What the jockeys said after the Group One $6.2 million Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.

Damien Oliver (Fiorente) 1st: "It's amazing. It's a dream come true. A lot of emotions are going through my body right now, but it's really hard to believe and it's just amazing. I'm so rapt that I could be part of Gai's first one. She's done so much for racing and it's a great honour for me. It's nice to be back doing what I love."

Gerald Mosse (Red Cadeaux) 2nd: "He's a brilliant horse. With a draw like that I was lucky to be travelling midfield and he give me a nice kick to the end. He was beaten by the best one."

Craig Williams (Mount Athos) 3rd: "His run was excellent. We were three wide out of the straight the first time and we just had to do a bit of work to get into his position. Around the bend he raced great, we made our run with Red Cadeaux, I felt I didn't have much horse left at the 200, he was empty at the 100 and he ran on for third. A great effort, just heart and guts."

Richard Hughes (Simenon) 4th: "My horse ran a blinder. Myself, the winner and the second horse, we went around together, the three of us, and I came really good about a half mile from home. I didn't let him go, I just thought it was a bit early to be going for home. Then when they quickened, they just nicked a length on me and he just stayed at it all the way to the line."

Ryan Moore (Dandino) 5th: "He ran very well. I thought we would be placed but he just didn't quite get home. He ran a very good race."

Nick Hall (Fawkner) 6th: "I thought it was a sound effort."

Rhys McLeod (Ethiopia) 7th: "His run was good. They slowed up a bit at the 1200 and I just kept him in stride. He quickened well at the top of the straight but the others just quickened a bit better, but his run was really good."

Richard Kingscote (Brown Panther) 8th: "He ran well. We got hemmed in behind the leaders a little bit but we got out with 600 to run, and he finished strong but too late."

Corey Brown (Super Cool) 9th: "He had a terrific run in transit. I followed Red Cadeaux and I honestly thought he was going good enough to win straightening for home, but when I let him off the bridle, I just don't think he sees that trip out."

James McDonald (Voleuse De Coeurs) 10th: "She's going to be a better mare next year. She's going to strengthen up and be a force to be reckoned with next year."

Jamie Spencer (Dunaden) 11th: "He ran well. He tried hard but weight stops trains."

Hugh Bowman (Seville) 12th: "I had a beautiful run in transit but he just failed to really switch off for me. He was on and off the bridle most of the way and when they do that, it's hard for them finish these two-mile races."

Steven Arnold (Sea Moon) 13th: "He lacked a little bit of early speed but they went very quick so I was comfortable where I was. I thought I was chance at the top of the straight but went from that to just really whacking away."

Kerrin McEvoy (Royal Empire) 14th: "We ended up further back than we wanted but we got into a nice rhythm, the tempo was nice and strong. From the 2000, I was pretty happy with my position. The winner ended up bumping me out of the way and my horse didn't have the required turn of foot in the last two furlongs to get back in the race."

Brenton Avdulla (Mourayan) 15th: "He was wide the trip but he just didn't have any speed at all. He's probably come to the end of it all. He gave me a bit of a thrill though."

Luke Nolen (Ibicenco) 16th: "We found a nice run in the race but I wasn't able to flow from the five-furlong mark. He just ground to the line."

Craig Newitt (Foreteller) 17th: "He just didn't stay. We poked around out the back, got on the back of Dandino at the half-mile and when he started to make his run, I started to empty my bloke out, but he just plodded up the straight."

Michael Rodd (Masked Marvel) 18th: "He travelled fantastic through the race. I got to the 400 and started to let him down but he just didn't find much."

Chris Munce (Dear Demi) 19th: "I had a beautiful run. I found a spot pretty easily and travelled up good in the run. She probably just struggled with the trip."

Jim Cassidy (Hawkspur) 20th: "I had a beautiful run. I just didn't run the trip."

Brett Prebble (Green Moon) 21st: "He was the first horse beaten. He pulled up very distressed, there's something wrong."

Tommy Berry (Tres Blue) 22nd: "I tried to get box seat but Brown Panther kept kicking up, and during the run he kept tapping my horse's hindquarters which made my horse run a touch keen and that told in the end."

Chad Schofield (Ruscello) 23rd: "He just didn't back up. He didn't appreciate the four days between runs. He raced a bit flat."

Christophe Lemaire (Verema) Failed to finish.