| Melbourne Cup | |
| Location | Flemington Racecourse Melbourne, Australia |
|---|---|
| Date | 1 November 2011 |
| Winning horse | Dunaden |
| Jockey | Christophe Lemaire |
| Trainer | Mikel Delzangles |
| Surface | Grass |
| Attendance | 105,979[1] |
With 300 meters to go now, Precedence hit the lead but Manighar challenges strongly, Lucas Cranach and getting up on the inside Lost in the Moment with a challenge, Here's Red Caudeaux starting to flash home on the outside now. Lucas Cranach hit the lead, Red Caudeaux coming down the outside, Dunaden is coming through in the middle. Dunaden, Red Caudeaux and Lucas Cranach. Dunaden is coming hard, Dunaden, Red Caudeaux. Dunaden and Red Caudeaux they hit the line a photo finish, between Dunaden and Red Caudeaux nothing in it!
Commentator Greg Miles describes the climax of the race
The 2011 Emirates Melbourne Cup, the 151st running of Australia's most prestigious Thoroughbred horse race, was held on Tuesday, 1 November 2011 at 3:00 pm (AEDT), at Melbourne's Flemington Racecourse. Dunaden won in a photo finish over Red Cadeaux in the closest finish in Melbourne Cup history.[2][3]
The winning jockey, Frenchman Christophe Lemaire, had arrived in Australia less than a day previously as a late replacement for Craig Williams.[citation needed]
Six out of the first seven finishers were international horses. Third placed Lucas Cranach was the best locally trained finisher and fourth placed was the pre-race favourite, the 2010 winner, Americain.
In related events the federal government's parliamentary question time was brought forward half an hour in order that it would conclude before the race began.[4]