A freak reaction in the early stages of the Melbourne Cup paved the way for the race

Each and every horse in the field needs luck above everything else to be on their side when the gates open.

In 2018 that once again rang true as Cross Counter flew home down the outside to edge past Marmelo and claim victory.

But how did the Irish stayer get the job done in a field of some of the best stayers in the racing industry. Luck and a stunning reaction played perhaps the biggest role in deciding the Cup’s outcome.

After jumping out of barrier 19, jockey Kerrin McEvoy settled towards the back of the field as they made their way down the straight for the first time.

As the horses approached the finishing post, it was then that lady luck shone down on McEvoy and Cross Counter.

The Cliffsofmoher broke down only moments before the post and as he pulled up, he gave Avilius a bump on his way out of the race.

A quick pull on the reins from McEvoy and he narrowly managed to avoid the carnage as they began to go around the first turn.

McEvoy and Cross Counter narrowly avoided The Cliffsofmoher going past the post.Source:Supplied

The early hurdle meant McEvoy was a long way off of the leaders and had to settle at the back of the field for the majority of the run.

Around the first bend and along the back straight was smooth sailing for McEvoy as he sat in behind Zacada and Marmelo.

Happy to just cruise along behind the pack and save his legs for the run home, McEvoy wasn’t panicked despite the early setback.

As they approached the 1200m mark and the final sweeping turn, he still sat second last in the field as the pace began to pick up.

Then the action kicked off. 800m out from home and the field began to bunch as the horses tried to claim prime position for the final straight.

McEvoy slotted Cross Counter in behind favourite Yucatan after peeling away from Marmelo who stuck it out closer to the rail.

A bunched field entered the straight with Cross Counter lost in the sea of horses.

Cross Counter sits behind a hoard of horses.Source:Supplied

Another quick shift from McEvoy pushed the stayer further from the fence as Finche and A Prince of Arran began to push away out in front.

A wild dart to the left from Yucatan (which earned jockey Jim Crowley a 10-race meeting suspension) cleared a hole for Cross Counter with McEvoy happily taking and beginning the sprint to the post.

With McEvoy finding clear air on the outside, it was Marmelo who had sliced his way through the field on the inside and had begun his run home.

Marmelo slipped into the lead around 250m from home and looked to be in a battle with A Prince of Arran for the victory.

But Cross Counter had other ideas.

Marmelo and A Prince of Arran battle as Cross Counter swoops out wide.Source:Supplied

In the space of 100m, Cross Counter had caught up to A Prince of Arran and was closing in on Marmelo at a rapid rate of knots.

Marmelo tried hard, but it wasn’t able to match the blistering closing speed of Cross Counter who went on to salute past the post.

The blinding run around the outside of the field paid major dividends for McEvoy as he successfully avoided getting stuck in traffic unlike Marmelo and jockey Hugh Bowman who was suspended after the race for several bans.

One of which included careless riding after he squeezed out Chestnut Coat as he shifted closer to the rail entering the straight.

Of course it all could have ended in disaster once again for Godolphin, and Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, if not for the lucky and stunning split second reaction from McEvoy to yank the reins to his right and avoid the injury struck Cliffsofmoher.

In a race consisting of 24 of the top staying horses from around the globe, everything from the lead up to the in-race decisions affect the final order. But luck plays just as big of a factor and on Tuesday, it was all behind Cross Counter.