MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Rekindling won the 157th running of the A$6.2 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, giving jockey Corey Brown his second triumph in "the race that stops a nation" and a first trophy Down Under for Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien.
The four-year-old colt, a 14-1 shot, roared home in the final straight of the 3,200 metre handicap, reeling in Johannes Vermeer to win by half a length in a thrilling sprint to the finish, with the William Mullins-trained Max Dynamite coming third.
Brown also won Australia's most famous thoroughbred race in 2009 aboard the Mark Kavanagh-trained Shocking.
"I can't believe it," the Australian jockey said.
"It's so special, I've got my family here.
"It's a dream to just ride in the race, but to win it again, I'm just lost for words," added the 41-year-old.
Local businessman Lloyd Williams extended his record to six Melbourne Cups as an owner, having celebrated his fifth with winner Almandin in last year's race.
"It's terrifically exciting," Williams said.
"We wanted someone who could ride the weight and a serious rider."
The A$6.2 million (3.62 million pounds) Melbourne Cup is the world's richest two-mile handicap.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom, editing by Nick Mulvenney/Peter Rutherford)
