It was the strongest raiding party ever sent Down Under in the 157-year history of Australia’s greatest race.
But plenty of fancied hopes have been left shattered on the Flemington turf down the years.
After a stunning season it was almost inevitable it would be Godolphin trainer Charlie Appleby to become the first British trainer to get his hands on the iconic golden trophy.
The 43-year-old gave Sheikh Mohammed his first Derby winner with Masar at Epsom in June.
Now he has delivered another coveted prize his Godolphin boss has been trying to win for 20 years.
FULL RESULT Check out the full result of the Melbourne Cup here
It was a remarkable effort. Cross Counter had just a couple of horses behind him turning for home.
As soon as Kerrin McEvoy – winning his third Melbourne Cup – pulled him to the outside he flew home to collar Marmelo and Prince Of Arran.
Appleby grinned: “This is everybody’s dream – it’s huge.
“For me, of course, this is the biggest thing along with the Derby. This year has just been one of those amazing years – I don’t want it to end.
“The results have been just phenomenal. Unfortunately, we all start back on zero on 1 January.
“When I was lucky enough to get my licence five years ago people asked me which two races I wanted to win for Godolphin. It was the Derby and the Melbourne Cup.
“I’m just so thrilled to be able to do that. I feel we’ve proven ourselves now.
“Coming into today this horse ticked a lot of boxes.
“When I saw him down the back I thought he had to do a lot. I thought turning in that if he finds the gap then this horse has got the gears to pick up.
“What more can I say? Great horse, great ride. More to the point this is all for Sheikh Mohammed.”
It was Appleby’s 12th top-level winner in a golden season.
It underlines how shrewd the move was to appoint him after disgraced Mahmood Al Zarooni was banned for eight years for doping offences. The victory also reunited old friends.
McEvoy had a spell riding in Britain as Frankie Dettori’s understudy at Godolphin when Appleby was travelling head lad.
The winning jockey said: “We were often up north a lot – long drives and late getting home at night.
“They were fun times and all those days have accumulated in us winning a Melbourne Cup together.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling – a huge buzz. What a thrill to do it in Sheik Mohammed’s blue colours.
“I was back a bit further than I wanted. I knew that I was full of running – at the furlong I thought ‘mate, is this happening again?’”
Not much has gone wrong for Appleby this year. Cross Counter’s victory was his 12th top-level prize but he could be forgiven for thinking fate had turned against him in recent weeks.
Within a few days Hamada lost his life when breaking a leg as he was prepared for the Cup and Emotionless was ruled out of the whole Spring Carnival with a pelvic injury.
Then it rained and rained and rained on the morning of the Melbourne Cup.
Appleby revealed: “I was sat on the sidelines not knowing what to expect as he’d never run on this ground – I really didn’t know. I can tell you now he likes a bit of juice in the ground.”
The torrential rain did Prince Of Arran no favours. He booked his Cup ticket with victory on lightning-fast in Saturday’s Lexus Stakes.
His trainer Charlie Fellowes said: “You’ve got to think had he not run three days ago and had it not rained, geez, he would have gone big.
“That beat’s Saturday. My first Group winner was incredible but this race is just remarkable.
“What a four days. It’ll take a while to bump back to earth from this one.
“He’s run on four different continents this year, he ran three days ago, he doesn’t like this ground and he’s gone and put in a huge performance again.
“I’ve just been told we’re probably going to get an invite to the Hong Kong Vase and that race will suit him.
“I don’t think you need to ask what the long-term plan is.”
Hughie Morrison was also keen to return after Marmelo finished runner-up.
He said: “For a split second I thought maybe but I didn’t really think we had it.
“I wasn’t sure we were going to run down the third horse – as we went past him I saw the red cap coming.
“It’s a great thrill to achieve as much as we have done. We can’t wait to come back.”
Marmelo's jockey Hugh Bowman was hit with a massive 35 day ban for careless riding, whip offences and weighing in half a kilo heavy following the big race.
Marwan Koukash – who promised to strip if Magic Circle won – also promised to return after his 6-1 second favourite trailed in 16th.
Aidan O’Brien’s quest for his first Cup win ended in tragedy when Cliffs Of Moher broke down badly and had to be put down. Rostropovich fared best of his three runners in fifth.
Cross Counter – one of three runners in the Godolphin blue – was sent off a well-backed 8-1 shot.
McEvoy’s wife Cathy was one of those cheering the loudest as she had put her house on it.
The jockey laughed: “I said yesterday that if I won I’d buy Cathy a new house with a swimming pool. So look out.”
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