The 41-year-old, whose only previous Australian winner was at Wyong when apprenticed in New South Wales more than 20 years ago, was delighted to score aboard the Lee Freedman-trained runner.

He said: “It was a great thrill, especially on a track like this as well.”

Fallon was out of luck in the feature Tattersall’s Cox Plate later on the card, as his mount Aqua D'Amore could finish only fourth behind veteran performer Fields Of Omagh.

The nine-year-old was running in the 10-furlong contest for the fifth successive year, having won the race in 2003 as well as finishing fifth at his first attempt in 2002, second in 2004 and third last year.

Fields Of Omagh, who will now be retired, just held on for a narrow victory over El Segundo in a photo with Pompeii Ruler a close-up third.

The David Hayes-trained gelding is the oldest winner of Australasia’s weight-for-age championship and the 11th multiple Cox Plate winner, joining the likes of Phar Lap, Sunline, Northerly and Tranquil Star.

“He is the only horse that I’ve trained that my brother (the late Peter Hayes) trained,” Hayes told www.racingvictoria.net.au.

“He got there and it’s just fantastic. What a great way to go out for the old boy. When he went out on the track and they (the crowd) acknowledged him it brought a bit of a tear to my eye. It was a very emotional win.”

Winning jockey Craig Williams added: “He just thrived on today’s atmosphere and today and he just lifted for me.”