TWILIGHT Payment gave Joseph O’Brien his second Melbourne Cup – but the big race was marred by the fatal injury of Anthony Van Dyck.
Last year’s Derby hero suffered a broken leg around 2f from home and sadly he could not be saved.
The four-year-old had recently returned to form and was carrying top-weight in the historic race having finished a narrow second in the Caulfield Cup last month.
He was being asked for his effort at the top of the home straight by jockey Hugh Bowman when he stumbled and suffered a fractured fetlock.
Racing Victoria’s Jamie Stier said: “It is with sadness that we confirm that Anthony Van Dyck had to be humanely euthanised after sustaining a fractured fetlock during the running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington.
“The horse received immediate veterinary care, however he was unable to be saved due to the nature of the injury sustained.
“Our sympathies are extended to the owners of Anthony Van Dyck, trainer Aidan O’Brien and all his staff who cared for the horse and are greatly saddened by their loss.”
He is the SEVENTH horse to suffer a fatal injury in the Melbourne Cup since 2013, with O’Brien also losing Cliffs Of Moher two years ago.
Stier added: “Research is being undertaken to reduce the incidence of fatal racing injuries such as that sustained during the running of the Melbourne Cup today.”
The tragic loss of Ballydoyle’s Classic hero overshadowed a great finish to the Flemington feature.
Joseph O’Brien’s 25-1 shot Twilight Payment, who was second past the post 12 months ago but demoted due to causing interference, made virtually all the running under jockey Jye McNeil.
To make matters worse for Ballydoyle, Tiger Moth, who was drawn in the car park in stall 23, stayed on strongly in the closing stages from off the pace but he could only get within half a length of the winner at the line.
Charlie Fellowes’ stable star Prince Of Arran was another who saw his race out powerfully, grabbing third late on to finish placed in his third straight Melbourne Cup.
O’Brien said: “Jye gave the horse a fantastic ride. Credit goes to the lads who have looked after Twilight Payment for the last month or so. They’ve done a fantastic job with the horses down there.
“This was our first full year with him, he came to us halfway through last year. Going through the summer, he ran a couple of huge races at the Curragh.
“I was worried today he might have got a bit of pressure on the lead, but the horse has an incredible heart and Jye gave him a fantastic ride and he has a huge will to win.”
It is the second time that Joseph has beaten his dad Aidan into second in the Melbourne Cup, with Rekindling getting the better of Johannes Vermeer in 2017.
O’Brien added: “We both realise how hard it is to win on the world stage in these big, big races, but I am very lucky that I have been able to win a couple of big races.
“Dad has been very lucky, he has won a lot of big races, I’d be delighted for him if he had won, and I’m sure he is for me having won. We do our best on the track and whatever happens out there happens.
“I was really too nervous to see what was going to happen. I was hardly able to watch, but it was a fantastic ride by Jye and a fantastic effort by all the lads with the horse.”
Fellowes was over the moon with Prince Of Arran, who was third in 2018 and promoted to second last year having suffered trouble in running.
He tweeted: “Incredibly proud of Prince Of Arran. Another wonderful run in Australia’s great race. 4th time lucky next year?”
