Melbourne Cup 2026: Point of Law wins as Ciaron Maher trains historic trifecta

Point of Law won the 2026 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, 3 November, and his trainer Ciaron Maher made racing history by also training the second and third horses, Zahrann and Juja Kibo. It is the first time in the race's 166-year history that one trainer has filled the first three places. Point of Law, a three-year-old British-bred stallion once owned by King Charles III and Queen Camilla, started as the favourite and was ridden by Ethan Brown, who won his first Melbourne Cup. The horse ran down Royal Supremacy, which had built a huge lead during the race, and pulled clear in the straight.

The Melbourne Cup, known in Australia as the race that stops the nation, is a handicap, a race in which weights are set to give the whole field a chance. That design usually produces open, unpredictable results, which is why no trainer had ever taken first, second and third before in its 166-year history.

Maher's result shows the strength of his stable this spring. He prepared Point of Law through the Geelong Cup, a lead-up race the horse also won, and sent out seven runners on Cup day. Five of them finished in the first six. That depth of quality from one yard in a single race is remarkable, and it may prompt debate about how much a few large stables shape Australia's biggest races.

The royal link adds another layer. Point of Law raced for the King and Queen before he was sold and sent to Australia. The win came while King Charles was on a tour of the Caribbean this week, including Antigua and Barbuda. A horse that once carried the royal colours now holds one of the most famous trophies in world racing.

For Ethan Brown, it was the biggest win of his career. Reports quoted the jockey describing the Cup as every jockey's dream. He rode a patient race, letting Royal Supremacy go clear early while the favourite saved energy, before making his run in the long Flemington straight.

Peepals calculation: Maher's seven runners produced five of the first six finishers, a strike rate of about 71 per cent (5 ÷ 7 ≈ 0.71), and filled 83 per cent of the first six places (5 ÷ 6 ≈ 0.83). Point of Law's $7 starting price means a $1 bet returned $7, which implies a betting market chance of about 14 per cent (1 ÷ 7 ≈ 0.14) before the race. Our calculation from the reported figures.

Short-term: Maher and Brown become the main names of the Australian spring racing carnival, and Point of Law's value as a future stallion rises sharply after a Geelong Cup and Melbourne Cup double.

Long-term: The trifecta may sharpen discussion within Australian racing about large stables, imported stayers and how the handicap system copes with one trainer fielding so many strong runners.

Who is affected: Owners and staff of Maher's stable, jockey Ethan Brown, punters in Australia and New Zealand, breeders, and Racing Victoria as the organiser.

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