MELBOURNE, Nov 4: The European challenge was repelled in the Melbourne Cup at Flemington here on Tuesday, but the winner of Australia’s greatest horse race still provided an international victory.

Makybe Diva, a five-year-old mare trained locally by David Hall, won the Cup by a length-and-a-quarter from the 40-1 outsider She’s Archie.

English gelding Jardine’s Lookout (40-1), having his second run in the race, finished third, a further three lengths back.

While Makybe Diva is trained in Melbourne and owned by a tuna fisherman from South Australia, she was bred in England.

Tony Santic had bought her mother Tugela for 70,000 guineas while she was carrying Makybe Diva.

He sent the resultant foal to the Tattersall’s foal sale at Newmarket in England but she failed to attract a single bid.

Makybe Diva started second favourite at 7-1 in the 4.6 million dollar (US$3.25m) race.

For the all-powerful Godolphin stable, the Melbourne Cup proved a disaster.

In their seventh attempt to win the 3200-metre (two mile), Group One event, Godolphin started the favourite Mamool and the 30-1 chance Millstreet.

But like the previous six, this mission to capture one of the few major races around the world eluded the Dubai-based operation.

Mamool finished last of the 23 runners after racing on the pace until 600 metres from the finish.

Millstreet, which led until the home turn, finished third last.

The Irish galloper Holy Orders (30-1), trained by Willie Mullins, whose training antics had made him a minor celebrity before the race, finished 17th while English runner Hugs Dancer (15-1) crossed the line in ninth place.

Jardine’s Lookout earned 335,000 dollars (234,000 USD) for his efforts while Hugs Dancer picked up 90,000 dollars (63,000 USD) for running ninth.

Apart from the winners’ purse of 2.7 million dollars (1.89 million USD), Santic picked up a small fortune in winning bets.

Santic on Monday attempted to back Makybe Diva to win one million dollars (698,000 USD) at odds of 8-1, but bookies declined, reducing their liability to about 700,000 dollars (489,000 USD).

Result:

Makybe Diva (ridden by Glenn Boss) 2. She’s Archie (Scott Seamer) 3. Jardines Lookout (Darryl Holland) 23 ran Distances: 1-1/4 lengths, 3 lengths Winner trained in Australia by David Hall Value to winner: A$2.7 million (US$1.9 million) Tote (includes A$1 stake): Win A$9.10; places A$3.70, A$13.70, A$11.70. Dual Forecast A$277.90 ($1=A$1.43). —AFP/Reuters