Knight’s Choice captured victory in the Lexus Melbourne Cup at Flemington, outlasting Japanese contender Warp Speed in a nail-biting finish, while the European challengers failed to make a significant impact. Britain and Ireland sent strong contenders, including Sea King, Onesmoothoperator, and Willie Mullins' highly anticipated pair Vauban and Absurde, but none managed to reach the podium.
Irish jockey Robbie Dolan, who recently gained fame on Australian television, guided Knight’s Choice to victory for trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon. This win marked a memorable second Melbourne Cup for Laxon, who first claimed the title with Ethereal in 2001, making her the first woman to train a Melbourne Cup winner.
Dolan, celebrating his first Melbourne Cup ride, expressed his disbelief: “I can’t believe it! I’ve visualised this race so many times, and it played out exactly as I’d hoped,” he told Channel Nine. Dolan’s father, Bobby, surprised him by flying in from Ireland for the race, adding to the emotional triumph. “To win with my family here is a dream,” he added.
Knight’s Choice went off as a longshot, while Warp Speed, a distant finisher in the Caulfield Cup, exceeded expectations to finish just a short head behind trainer Noboru Takagi. Third place went to Okita Soushi, formerly trained by Joseph O’Brien and now in Jamie Kah’s capable hands. Kah said, “He ran a fantastic race; I thought he’d hang on in the last 200 meters.”
For Symons and Laxon, this win was the pinnacle. “This is the pinnacle of all pinnacles—we’ve just won the Melbourne Cup,” said Symons jubilantly.