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Australia's Shocking roared past Ireland's Crime Scene in the closing stages to win the £3 million Melbourne Cup at Flemington racecourse.

The Mark Kavanagh-trained four-year-old, ridden by Corey Brown, was driven wide going into the final straight but reeled in Crime Scene to deny the foreign raiders a fourth Melbourne Cup victory in the 3,200 metre handicap's 149-year history.

Irish stayer Mourilyan, trained by South African Herman Brown, finished third in the 23-horse field.

The win, backed in at 10-1, was sweet redemption for Brown, who lost in a photo finish to last year's winner Viewed, trained by Australia's 12-time winning trainer Bart Cummings.

Brown also came runner-up on Mr Prudent in 2002 and third on Lahar in 1999.

"If everyone can feel what I am feeling now, it's just incredible," Brown said. "I've had a spot on my mantlepiece for this Cup for a long time and now I can finally put one there."

Victory for Shocking, embraced as a "battler" in comparison to the more polished entrants fielded by Cummings and the foreign stables, was also sweet for trainer Kavanagh after a difficult racing season.

"Spring Carnival's a tough time for everybody and you've got to roll with the punches and if you let those things take you off track, you just lose sight of the ball," said a beaming Kavanagh, whose pre-race favourite Shamoline Warrior fell sick on the eve of the £1m Victoria Derby race on Saturday.

"I was tickled pink with the preparation and on Saturday I had him just a little proud and round and I knew that win would improve him a lot," said Kavanagh, referring to Shocking's win at the Lexus Stakes on Saturday.

"And the Melbourne Cup is obviously won by horses that peak on the day... Today, it's pretty good."

Favourites Alcopop and Viewed disappointed in the run and did not figure. The Melbourne Cup, first held in 1861, is Australia's richest and most popular horse race.

Reuters