Gold Trip has won the 2022 Melbourne Cup.

The 162nd running of the great race delivered plenty of drama as the miserable weather did its best to ruin the day for the 80,000 spectators that braved the stormy conditions.

But nothing could overshadow the $8 million, 3200m handicap classic.

The connections of six-year-old horse Gold Trip are celebrating a payday of more than $4 million.

Emissary finished second and High Emocean was third.

Favourite Deauville Legend was fourth, while highly fancied runner Realm of Flowers was fifth.

Gold Trip did it the hard way, taking the lead with more than 300m to run before Emissary looked to be making a challenge of it with 150m to go.

But the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained horse showed its class by finding one final effort at the finish line.

Gold Trip ridden by Mark Zahra wins the Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty

Winning jockey Mark Zahra said the final moments of the race were nerve-wracking. “(I was thinking) just piss off, no one come near me,” he said.

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Eustace was visibly shaking when interviewed after the race.

“I can’t believe it. Obviously a bit overcome. Yeah, it’s obviously a dream that we all want to achieve,” he said.

Gold Trip’s run created some incredible history.

It is the first time a horse has won the Melbourne Cup at a top weight of 57.5kg since Makybe Diva. The French horse is also the first horse in 99 years to win the Melbourne Cup with just one previous race win.

Camorra, Numerian and Serpentine failed to finish.

Earlier, the racing world was shocked when police were called after an activist was filmed dumping 1000 litres of “oily sludge” onto the track at Flemington. There was also some huge drama on the morning of the Cup with another fancied runner, Lunar Flare, being scratched by Racing Victoria’s vets.