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Delta Blues takes Melbourne Cup Delta Blues takes Melbourne Cup
(20 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, ridden by Yasunari Iwata, led home a one-two for Japanese trainer Katsuhiko Sumii in 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 200m, the 17-1 shot held off 5-1 joint-favourite Pop Rock by a short head to become only the third foreign horse to win the race.
The Australian 9-1 shot Maybe Better came third, but Irish challenger Yeats fell away in the latter stages. The Australian Maybe Better came third at 5-1 with Zipping fourth.
Delta Blues is only the third foreign horse ever to win the Melbourne Cup. Land'N Stars was the leading British challenger in fifth while well-fancied Irish hope Yeats fell away in the latter stages to finish seventh.
"Very happy, very happy," enthused Yasunari Iwata, after he had maintained the edge over Pop Rock, ridden by Australian jockey Damien Oliver. Land'N Stars, trained by Jamie Poulton and ridden by John Egan, stormed down the home straight but could not catch the leaders.
The Luca Cumani-trained Glistening was 10th while Frankie Dettori could only manage 18th on Jamie Osborne's Geordieland, who suffered a bleeding problem during the race.
The other joint-favourite Tawqueet finished back in 19th with jockey Dwayne Dunn blaming a foot injury for the horse's poor display.
"Very happy, very happy," enthused Iwata, after he had maintained the edge over Pop Rock, ridden by Australian jockey Damien Oliver.
Iwata and Sumii celebrate victory
"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 after becoming the first Asian trainer to land the race. "But Pop Rock is reaching his peak."
Fallon and Yeats faded away before the finish Fallon said he was "disappointed" by Yeats' performance and felt that the pace might have been a factor.
Irish jockey Kieren Fallon enjoyed a short spell in the lead, but faded well before the end on Yeats to come in seventh. "It's very hard to get the tempo of the race right compared to howthey run at home," he said.
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.