melbourne Cup day at Corey Brown’s hometown
The same horse had finished second two years ago when Michelle Payne made history aboard Prince of Penzance.
Darren Weir fared best of the locals with Big Duke, a horse brought from Europe two years ago, who ran fourth.
Williams seems to have a mortgage on the Cup these days, having scored with Almandin last year.
"I am absolutely thrilled to have done it with Aidan's son, its like a dream come true. I thought the three year olds were racing well there ... it's an absolute dream," Williams said.
Rekindling wore down Johannes Vermeer close to the line after Ben Melham had kicked clear on the well-backed galloper.
Hugh Bowman on the favourite Marmelo tried to pinch the race by going on a long way from home but he finished out of the placings.
