The key to winning the Melbourne Cup is relaxation - for both horse and jockey.That's what Chris Munce did in 1998 when he steered Cup favourite Jezabeel to a thrilling victory in the gruelling 3200-metre race.Munce rides another New Zealand raider Daffodil in this year's Cup."The main thing that goes through my mind is keeping the horse relaxed and you have to stay relaxed also and hold your position and that's probably about it," Munce said.Jezabeel's win is widely regarded as justice for both

The key to winning the Melbourne Cup is relaxation - for both horse and jockey.

That's what Chris Munce did in 1998 when he steered Cup favourite Jezabeel to a thrilling victory in the gruelling 3200-metre race.

Munce rides another New Zealand raider Daffodil in this year's Cup.

"The main thing that goes through my mind is keeping the horse relaxed and you have to stay relaxed also and hold your position and that's probably about it," Munce said.

Jezabeel's win is widely regarded as justice for both horse and jockey.

The mare was a good thing beaten one race earlier in the Caulfield Cup where she received a serious buffeting in the closing stages from UK horse Taufan's Melody who won the 2400-metre race.

Munce, whose mount finished sixth, lodged an unsuccessful protest against the winner.

Taufan's Melody's jockey Ray Cochrane was given a lengthy suspension and a hefty fine over the incident which caused Munce to severely check Jezabeel at a critical stage.

Munce was supremely confident going into the Melbourne Cup but still had to contend with an awkward barrier, 16, in the field of 24.

"Cantering to the barriers she just felt great under me, she was very relaxed and her action was good," Munce said.

"She was enjoying herself as well. I could tell going to the barriers that she was in for one hell of a race."

The jockey said it was impossible not to get caught up in the moment when first confronted by the crowd.

"There was a huge rush of adrenaline in front of huge crowd of over 100,000," Munce said.

"I was pretty calm about it and was more excited than anything. I was really looking forward to the race and just going out and giving my mare the best ride that I possibly could.

Jezabeel jumped well and Munce let her roll forward.

"She was blessed with good speed from the barriers," Munce said.

"It helped her cross the majority of the field early and I was actually leading as we went past the winning post."

The crowd was going crazy as Jezabeel went past the post for the first time but Munce was focused on the job at hand.

"I didn't hear the crowd. I was more interested and more concentrating on what was going on around me with other riders and the race itself and how it was panning out," Munce said.

"I was concentrating on getting around that sharp corner around that winning post and being able to hold my spot.

"I'd let six or seven horses go in front of me and was probably three or four pairs back one off the fence which was exactly where I wanted to be.

"She dropped the bit and had relaxed before the winning post and I was really getting her into a rhythm and letting her breathe and waiting for the right time to let her into the race."

A couple of European raiders made their moves early around the 1200 metres and Munce had some thinking to do.

"They'd been out four and five wide and they put a bit of speed and pressure into the race," Munce said.

"I was lucky enough to follow one of the Europeans and got a lovely cart into the race.

"By the time I turned for home I hadn't clicked her into fourth gear.

"I was thinking `you can't go yet, you can't go yet'."

New Zealand mare Champagne, who had also been hampered in the Caulfield Cup, loomed to the outside of Jezabeel in the run home before hitting the lead near the 150 metres.

"From the 300 to the 100 was probably the most stressful time in my life," Munce said.

"I was sort of not content on running second but I had resigned myself to running second or third in the race but to my mare's credit she just kept going.

"She was a genuine two miler and stayed the trip."

Munce said the win didn't sink in straight away.

"It probably did around two o'clock the next morning and into the next day," Munce said.

"I was over the moon to say I'd won a Melbourne Cup. There's a lot of pressure before the race and a lot of relief after if you win it.