Knight’s choice as outsider stuns the Melbourne Cup during the photo finish in a packed house in Flemington
- A packed house of more than 90,000 people crowded into Flemington for the cup
- A tight field of 23 horses entered the thrilling 3200 meter circuit
- Outside shocked the field with an exciting victory
Rank outsider Knight’s Choice has won the 2024 Melbourne Cup in a photo finish, beating Japanese raider Warp Speed by half a head in a thrilling finish.
Irish-born, Queensland-based jockey Robbie Dolan – previously best known as the singer of Australian reality show The Voice – sent the 66-1 shot to victory, beating Warp Speed as they went to the line together.
Okita Soushi and Zardozi both led into the final furlong, but finished third and fourth respectively.
“After that, I will continue to sing for the rest of my life,” Dolan said.
‘It’s unbelievable. I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say.’
Jockey Robbie Dolan greets the crowd after winning the 2024 Melbourne Cup with Knight’s Choice, ahead of Warp Speed and Okita Soushi
‘I’ve seen every Melbourne Cup in the last 40 years. I thought my best bet was to let him stay for the trip and hopefully he can run home and do the fast sections that he can on a good track and he proved everyone wrong,” Dolan continued.
‘I can’t put it into words. It is the biggest race in the world. I have my family here and my partner Christine, our little baby Maisy, and my dad flew over from Ireland and now you have me in tears.”
Knight’s Choice became the longest odds to win the Melbourne Cup since Michelle Payne dispatched Prince of Penzance to victory at 100-1 in 2015.
Pre-race favorites Vauban and Buckaroo settled at the back of the field and made their runs down the straight, but weakened late.
Knight’s Choice defeats Warp Speed in a photo finish to win the 2024 Melbourne Cup
While the capacity crowd at Flemington was stunned by the result, trainer John Symons said it was no shock to him.
“We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think we could do that,” he said.
‘What a great ride from Robbie. I took the risk, went through the pack. I was worried. He came back further than we talked about, but a great ride. What a sensation. What a sensation.
“Look, you know, you work with these horses 24/7, and you know where you got them from, and you’d be disappointed if he didn’t run a good race.
“You know, what position: top five in a race like this, you have to walk away happy. To win that is a dream come true.”
Warp Speed and Okita Soushi battled for the win as they were stunned by Dolan and his ride on Knight’s Choice
The stunned spectators at Flemington Racecourse couldn’t believe what they were seeing as the long shot of 64-1 claimed victory
Co-trainer Sheila Laxon – who also trained Ethereal to Melbourne Cup glory in 2001 – said Dolan was now an honorary Aussie.
‘I love playing for the Australians. The Australian horse did it, and Robbie is now Australian too, so I’m really happy to win the Cup, and it’s the People’s Cup and that’s what it’s all about,” she said.
