British horse Point of Law won the Melbourne Cup at Flemington racecourse in just its sixth start of the week. The horse, sold by His Majesty King Charles III, and trained by Ciaron Maher, was considered the firm favourite to win just before the jump, removing the spot previously held by Hopewell Rock. Ridden by 27-year-old Alice Springs local Ethan Brown, the horse came into the event behind, but ended up winning the race in just 150 meters, beating previous winner Royal Supremacy. 

Point of Law leading the pack | Source: Sky Sport Australia

Point of Law was the son of another famous racehorse and was bred and owned by the King himself before being sold at auction to an Australian consortium after winning another prestigious horse race in Newmarket, England. This is its second race on Australian soil and also its second win, after winning the Geelong Cup in October.

This year's race was not completely free of controversy, however, as 9-year-old horse Asterix, which was trained by Chris Waller, was scratched prior to the race beginning. In horse racing, scratched refers to the withdrawal of a horse from the race. This was because the committee that handles the Melbourne Cup, Racing Victoria, found evidence of Pentene in the horse's stable. Penetrene is a medication used to help relieve horses of aches and pains, but it's also considered a performance-enhancing drug. Therefore, this led to the horse being disqualified. 

Asterix running in New Zealand | Source: Breednet

Despite being a horse race, the cup itself isn't just about the horses running, as Australia's best and brightest put on their outfits and take photos along the racecourse. Members of Parliament such as former foreign minister Julie Bishop, trade minister Don Farrell, and the US ambassador to Australia, David Brat, were all in attendance at the Cup. Additionally, Robbie Williams showed up to perform a few of his songs, including Angels and Let Me Entertain You, wearing a dazzling outfit.

Robbie Williams performing at the Melbourne Cup | Source: ABC