Naketta earnt $150,000 in prizemoney which helped pay his travelling costs for the trip to Australia to run in the race that stops a nation.

Former Warrnambool resident Darren Dance, who heads Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock which race Naketta, paid credit to young jockey Regan Bayliss following the race.

“It was a top ride by Regan,” Dance said. “Naketta loomed up at the 300-metre mark and I thought he might go on with it but he was not in the best part of the track so he just paddled to the line.

“It’s a good result for his connections. It’s Naketta’s best run in this preparation. He’ll head back to Scotland next Wednesday before we work out his long term campaign.”

The $150,000 prizemoney took Nakeeta’s stake earnings to more than $900,000.

Warrnambool Racing Club committeeman Peter Lynch and his wife Anne, who were trackside, are in the ownership of the eight-year-old. Naketta is the fifth horse that the Lynch’s have raced in the Melbourne Cup with ATB.

Red Cardinal, who carried the hopes of Darren Weir’s Warrnambool stable finished 23rd.