Joseph O'Brien-trained Twilight Payment wins Melbourne Cup

The win gave trainer Joseph O'Brien his second victory after Rekindling claimed the Cup in 2017.

Twilight Payment, with Jye McNeil in the saddle, led for most of the 3200-metre race to edge out pre-race favourite Tiger Moth and Prince of Arran.

It was McNeil's first ride in the Melbourne Cup. O'Brien trained

Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace, was disappointed but not despondent after his three runners were unplaced in the $8 million race.

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Persan ran fifth while stablemate Sir Dragonet finished in sixth place and Etah James came home in 17th.

"I was very proud of Persan's run," he told The Standard.

"Persan was always going to face a tough task from the wide barrier but he fought on gamely.

"Persan has come a long way from winning a maiden at Bendigo in May. He's got an excellent record at Flemington. We'll try and bring him back next year.

"Sir Dragonet's task was always going to be tough as he was slow out of the barriers but he fought on gamely.

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"Etah James needed a bit of a cut out of the track to show her best."

Koroit-based jockey Declan Bates rode Ashrun into tenth place in the Melbourne Cup while former Warrnambool College student Daniel Moor finished 14th on Miami Bound.

Bates started cup day off well winning a $125,000 race on the Archie Alexander-trained filly No Restriction.

Bates said it was a thrill to ride a winner on Australia's biggest race day.

"I was actually quite confident coming here today," Bates said.

"I thought Flemington would suit. She was too good. She was a bit keen going to the post and a bit keen at the last run so I decided I wasn't going to worry about finding a position early.

"I was just going to come out, get her to relax. She was somewhat relaxed but she was still a bit keen. I was just concerned about getting her into a nice rhythm, finding room in the straight.

"She was travelling that well and then when the gaps came she put them away."

No Restriction has won two of her five starts.

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