New Zealand horse Verry Elleegant has romped to a stunning win at the Melbourne Cup.
Photo: AFP PHOTO / REG RYAN / RACING PHOTOS
The six-year-old mare has out-sprinted pre-race favourite Incentivise to win this year's race at Flemington Racecourse.
New Zealand-bred and part-owned, Verry Elleegant was also ridden by New Zealand jockey James MacDonald and is trained by Australian-based New Zealander Chris Waller.
Another pre-race contender Spanish Mission finished third, with Floating Artist in fourth and New Zealand-trained The Chosen One coming home fifth.
Owned and trained by Rotorua's Bill Pomare, and heavily backed on this side of the Tasman, Ocean Billy featured mid-pack before fading to finish 23rd and last in the field.
Verry Elleegant's victory left Sydney-based MacDonald in disbelief.
"I love her to bits, she's been so good to me," he said. "I can safely say she is a champion now.
"She was relaxed the whole way ... I was blowing kisses to her all the way. I just can't believe it."
"I never thought I would win one (Melbourne Cup), I dreamed I'd win one, it's so hard to win. Her fight and determination just takes her so far. I want to swear!"
Paying $17 to win on the TAB's final field market, Verry Elleegant sat patiently mid-pack for the majority of the race.
MacDonald experty moved her forward around the final bend, before powering to the front and past Australian hopeful Incentivise to win by four lengths.
As well as being the 29-year-old jockey's first Cup triumph, it was also the first for master trainer Waller, who rose to prominence with now-retired superstar Australian horse Winx.
The win was the 15th of Verry Elleegant's career, and 10th at group one level, with the horse's owners to split the NZ$4.6 million winning prize.
Verry Elleegant is the first New Zealand horse to win the Melbourne Cup since Prince of Penzance in 2015.