Crime Scene nearly stole the Melbourne Cup but his giant Godolphin stable had to settle for yet another second placing in Australia's biggest race.

The seven-year-old British gelding ran the race of his life to lead the international raid, falling three-quarters of a length shy of winner Shocking and 1-1/2 lengths clear of fellow import Mourilyan.

In 10 years of trying to win the Cup with a dozen horses, Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin operation have had three second placings and a third without taking the prize.

"One year we are going to win, I don't know when," trainer Saeed bin Suroor said.

On Godolphin's first trip to Flemington in five years, bin Suroor was delighted with the $41 shot and said he would like to bring him back next year.

"It was a great run by the horse ... he showed a good turn of foot and if he stays sound, we'll bring him back next year," he said.

Australian jockey Kerrin McEvoy thought Crime Scene had a chance of hauling in Shocking in the last 200m.

"The other horse (Shocking) headed me at the furlong (200m) but my horse really let go well," he said.

"He ran the trip right out and I thought for a minute we were going to fight back but the other horse obviously got the better of him. It was a good run, though, and gave us a big thrill."

Mourilyan flew home to come third with South African trainer Herman Brown also keen to come back to Melbourne next year, with up to five horses.

"Everything went to plan, the jockey rode a great race, he had every chance," he said.

"He just got held up a little bit into the straight and had to wait which cost him a bit, but overall very happy with his run."

Mourilyan's third placing will boost the coffers of his owner, Chechen dictator Ramzan Kadyrov, by $420,000.

Although the PR disaster of Kadyrov winning the $3.3 million first prize was averted, a windfall from Australia for a man accused of being the new Stalin is still not a comfortable look for the Victorian Racing Club.

"Let's forget about that, that's over and done with," said VRC chief executive Dale Monteith.

"We don't control the protocols of world racing, that horse has been allowed to race all around the world.

"The state and federal governments did nothing or direct us in any way, shape or form."

Luca Cumani must also be wondering whether he'll ever win the Cup after Basaltico completed a miserable Australian campaign for the UK trainer, finishing 18th.

Damien Oliver took Warringah out early and the five-year-old British gelding led all the way to the top of the straight but wilted to finish last, while Munsef came 12th.

The day started dramatically for the internationals, with the most fancied of the foreign runners, Changingoftheguard, scratched by vets who declared him lame on the morning of the race.