Ciaron Maher’s Melbourne Cup 1-2-3: Point Of Law Leads a Historic Trifecta

Ciaron Maher trained the first three home in the 2026 Melbourne Cup, a first in the 166 runnings of the race, with Point Of Law winning for Ethan Brown.

Ciaron Maher trained the first three home in the 2026 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday 3 November. Point Of Law won by 3.75 lengths from Zahrann and Juja Kibo, and no trainer had done that in the 166 runnings of the race. It was Maher’s second Cup, and the first for Ethan Brown, three years after a fall at Flemington nearly ended his career.

🏆 2026 Melbourne Cup: 1st Point Of Law, 2nd Zahrann, 3rd Juja Kibo, all trained by Ciaron Maher. Point Of Law was our top pick at $6.50.

Ciaron Maher’s Melbourne Cup 1-2-3

Maher had seven of the 23 runners, and five of them finished in the first six. Barriers are as drawn on Saturday 31 October, and margins are in lengths behind the winner.

Horse Jockey Barrier Finished Behind winner
Point Of Law Ethan Brown 9 1st Winner
Zahrann Ben Melham 11 2nd 3.75L
Juja Kibo Sam Clipperton 14 3rd 3.81L
Royal Supremacy Ben Allen 21 5th 5.16L
Shockletz Harry Coffey 17 6th 5.56L
Middle Earth Mark Zahra 1 10th 7.41L
Mr Monaco Jabez Johnstone 16 17th 14.41L

Another of his runners set the race up. Royal Supremacy went to the front and was about 20 lengths clear at the 1000m, and still 12 lengths in front at the 400m. Brown brought Point Of Law out of the chasing pack and ran him down late in the straight, with Zahrann and Juja Kibo following him past. “To get three horses in the first three spots, I’m very proud,” Maher told the ABC.

It was not the first time this spring. Juja Kibo, Kings Valley and Mr Monaco ran first, second and third for Maher in the Moonee Valley Gold Cup, run at Flemington on 24 October. His first Melbourne Cup came in 2022 with Gold Trip, which he trained in partnership with David Eustace.

Point Of Law: from the King’s colours to the Cup

Point Of Law was bred and raced by King Charles III and Queen Camilla and trained in England by John and Thady Gosden. He ran fourth in the Queen’s Vase at Royal Ascot in June and won the Group 3 Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July, after which Maher bought him privately. The price was not disclosed.

His first start in Australia was the Geelong Cup on 21 October, which he won under Brown to earn a ballot-exempt place in the Cup. The Melbourne Cup was only his sixth start and his first over 3200m. He is the third Northern Hemisphere three-year-old to win the race, after Rekindling in 2017 and Cross Counter in 2018.

He started favourite at $7 in Ladbrokes’ final fixed-odds market and paid $7.80 to win on the Victorian tote, the first favourite to win the Cup since Fiorente in 2013. He was our Melbourne Cup top pick from 26 October, at $7 then and $6.50 on the Monday before the race. The full finishing order and every dividend are on our Melbourne Cup results page.

Ethan Brown: from Alice Springs to the Melbourne Cup

Brown, 27, grew up in Alice Springs and started his apprenticeship there before moving to Melbourne. In the 2023 Australian Guineas at Flemington he fell from Maximilius and needed emergency surgery for a lacerated liver, a damaged kidney, three fractured vertebrae and a severed artery. He spent about six months recovering.

He doubted he would ride again and thought about moving into training. Maher talked him out of it. “It’s been a bumpy road, lot of challenges thrown my way, but it’s days like this that it all pays off,” Brown said after the Cup, his first.

What’s next for Point Of Law?

No plan has been announced. Maher said after the race that “the world’s his oyster” and that the colt could race internationally at the highest level. The next Melbourne Cup is on Tuesday 2 November 2027.

Ciaron Maher Melbourne Cup FAQs

Has a trainer ever trained the first three in the Melbourne Cup before?

No. Ciaron Maher is the first trainer in the 166 runnings of the Melbourne Cup to train the first three home, with Point Of Law, Zahrann and Juja Kibo in 2026.

How many Melbourne Cups has Ciaron Maher won?

Two. Gold Trip won in 2022, trained by Maher in partnership with David Eustace and ridden by Mark Zahra, and Point Of Law won in 2026 under Ethan Brown.

Who owned Point Of Law before Ciaron Maher?

King Charles III and Queen Camilla, who bred him and raced him in England with John and Thady Gosden. Maher bought him privately after he won the Bahrain Trophy at Newmarket in July 2026. The price was not disclosed.

Who is Ethan Brown?

Ethan Brown is a 27-year-old jockey from Alice Springs who rides for Ciaron Maher’s stable. He was badly hurt in a fall in the 2023 Australian Guineas at Flemington, spent about six months recovering, and won his first Melbourne Cup on Point Of Law in 2026.

Was Point Of Law the favourite for the Melbourne Cup?

Yes. Point Of Law started at $7 in Ladbrokes’ final fixed-odds market and paid $7.80 to win on the Victorian tote. He was the first favourite to win the Cup since Fiorente in 2013.

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