While the race that stops the nation had a very different feel to it due to the health crisis, the 2020 Melbourne Cup was still an intriguing race.

Ostensibly leading from start to finish, Twilight Payment, ridden by Jye McNeil, won the coveted cup. Producing a brilliant ride in his first Melbourne Cup appearance, McNeil deserved immense credit for executing the race plan to perfection.

Maintaining the lead is usually no easy task, but Twilight Payment made it look easy, with the other horses unable to catch up. Priced at a whopping $27.20 to win and $8.10 to place, many bettors profited handsomely, including one lucky punter who won a staggering $130,000 on the Irish horse.

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Finishing second, third and fourth were Tiger Moth, Prince of Arran and The Chosen One respectively. With the quinella paying $97.20, the trifecta $1806.90 and the first four $38,939.90, a couple of bettors cashed in. Particularly notable was how one gambler won a first four bet to take home $64,418 and another won $40,497 on a same race multi.

In what was quite the upset, Twilight Payment amazingly beat the odds to triumph against a strong field to etch its name into history.

The race that always demands the attention of almost all Australians certainly delivered in spades this year.