MELBOURNE, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Fiorente landed Australia's biggest race for the home team Tuesday, taking the Group 1 Melbourne Cup over a pair of British invaders.
Fiorente once was trained by Sir Michael Stoute in England but now is under the tutelage of Australia's foremost trainer, Gai Waterhouse. The 5-year-old, Irish-bred son of Monsun, with Damien Oliver up, advanced from the middle of the 24-horse field to snatch the lead with a furlong to run, then held off the ageless Red Cadeaux to win by 3/4 length.
Mount Athos was 1 1/2 lengths more back in third as Fiorente completed the 2 miles on good turf at Flemington in 3:20.3. Fiorente finished second in last year's edition of the Melbourne Cup but Tuesday's win was only his second since coming to Australia last fall.
Red Cadeaux was second in this race two years ago and started his 2013 with a second-place finish behind Animal Kingdom in the Dubai World Cup in March.
Simenon finished fourth and Dandino was fifth in a race that will send competitors on to the Group 1 Japan Cup later this month and the Group 1 Longines Hong Kong Vase on Dec. 8.
Fiorente is owned by a syndicate that includes other partnerships and the winners' enclosure was crammed to overflowing for the trophy presentation.
