MELBOURNE, Australia: Americain, an American-bred, French-raised, Australian-owned stayer, won the 150th running of the Melbourne Cup Tuesday, surging home from off the pace to win comfortably. Americain had the form to win the 3,200-meter race, having won over 2,900 meters and twice over 3,000 meters in France this year, and took out Tuesday's $6 million event by 2-3/4 lengths. Trained by Alain de Royer Dupre and ridden by Gerald Mosse, the six-year-old stallion travelled much of the race in the middle of the 24-horse field and finished powerfully to beat Australian horses Maluckyday and So You Think. So You Think was the favorite, having won five major races in a row and was also the sentimental favorite, being prepared by 82-year-old trainer Bart Cummings, 12-time winner of Australia's richest race. So You Think went to the lead in the straight and held that advantage until the final furlong when the combination of a heavy track and the long distance proved too much as the two stayers went past. “The job is so easy when you are in the best race and have the best horse,” Mosse said. “I took my time off the straight, I ran well at the right time. I knew he was very strong over the final 250 meters.” Americain won the 2,400-meter Geelong Cup on Oct. 20 in his Australian debut - following the same preparation as former Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle. English horse Bauer, which ran second in a photo finish in the 2008 Melbourne Cup, was a late scratch due to a foot problem. The Luca Cumani-trained stayer had a veterinary inspection Tuesday morning and was deemed unfit to run, reducing the field to 23 runners.
