Horse racing-German raider Protectionist wins Melbourne Cup (Reuters)
German raider Protectionist timed his finishing burst to perfection to win the 154th running of the A$6.2 million ($5.38 million) Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday. Ridden by Ryan Moore, the five-year-old stayer was boxed in for much of the race but stormed down the final straight after finding a gap to give Germany its first winner of the gruelling 3200 metre handicap by two lengths. Red Cadeaux was second for the third time in Australia’s biggest race, while New Zealand-trained Who Shot Thebarman came in third. “He’s very easy,” Englishman Moore said of the 7-1 shot in a trackside interview.