Piggott second in Legends race

Despite improving on last year`s third place, 11-time champion jockey Lester Piggott just failed to land the Emirates Legends race at Flemington today.

The event, a four-furlong, dash was the international highlight of the final day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival and involved jockeys from four nations, including last year`s winner Australia`s Bob Skelton.

Unlike last year when he came from behind, Piggott, 66, soon had his mount Blue Pharaoh at the head of affairs and as the eight strong field entered the final furlong he looked as if he might hold on.

However, former Hong Kong champion Tony Cruz brought Mondial through inside the last 100 metres to deny the nine-time Derby winner by three quarters of a length, with the Brent Thomson-ridden Soupless back in third.

'He just wasn`t quite good enough to do it,' Piggott said, after getting his breath back.

Explaining the decision to go early, he said: 'I had a faster horse this year but it was a good race.

'We`ve had a great week and it was good to renew rivalry with Geoff Lewis. It`s been a lot of fun.

'After finishing third and second it would be nice to come back and win it if they ask me.'

Mill Reef`s former jockey Lewis finished fifth on board Noble Sun.

On the same card Godolphin`s Hatha Anna, who has been used as a lead horse for Melbourne Cup runner up Give The Slip and seventh-placed Marienbard, landed the Group Two Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

He took the mile-and-a-half event, widely seen as a consolation race for the Cup, by a long head from the locally-trained Ascana with Tiger`s Eye back in third.

The Sadler`s Wells five-year-old challenged at the four-furlong pole and got the better of a protracted battle with the runner-up to win at odds of approximately 6-1.