Winning jockey Jye McNeil drove for the first time in the Melbourne Cup
Twilight Payment gave Irish coach Joseph O’Brien a second Melbourne Cup triumph, but the win was overshadowed by the death of 2019 Derby winner Anthony Van Dyck.
The 25-1 winner, ridden by Jye McNeil, led from start to finish, holding Tiger Moth – trained by O’Brien’s father Aidan – and Prince Of Arran.
Tiger Moth’s stable mate, Anthony Van Dyck, who won the 2019 derby at Epsom, collapsed in the home stretch.
The horse broke a leg in the incident.
“We are sad to confirm that Anthony Van Dyck was put to sleep after a broken ankle during the Melbourne Cup in Flemington,” said Jamie Stier, Racing Victoria spokesman.
The race, in which around 100,000 people normally take part, was held behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic.
It was a successful Melbourne Cup debut for McNeil and a seventh triumph for owner Lloyd Williams in the two-mile handicap with a first prize of more than £ 2.3 million.
O’Brien, 27, landed in Flemington four years ago with Rekindling.
McNeil had his mount with Tiger Moth in the foreground even in the early stages before retiring to third place.
With five furlongs, the 23-man field was well filled, and Twilight Payment handled it up front, and Twilight Payment still had plenty of time to move into the closing stages.
Tiger Moth stormed home late, but Joseph O’Brien again denied his father, as he did three years ago when Rekindling beat Johannes Vermeer.
British challenger Prince Of Arran, who was trained by Charlie Fellowes at Newmarket, flew across the finish line to be placed for the third year in a row after finishing third last year in 2018.
Melbourne Cup result
1 Twilight payment 25-1
2 Tiger Moth 11-2
3 Prince of Arran 17-2
4th The chosen one 40-1
23 ran
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