Almandin won the Melbourne Cup by a hair's breadth during the wee hours, just about edging Irish-trained Heartbreak City in Australia's marquee race.
The prize money up for grabs is $3.6m (roughly €2.5m), with second spot alone raking in $900,000 - or €628,000 - for the runner-up. You can understand, then, how Tony Martin of County Meath and his team of fellow Irish trainers weren't too heartbroken as their seven-year-old bay gelding was pipped at the post.
Martin, Aidan Shiels, Charlie Gavigan and Niall Reilly went positively ape at the finish, with an Aussie reporter falling foul of one particularly enthusiastic bear hug. His face was a picture.
Hilarious reaction by Heartbreak City Irish owners after second in the #MelbourneCup pic.twitter.com/nlfU5hOvbr
— Paul Newman (@PaulNewman111) November 1, 2016
The race itself was equally thrilling, with Kerrin McEvoy riding Almandin to his second Melbourne Cup win since the year 2000. Check out the pulsating finish below:
Melburnians collectively held their breath as Almandin crossed the finish line. #champion #MelbourneCup #melbmoment pic.twitter.com/yrqYYWhPpW
— FlemingtonRacecourse (@FlemingtonVRC) November 1, 2016
