Frankel's Point Of Law wins the Melbourne Cup

Frankel three-year-old Point Of Law breezed home to lead an historic trifecta for trainer Ciaron Maher in the Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington today.

Taken from the Thoroughbred Daily News, 3rd November 2026, by Emma Berry:

Bred by King Charles III and originally trained for the King and Queen by John and Thady Gosden, Point Of Law won the Gr.3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July before being sold to race in Australia. He won the Gr.3 Geelong Cup on his southern hemisphere debut 13 days ago.

“He's going to be a superstar horse, he's something special,” said winning jockey Ethan Brown. “Please don't wake me up. It's every jockey's dream to do this.”

Brown, who had previously taken a break from race riding after suffering a life-threatening fall in the 2023 Australian Guineas before being persuaded to return to the saddle by Maher, added, “He's in such good hands with Ciaron. He had the best turn of foot in the race. I thought he ran really well and he's going to be a future star if he's not already one today.”

Point Of Law's stable-mate Royal Supremacy set a lethal early pace, opening up a 20-length lead on the field down the back stretch. Leading by daylight into the home straight, he was visibly flagging within the final furlong as the eventual winner blew past him up the rail to win going away by three and three-quarter lengths. A bob of heads settled the minor placings with Zahrann snatching second on the line and Gr.2 Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Juja Kibo taking third.

Sons and Lovers, one of five runners in the race for dual Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Joseph O'Brien, finished best of the European challengers in fourth, with the first five home all having been bred in Britain or Ireland.

“He's just thrived,” said Maher of Point Of Law, his second winner of the Melbourne Cup after Gold Trip in 2022. “I can't thank all the team enough, all the owners – what a ride they have been on. It's been a whirlwind really.”

The trainer, who had seven runners in the Cup, made history when becoming the first in the race's 166-year history to saddle the first three home. He added, “I knew I had my best hand going into it. We just had to execute."

A third-generation homebred for the Royals Studs, Point Of Law is the first foal of the Deep Impact mare Portfolio, who was twice a winner for Queen Elizabeth II as well being placed in the Listed Chalice Stakes. Portfolio is a full-sister to the six-time winner Educator and half-sister to the 105-rated Warrant Holder (Frankel), who ran third in the Gr.3 September Stakes last month for the Gosdens. Portfolio had no foal in the two years following Point Of Law but produced a colt by Churchill this February and was subsequently covered by Kingman.