What is the best Melbourne Cup finish of all-time?

EVERYONE has a tale to tell about their history of betting on the Melbourne Cup. But which finish is truly the best of all time? CAST YOUR VOTE

THE Melbourne Cup may be the race that stops the nation but it has a funny way of starting the joint up again.

Whether it’s the roughest of roughies storming to victory (think $101 long shot Prince of Prince of Penzance) or just a brilliant finish, tongues wag over tales of woe or ecstasy as soon as the race is done.

Everyone has a Cup story. Everyone.

Some punters who wouldn’t know a galloper from a grapefruit regale yarns of the day they picked a winner because of the hoop’s colours.

Others colourfully tell of the day they nominated the winner ... only to never get around to putting their money where their mouth was.

One thing still up for debate is the greatest finish.

There is no shortage of contenders, but here are five that are worthy of the gong.

1965 – LIGHT FINGERS POWERS PAST ZIEMA

Bart Cumming’s first of 12 Cups was a ripper.

Ziema looked home for all money, but Light Fingers staved off a dodgy prep to storm home and hand Bart a quinella – the first of five the legendary trainer would go on to claim.

Even racecaller Bill Collins called it a dead heat, though the judges handed it to the mare by a nose.

1988 – EMPIRE ROSE VERSUS NATSKI

This race is notable not just for the epic finale, but the fact it came down to the two favourites.

Beloved mare Empire Rose had come close twice before, but an upset win in the Mackinnon Stakes meant she shared favouritism with import Natski, an import who had won The Metropolitan in Sydney.

In the end it came down to the fact Empire Rose was a brute at 17 hands, a slight advantage which provided the difference at the finishing post.

1997 – MIGHT AND POWER OUTLASTS DORIEMUS

Talk about a clash of the heavyweights.

In one corner, crowd favourite and seven-lenghth Caulfield Cup winner Might and Power.

In the other, 1995 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner Doriemus.

As the line approached, Doriemus looked to the naked eye to get the bob in, prompting jockey Greg Hall to celebrate.

Nope, Might and Power proved to be both those things.

2008 – VIEWED VERSUS BAUER

It was only fair for Bart Cumming to make it a neat dozen Cups with another photo finish.

Viewed had won the Brisbane Cup in a canter earlier in the year, but had been out of form in the lead up to the Cup.

Geelong Cup winner Bauer charged down the outside late and looked set to celebrate, but remarkably Viewed managed to hold on.

2016 – ALMANDIN PIPS HEARTBREAK CITY

Fact: Heartbreak City thought he was home. So too did jockey Joao Moreira. He said so.

Yet Kerrin McEvoy and Almandin had other plans.

Neither panicked when Heartbreak City set sail for home 900m out. The defining moment came on the point of the turn when Almandin managed to get to the outside, sparking a brilliant duel down the straight.