RACING:RACING'S TEAM-TACTICS controversy returned to dog Aidan O'Brien and his team in the early hours of yesterday morning after his three horses trailed in at the rear of the Melbourne Cup.

Australia's most famous race was won for the 12th time by the legendary 81-year-old trainer Bart Cummings when Viewed held the English hope Bauer, trained by Luca Cumani, by a nose in a thrilling finish.

However, much of the post-race focus was on the failed O'Brien challenge which was dismissed as an "Irish joke" and a "fiasco" by some of the local media.

Ireland's champion trainer had left Flemington racetrack but was summoned back by the stewards an hour and a half after the last race to explain the riding instructions he had given to his three riders in the cup.

O'Brien's number one hope Septimus raced in second for much of the cup, trailing his stable companion Alessandro Volta, with the other Ballydoyle hope Honolulu racing alongside. At one stage the trio were six lengths clear of the opposition but were then swallowed up as the field entered the straight.

The use of pacemakers is banned in Australia and the Flemington stewards said they had "grave doubts" about the ride Irish jockey Wayne Lordan had given the front-runner, Alessandro Volta. Chief Steward Terry Bailey said they had considered charging Lordan for not allowing his mount obtain the best possible position in the field. However, no sanctions were taken.

O'Brien insisted all his horses did their best and was quoted in The Age newspaper as declaring: "If you are going to penalise me or the lads, that's a nonsense. We have come here in good faith." Bailey replied: "The questions asked of your riders is what we do every day and we got conflicting answers. It is natural for us to ask the trainer to clarify the evidence - whether it is Aidan O'Brien or a one-horse trainer from Colac."

O'Brien was found guilty of breaching Britain's team-tactics rules at a British Horseracing Authority inquiry into September's Juddmonte International won at Newmarket and fined €6,175. Johnny Murtagh, who rode Septimus last night, and Colm O'Donoghue (Honolulu) were both suspended for seven days at the same inquiry.

Yesterday's events concluded a disappointing raid for the Irish although Dermot Weld's Profound Beauty finished fifth in the race that stops a nation.