|
 Araldo, who finished seventh in the A$6.2 million ($5.38 million)
race, was later euthanised after injuring its hind leg in a freak
accident after the race.
The deaths at the "race that stops a nation" are sure to reignite
the debate over the welfare of horses in the sport.
With another bumper crowd packed into Flemington Racecourse,
Protectionist was boxed in for much of the gruelling 3,200 metre
handicap but stormed down the final straight to win by four lengths,
giving Germany its first winner in 154 runnings of the Cup.
"He's very easy," English jockey Ryan Moore said of the 7-1 shot in
a trackside interview. "Very good horse with very strong pace. Once
he got the space, he's amazing."
Protectionist's success was the third for a European horse in the
last five years after Americain (2010) and Dunaden (2011) and will
not ease concerns among local trainers about "foreign" raids on
Australia's top silverware.
 English nine-year-old Red Cadeaux (20-1) was second for the third
time in Australia's most famous race after 2011 and 2013, while New
Zealand-trained Who Shot Thebarman (16-1) came in third.
Irish mare My Ambivalent had overhauled Admire Rakti over the first
few hundred yards and set the pace for much of the race before Red
Cadeaux took the lead coming off the final bend.
Protectionist had found its way through the field by now, though,
and once the five-year-old stallion hit the front he was never going
to be caught.
"We have had great success all over the planet but this is the
biggest of all," said trainer Andreas Wohler.
"(Moore) was so patient, he couldn't have the position he wanted to
have but he was so patient and when he came around the last bend he
just needed the right gap. Ryan is a superstar.
"It's unbelievable. Later when we think about it, it's a moment in
your life that you won't forget."
'TRAGIC OUTCOME'
Japanese-trained Admire Rakti, the 5-1 favourite and an impressive
winner of the Caulfield Cup last month, had faded badly over the
last few furlongs.
Carrying the top weight of 58.5kg, the horse was clearly agitated
after the race and his stall was soon covered in a protective
screen.
"The favourite Admire Rakti on return to the stalls after the race
has collapsed and died," Racing Victoria chief steward Terry Bailey
told reporters.
"Our vets are on hand and the horse will undergo an autopsy. We will
have to await those results for the cause of the death."
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His death followed that of French mare Verema, who was put down
after snapping a lower leg bone during the race last year.
Araldo was taken to a nearby veterinary hospital where he underwent
X-rays to determine the extent of an injury to one of his hind legs.
The Mike Moroney-trained stayer, who had finished seventh, was
spooked on his way back to the mounting yard when a spectator waved
a flag at him, kicking out at a fence and injuring the limb.
"It is with sadness that we confirm that Araldo has had to be
humanely euthanised as a result of the injury it suffered in a freak
accident following the Emirates Melbourne Cup," Brian Stewart,
Racing Victoria head of veterinary and equine welfare, said in a
statement.
"The horse received immediate veterinary care and was transported to
the University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital, however, sadly the
fracture in its pastern was not repairable.
"The owners made the decision to humanely euthanise Araldo in the
best interests of the horse."
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)
said it was a "tragic outcome" for the horses and called for a "full
and transparent investigation" into both incidents.
"Events like these are a stark reminder to the community of the real
risks to horses associated with racing," it said in a statement.
"Sadly, injury and death are the price some horses pay for our
entertainment in a sport that puts intense pressure on animals to
perform to the limits of their endurance."
(Writing by Nick Mulvenney in Sydney; Editing by Greg
Stutchbury/Peter Rutherford)
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