Gold Trip win is a Melbourne Cup 'miracle' not seen for 99 years

After being involved in an infamous incident that gave horse racing a black eye, jockey Mark Zahra is tasting sweet Melbourne Cup redemption.

Tyson Otto and Andrew McMurtry

3 min read

November 1, 2022 - 7:08PM

It was Mark Zahra's day of redemption. Jamie Kah was one of the jockeys suspended alongside him.

Jockey Mark Zahra couldn't forgive himself. Until Gold Trip stunned the world to win the 2022 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday.

12 months on from one of the worst days of his life, the 40-year-old can finally exorcise the demons that have haunted him since the infamous Airbnb scandal rocked the sport.

The 162nd running of the great race delivered plenty of drama right to the finish line as the miserable weather did its best to ruin the day for the 80,000 spectators that braved the stormy conditions.

But nothing could overshadow the $8 million, 3200m handicap classic.

The connections of the six-year-old horse are celebrating a payday of more than $4 million.

Emissary finished second and High Emocean was third.

Favourite Deauville Legend was fourth, while highly fancied runner Realm of Flowers was fifth.

Gold Trip did it the hard way, taking the lead with more than 300m to run before Emissary looked to be making a challenge of it with 150m to go.

But the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained horse showed its class by finding one final effort at the finish line wo win by 1.5 lengths.

Mark Zahra riding Gold Trip wins the Cup. Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

Winning jockey Zahra said the final moments of the race were nerve-wracking. "(I was thinking) just piss off, no one come near me," he said.

“I can’t. I feel like crying. It’s unbelievable. What a day. He’s a horse that when you go, you don’t give him a chance to think about it.

"It’s just elation when I crossed the line. What an amazing feeling.”

He went on to say: "The last 50m I was thinking I'm going to win this. It just went forever the last bit. And I still can't believe it. Melbourne Cup, it's unbelievable."

Eustace was visibly shaking when interviewed after the race.

"I can't believe it. Obviously a bit overcome. Yeah, it's obviously a dream that we all want to achieve," he said.

Earlier, the racing world was shocked when police were called after an activist was filmed dumping 1000 litres of “oily sludge” onto the track at Flemington. There was also some huge drama on the morning of the Cup with another fancied runner, Lunar Flare, being scratched by Racing Victoria's vets.

You can read the full results of every race at Flemington here.

Gold Trip wins a thriller.

Gold Trip's run has created some incredible history.

It is the first time a horse has won the Melbourne Cup at a top weight of 57.5kg since Makybe Diva. The French horse is also the first horse in 99 years to win the Melbourne Cup with just one previous race win. Gold Trip is on a stunning hot streak, having also finished second in the Cox Plate and second in the Caulfield Cup.

Camorra, Numerian and Serpentine pulled up during their runs but did complete the race.

Zahra's win is the ultimate redemption story. The star jockey was suspended for three months and missed the 2021 Melbourne Cup for his involvement in the infamous Mornington house party that breached Covid-19 restrictions in Victoria. He had to watch on as the horse he had been booked to ride - Verry Elleegant won the Cup last year. Now he is the toast of the country.

“This time last year I was in Byron Bay and I was getting told off for drinking too much and it could have been my ride. Redemption day today. Just a miracle,” Zahra said.

“12 months ago I felt terrible and probably drinking my way out of it and [my wife] was saying ‘don’t drink too much. I said, “What do you want me to do? My horse just won the Melbourne Cup?’

“To come a full year and have redemption, with good mates of mine who train the horse and own the horse, my wife’s here, it’s an unbelievable feeling.”

Star jockeys Jamie Kah, Ben Melham, Ethan Brown and Celine Gaudray were also banned over the AirBnB covid breach.

It was Mark Zahra's day of redemption. Jamie Kah was one of the jockeys suspended alongside him.