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| Delta Blues takes Melbourne Cup | Delta Blues takes Melbourne Cup |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Delta Blues, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii and ridden by Yasunari Iwata, has won the highlight of Australia's horse racing year, the Melbourne Cup. | Delta Blues, trained by Katsuhiko Sumii and ridden by Yasunari Iwata, has won the highlight of Australia's horse racing year, the Melbourne Cup. |
| In a frantic final 200 metres, 17-1 Delta Blue held off 5-1 joint favourite Pop Rock, also trained by Sumii, to win by half a head in a photo finish. | In a frantic final 200 metres, 17-1 Delta Blue held off 5-1 joint favourite Pop Rock, also trained by Sumii, to win by half a head in a photo finish. |
| The Australian 9-1 shot Maybe Better came third, but Irish challenger Yeats fell away in the latter stages. | The Australian 9-1 shot Maybe Better came third, but Irish challenger Yeats fell away in the latter stages. |
| Delta Blues is only the third foreign horse ever to win the Melbourne Cup. | Delta Blues is only the third foreign horse ever to win the Melbourne Cup. |
| "Very happy, very happy," enthused Yasunari Iwata, after he had maintained the edge over Pop Rock, ridden by Australian jockey Damien Oliver. | "Very happy, very happy," enthused Yasunari Iwata, after he had maintained the edge over Pop Rock, ridden by Australian jockey Damien Oliver. |
| "I got to him," said Oliver, of the final stages, "but the other horse really fought when I came to him and he's just a bit more seasoned and a bit tougher than my horse." | "I got to him," said Oliver, of the final stages, "but the other horse really fought when I came to him and he's just a bit more seasoned and a bit tougher than my horse." |
| "It's a fantastic day for Japan," Oliver added, "I'm full of admiration for the Japanese horses." | "It's a fantastic day for Japan," Oliver added, "I'm full of admiration for the Japanese horses." |
| "Delta Blues is very strong, a champion," said trainer Sumii. "But Pop Rock is reaching his peak." | "Delta Blues is very strong, a champion," said trainer Sumii. "But Pop Rock is reaching his peak." |
| Fallon and Yeats faded away before the finish | Fallon and Yeats faded away before the finish |
| Irish jockey Kieren Fallon enjoyed a short spell in the lead, but faded well before the end on Yeats to come in seventh. | |
| Frankie Dettori could only manage 18th on Jamie Osborne's Geordieland, while the fancied Tawqeet never found form and came in 19th. | Frankie Dettori could only manage 18th on Jamie Osborne's Geordieland, while the fancied Tawqeet never found form and came in 19th. |
| The Melbourne Cup is known as "the race that stops a nation" and is a holiday in the state of Victoria. | The Melbourne Cup is known as "the race that stops a nation" and is a holiday in the state of Victoria. |
| More than 100,000 were at the Flemington race course for the 146th running of the $A5m ($3.85m, £3m) contest with millions more watching on television. | More than 100,000 were at the Flemington race course for the 146th running of the $A5m ($3.85m, £3m) contest with millions more watching on television. |
| An estimated A$140 million (£57m) in bets was staked on the outcome. | An estimated A$140 million (£57m) in bets was staked on the outcome. |