Americain Storms Home in 150th Melbourne Cup 2010

It was a nail biting finish with the American bred and French trained horse Americain storming home by two lengths to win the Emirates Melbourne Cup 2010.  It  was  a classic battle with local favourite So You Think to the delight of racegoers at the Flemington race track.

There was truly an international flavour to the win, with the horse owned by Australians, trained in France by Alain de Royer-Dupre and ridden by French Jockey Gerard Mosse who is based in Hong Kong.

So You Think winner of the Cox Plate was trained by veteran Australian Bart Cummings who attended the race from hospital.  He was hoping to add a win at the 150th event to his previous cup successes but had to be satisfied with second place.  Maluckyday came in third third.

Despite weather forecasts of heavy rain for Melbourne’s VRC Derby Day nothing could stop the annual turnout by more than 100,000 racegoers to see the famous Melbourne Cup.   Punters were relieved a heavy downpour stopped just 10 minutes before the race and for a moment forgot they were rain soaked in the excitement of the event.

This is the 150th occasion of the Melbourne Cup and Americain’s win will certainly increase international interest in the race which brings Australia and New Zealand almost to a standstill annually.   It is an event which engages even novice betters for a once a year flutter in office syndicates or at the local betting offices or on the track.  NZ Punters spent over $8 million on today’s race.

There will be celebrations and no doubt some champagne toasts in France with this historic win,  the first by a French trained horse and ridden by a French jockey.

The Australian Governor General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce, wearing a red polka dot outfit with matching hat, presented the much prized cup to the horse’s owners Gerry Ryan and Kevin Bamford.