Melbourne Cup 2018: Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby becomes first English trainer to win famous race with Cross Counter

AFTER three decades of trying, Sheikh Mohammed can savour his first Melbourne Cup triumph with inexperienced stayer Cross Counter finally delivering for the Blue Army.

Runners make their way down the home straight on the Melbourne Cup Day support card at Flemington. Picture Jay Town

FOR three decades, Sheikh Mohammed’s Melbourne Cup obsession routinely withered at Flemington, sometimes in the cruelest fashion.

Three runners-up finishes, coupled with other minor placing frustrations, and untimely injury was the miserable sum of the global conglomerate’s Cup tale.

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Kerrin McEvoy kisses the Melbourne Cup trophy after his victory in the famous race.

That all changed in 3min21.17sec in a race marred by tragedy as the Blue Army’s fixation with Cup glory finally came to fruition with Cross Counter’s historic victory.

On a day when a South Australian jockey teamed with a quietly spoken English trainer to end a Dubai curse, Australia’s most coveted racing prize finally found itself in the possession of the one of the world’s wealthiest men.

Kerrin McEvoy won his third Cup, adding to successes on Brew (2000) and Almandin (2016) as trainer Charlie Appleby continued his meteoric rise, beating fellow Godolphin trainers Saeed bin Suroor and James Cummings to Australian racing’s Holy Grail.

CROSS COUNTER!

Kerrin McEvoy finds the gap and storms home to win the 2018 Lexus #MelbourneCup What a moment for Charlie Appleby and Godolphin. 🙌👏 pic.twitter.com/lYli37qfJ8

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) November 6, 2018

For Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice-president and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates, the win erased 30 years of heartbreak.

One of the most passionate racing enthusiasts in the world, the Sheikh’s operation has now snaffled up 30 Group 1s this year, annexing the Caulfield Cup last month with bin Suroor’s Best Solution.

He had three starters on Tuesday. Best Solution (eighth) and Avilius (22nd) were both hampered badly early in the race.

Cross Counter’s triumph encapsulated the truly international nature of the $7.3million race when the lightly-raced gelding ($9) downed Marmelo ($12) and A Prince Of Arran ($21) as England filled the first three places.

But it could have been dramatically different had not McEvoy avoid the scrimmaging around terminally injured The Cliffsofmoher as the field charged to the winning post for the first time.

“We were lucky, on the first turn, with that horse breaking down,” McEvoy said.

“We were lucky to get through.”

Cross Counter sees of Marmelo to win the famous race. Picture: AAP

The Cliffsofmoher was euthanised after fracturing a shoulder.

McEvoy was sitting last when Aidan O’Brien’s star went amiss.

Icy-veined, he refused to panic and waited until the perfect moment to press the button.

“I was back a bit further than I wanted,” McEvoy admitted.

“I knew that I was full of running — I was on the back of Yucatan (the $6 favourite who finished 11th).

“He seemed to be empty, Yucatan. At the 400 (metre mark) I said that I had to go my own way, and I was full of running.

“At the furlong (200m), I thought ‘Mate, is this happening again?’.

“I’m just the lucky recipient. I can ride light. And to get on these lovely staying horses, so well prepared, unbelievably well by Godolphin and Charlie Appleby.”

In another sign of increasing dominance, eight northern hemisphere horses filled the first 12 places.”

Winning trainer Charlie Appleby, with jockey Kerrin McEvoy, has delivered England its first Melbourne Cup.

Appleby has built an incredible record in Australia over the past three years with last season’s Sydney Cup and a string of spring features in Victoria.

“This is everybody’s dream,” Appleby said. “This is all down to Sheikh Mohammed.

“He’s the one that’s given us all the encouragement to take the chances in what we do internationally. We’ve campaigned over here the last three years now.

“We’ve been competitive but we’ve learnt more on each trip what will make us more competitive on the day.”

@KPMcEvoy: "What a thrill to do it for @HHShkMohd and in the blue colours"Kerrin McEvoy is over the moon with #CrossCounter's #MelbourneCup  victory 🇦🇪 https://t.co/ZuUVq6Oysg

— Godolphin (@godolphin) November 6, 2018

Marmelo overtook A Prince Of Arran to hit the lead at the clock tower, but was cut down late by Cross Counter’s surge.

“I thought we had it,” Marmello’s trainer Hughie Morrison said.

“Cross Counter is a very-well handicapped horse, he’s a Group horse but it was an amazing run from our horse.”

Lexus Stakes winner A Prince Of Arran was given what trainer Charlie Fellowes hailed as amazing Michael Walker ride.

Cross Counter, ridden by Kerrin McEvoy, wins the Lexus Melbourne Cup.

McEvoy was Godolphin’s retained rider until 2014 when he decided to freelance.

This spring alone, he was won Australia’s two richest races — the Cup and the $13million Everest.

Cross Counter is the eighth international to win the Cup since Ireland’s Vintage Crop in 1994.

Ryan Moore makes the lonely walk back to the jockey’s enclosure after his mount The Cliffsofmother broke down and was later euthanised.

Since then, Ireland has had Media Puzzle (2002) and Rekindling (’16), Japan produced Delta Blues in (’06), France has won with Americain and Dunaden (2010-11) and Germany had Protectionist in (’14).

English trainers, including Ed Dunlop and Luca Cumani, have wracked up several seconds chasing the Cup.

One TAB punter is certain to be rejoicing after placing $50,000 on Cross Counter at $10 following the barrier draw to win $500,000.

Kerrin McEvoy (red cap) captures the Melbourne Cup after a sensational ride aboard Cross Counter. Picture: Nicole Garmston

THE FINISHING ORDER

1. Cross Counter (prizemoney $4 million)

2. Marmelo ($1 million)

3. A Prince Of Arran ($500,000)

4. Finche ($250,000)

5. Rostropovich ($175,000)

6. Youngstar ($150,000)

7. Sir Charles Road ($150,000)

8. Best Solution ($150,000)

9. Muntahaa ($150,000)

10. Ventura Storm ($150,000)

11. Yucatan ($150,000)

12. Nakeeta ($150,000)

13. Zacada

14. Chestnut Coat

15. Vengeur Masque

16. Magic Circle

17. Who Shot Thebarman

18. Sound Check

19. Runaway

20. Ace High

21. Auvray

22. Avilius

23. Red Cardinal

24. The Cliffsofmoher (failed to finish)

The field makes its way down the home straight on the first occasion. Picture: Getty Images

GODOLPHIN IN THE MELBOURNE CUP

Best finishes before 2018

* 2nd Central Park, 1999 (trainer Saeed bin Suroor)

* 2nd Give The Slip, 2001 (Saeed bin Suroor)

* 3rd Beekeeper, 2002 (Saeed bin Suroor)

* 2nd Crime Scene, 2009 (Saeed bin Suroor)

* 3rd Hartnell, 2016 (John O’Shea)

PRE-GODOLPHIN

* Before Sheikh Mohammed set up Godolphin he was first represented in the Melbourne Cup by Authaal, trained by the late Colin Hayes, who finished 19th in 1988

* Kudz, also trained by Colin Hayes, was third a year later.

* His first in the Godolphin royal blue was Faithful Son who finished fifth in 1998.