MELBOURNE, Nov 6: Locally-trained four-year-old Efficient stormed up the last straight on Tuesday to win Australia’s biggest horse race, the US$4.7 million Melbourne Cup, stunning international competitors.

Efficient reeled in English runner Purple Moon, who hit the front 200 metres from the post, to take the $2.7 million first prize by just half a length in a thrilling finish.

The Irish-trained Mahler was third, a further two-and-a-half lengths away.

Efficient (16-1) became the first horse since the legendary Phar Lap 77 years ago to follow success in the Victoria Derby with victory a year later in the Melbourne Cup.

“I’ve won the Melbourne Cup – I can’t believe it!” said jockey Michael Rodd.

“I knew at the top of the straight he was going to repeat his Derby win of last year.

“I gave him a squeeze coming around the turn and two pushes but I didn’t want to go too early.”

Efficient, trained by Graeme Rogerson, was the third Melbourne Cup triumph for Australian businessman Lloyd Williams. Williams had previously won the Cup with Just A Dash in 1981 and What A Nuisance in 1985.

Williams, the creator and former operator of Melbourne’s Crown Casino, takes a hands-on approach with his horses, but is a recluse when it comes to watching them race.

As usual, he avoided the Cup-day crowd

of 102,411 preferring the privacy of his penthouse home and leaving his son to accept the trophy.

“This is Dad’s baby,” said Williams’ son Nick.

“He picked the horse out of a catalogue, he has overseen every piece of work and planned its program. This is Dad’s triumph.”

While they couldn’t match the winner, the international runners turned in outstanding performances.

Purple Moon (9-2), trained in England by Luca Cumani, strode to the front halfway up the long Flemington straight and for a few strides seemed likely to win.

But Cumani said his joy was short-lived.

“Unfortunately, I saw the other horse coming from a long way out and I knew we were going to be caught,” Cumani said.

Cumani, whose first Melbourne Cup runner Soulacroix finished ninth last year, said he at least knew he was on the right track.

“Second is better than third -- and better than last year,” he said.

Mahler’s trainer, Aidan O’Brien, said his first experience of the Melbourne Cup had convinced him to return for another attempt.

Mahler (9-1) ran a brave race to be sharing the lead for much of the 3,200-metre (two-mile) course before hitting the front 800m (half-a-mile) from the finish.

“It’s great to be here and great to be involved and great to see it all,” O’Brien said. “It’s a different world. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

O’Brien sent Yeats to Melbourne to finish seventh in last year’s race, but this was his first trip to Australia.

“I’d say this race is firmly on the agenda now,” he said. “We’ll be looking for the right sort of horse and we’ll be back.”

O’Brien and his owners, the Coolmore group, had also entered Scorpion in the Cup, but he injured a leg in training and failed to make the final field.

As well as Purple Moon and Mahler performed, the third member of the international trio, early leader Tungsten Strike

(30-1), faded badly to finish last in the 21-horse field.

Purple Moon earned his owner $253,000 by finishing second while Mahler picked up $345,000.

As welcome as the victory was for the winning team, there was a downside.

Williams had to withdraw his favourite horse, Gallic, on race morning after the gelding injured a front leg.His third entry in the race, Zipping (13-2), finished fourth.

Last year’s race was won by Delta Blues, who led a Japanese one-two.

Australian racing has been hit this year by an outbreak of equine influenza which forced the cancellation of major events.—AFP