Vow and Declare wins the 2019 Melbourne Cup

© Racing Photos

By Andrew Eddy

It's a local Melbourne Cup after the Danny O'Brien-trained Vow And Declare kicked back to win the $8 million race at Flemington on Tuesday.

Ridden by Craig Williams, who had never won the race in 16 attempts, Vow And Declare led early and was tackled in the home straight before kicking back to score from Master Of Reality, with Prince Of Arran again finishing third as he did last year.

O'Brien paid tribute to Williams' ride as he did not know his horse would lead in the race and said Williams' decision was 'the winning move'.

UPDATE: Protest upheld in Melbourne Cup

By Carl Di Iorio

Frankie Dettori was denied another second-placed finish in the Melbourne Cup by Racing Victoria stewards in the stewards room.

Dettori pushed out the Joseph O'Brien-trained Master of Reality into second behind the Danny O'Brien-trained Vow And Declare. The champion Italian jockey had finished second in the Melbourne Cup aboard Central Park (1999) and Max Dynamite (2015).

However it was Dettori's unwillingness to stop and straighten Master of Reality over the final 100 metres, which tightened the rightful running of the flashing fourth-placed Il Paradiso which gained the attention of stewards.

Jockey Wayne Lordan looked at the replay upon weighing in before electing not to protest against Master of Reality.

However, stewards believed an objection was required and then amended the placings. Master of Realty was demoted to fourth as Prince of Arran was shifted to second with Il Paradiso promoted into third.

FINALISED 2019 MELBOURNE CUP FINISHING ORDER

1. VOW AND DECLARE
2. PRINCE OF ARRAN*
3. IL PARADISO*
*****
4. MASTER OF REALITY*
5. SURPRISE BABY
6. MER DE GLACE
7. FINCHE
8. CROSS COUNTER
9. STEEL PRINCE
10. MAGIC WAND
11. TWILIGHT PAYMENT
12. SOUND
13.CONSTANTINOPLE
14. MIRAGE DANCER
15. HUNTING HORN
16. RAYMOND TUSK
17. THE CHOSEN ONE
18. LATROBE
19. SOUTHERN FRANCE
20. YOUNGSTAR
21. NEUFBOSC
22. DOWNDRAFT
23. MUSTAJEER
24. ROSTROPOVICH

*STANDINGS BEFORE PROTEST

1. VOW AND DECLARE
2. MASTER OF REALITY
3. PRINCE OF ARRAN
*****
4. IL PARADISO
 

This article first appeared on Racing.com and is reprinted here with their kind permission. To find out more about Racing Victoria's Off the Track program, visit rv.racing.com/the-horse/off-the-track.

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