(Transcript from SBS World News Radio)
"Protectionist" has become the first German horse to win the Melbourne Cup, completing an international clean sweep of Australia's richest spring races.
He becomes the fifth northern hemisphere-trained horse to win the race since Irish horse Vintage Crop in 1993.
But as Michael Kenny reports, the race has been marred by the death of the pre-race favourite, the Japanese horse Admire Rakti.
(Click on the audio tab above to hear the full report)
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
In front of a crowd of around 100,000 at the Flemington Race course, Protectionist dominated the final moments of the race.
The five year old swept passed second placed English horse Red Cadeaux and third placed New Zealand horse Who Shot the Barman to win the $6.2 million prize money.
Protectionist was ridden by English jockey Ryan Moore.
He told Channel Seven, he was overwhelmed by the win.
"Obviously it's very special. It's something I really want to share at home with the kids because I'm away a lot and it's a long time since I saw them. You need to win these races for that to be worthwhile. So I'm glad we got the job done today."
The horse's German trainer, Andreas Wohler says he was extremely proud of the horse and his jockey.
"Yes, I mean, it's unbelievable. Probably it will just be later on that we'll think about it. It's a moment that you won't forget in your life. It's a big achievement from our team and it's a long time planned."
Protectionist is part -wned by Australian Bloodstock, the syndicator which raced the 2011 Melbourne Cup placegetter Lucas Cranach.
The second placed horse Red Cadeaux also made history in its fourth Melbourne Cup.
It became the first horse to run in second place three times after also finishing runner up in 2011 and 2013.
Auckland Cup winning New Zealand horse, Who Shot the Barman was the first Australian-trained horse to finish, coming third,
But in a sad note, the Japanese favourite Admire Rakti collapsed and died when he returned to the stalls after the race.
Chief steward Terry Baily has told Channel Seven, Racing Victoria vets will now conduct an autopsy.
"And obviously we'll have to await those results to find out the cause of the death. Straight away, obviously on its performance, normal procedure here is especially for the favourite to be vetted anyway. So we were certainly onto it. Unfortunately just the process going back to the stalls to get hosed down and go to the swap box, the horse passed away."
Admire Rakti finished last after starting the race in a favourable position.
It was carrying the top weight of 58.5 kilograms in the fourth fastest Cup ever run.
The lobby group, the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses says Admire Rakti's death is another example of horses being overworked on the racetrack
The group says, in the past year, about 125 horses have died during or shortly after a race on Australian racetracks.
