The 2024 Melbourne Cup produced a fairytale finish as Queensland raider Knight’s Choice stormed home to claim victory in a thrilling photo finish.
Robbie Dolan winning the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup on roughie hope Knight’s Choice. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
Ridden by a jubilant Robbie Dolan, the 90/1 outsider defied the odds to pip Japanese challenger Warp Speed at the post. This marks Dolan’s first-ever Melbourne Cup ride and a truly historic moment for the jockey.
“I can’t believe it,” an emotional Dolan told Racing.com after scoring one of the biggest Melbourne Cup upsets in history in his first ever ride in the event.
“This is the biggest race in the world and to win it (is amazing).
“He (Knight’s Choice) just proved everybody wrong.”
Co-trainer Sheila Laxon etched her name in Melbourne Cup history once again. Knight’s Choice delivered her a second Cup victory, 23 years after her 2001 triumph with the great Kiwi mare Ethereal. This win makes Laxon the first female trainer to win the Cup twice.
After a patient ride from Dolan, Extreme Choice five-year-old Knight’s Choice launched a powerful late surge down the centre of the famous Flemington track.
“We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think we could (have won),” Laxon said.
“What a ride by Robbie. What a thrill, what a thrill.
“What an amazing ride by Robbie. We didn’t give him instructions. He just knew what to do.
“The Australian horse has done it. I’m thrilled to win the Cup. It’s the people’s Cup and it’s what it’s all about!”
For a moment, it appeared Jamie Kah on the Ciaron Maher-trained Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Okita Soushi might claim victory, but the Aussie horse had other plans.
Even the James Cummings-trained mare Zardozi in the Godolphin Royal Blue threatened on the inside late with Okita Soushi, before the two backmarkers stole the show.
The win is a massive moment for Queensland racing. Knight’s Choice, trained by the Sunshine Coast-based duo of Laxon and John Symons, silenced the doubters and delivered a dream result for their connections.
The pre-race favourite, Buckaroo, trained by Chris Waller, could not deliver the goods and finished a disappointing ninth. His stablemates Land Legend and Kovalica also failed to find the podium.
Warp Speed’s strong showing offered some redemption after his disappointing Caulfield Cup run. Willie Mullins‘ Absurde was the best of the European raiders, finishing fifth, two better than his seventh in last year’s race.
The 2024 Melbourne Cup will be remembered for Knight’s Choice’s incredible upset victory, a testament to the unpredictable and thrilling nature of this iconic race!
2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup Results
| Finish | No. | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Margin | Bar. | Weight | Penalty | Starting Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | KNIGHT’S CHOICE | John Symons & Sheila Laxon | Robbie Dolan | 5 | 51.5kg | $91 | |||
| 2 | 4 | WARP SPEED (JPN) | Noboru Takagi | Akira Sugawara | 0.1L | 2 | 54.5kg | $26 | ||
| 3 | 12 | OKITA SOUSHI (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Ms Jamie Kah | 0.85L | 9 | 51kg | 1.0kg | $19 | |
| 4 | 14 | ZARDOZI | James Cummings | Andrea Atzeni | 1.31L | 3 | 51kg | $14 | ||
| 5 | 9 | ABSURDE (FR) | Willie Mullins | Kerrin McEvoy | 1.71L | 6 | 52.5kg | $10 | ||
| 6 | 3 | CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Mark Zahra | 2.71L | 23 | 54.5kg | $21 | ||
| 7 | 17 | FANCY MAN (IRE) | Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald | Ron Stewart | 2.86L | 18 | 50kg | $81 | ||
| 8 | 8 | LAND LEGEND (FR) | Chris Waller | Zac Purton | 3.32L | 17 | 53kg | 1.0kg | $15 | |
| 9 | 2 | BUCKAROO (GB) | Chris Waller | Joao Moreira | 3.52L | 20 | 54.5kg | $6F | ||
| 10 | 5 | KOVALICA (NZ) | Chris Waller | Damian Lane | 4.27L | 16 | 53.5kg | $26 | ||
| 11 | 1 | VAUBAN (FR) | Willie Mullins | William Buick | 5.02L | 10 | 55.5kg | $8 | ||
| 12 | 13 | ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (USA) | Brian Ellison | Craig Williams | 5.42L | 11 | 51kg | 1.0kg | $7 | |
| 13 | 16 | VALIANT KING (GB) | Chris Waller | Craig Newitt | 5.52L | 21 | 50.5kg (cd 51kg) | $91 | ||
| 14 | 15 | SEA KING (GB) | Harry Eustace | Ms Hollie Doyle | 6.02L | 1 | 50.5kg | 0.5kg | $12 | |
| 15 | 18 | INTERPRETATION (IRE) | Ciaron Maher | Teo Nugent | 7.77L | 13 | 50kg | $21 | ||
| 16 | 6 | SHARP ’N’ SMART (NZ) | Graeme & Deborah Rogerson | Michael Dee | 9.52L | 14 | 53.5kg | $51 | ||
| 17 | 24 | TRUST IN YOU (NZ) | Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley | Mark Du Plessis | 9.98L | 4 | 50kg | $71 | ||
| 18 | 20 | MOSTLY CLOUDY (IRE) | Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | Karis Teetan | 10.98L | 15 | 50kg | $91 | ||
| 19 | 19 | MANZOICE | Chris Waller | Declan Bates | 13.23L | 7 | 50kg (cd 51kg) | $101 | ||
| 20 | 21 | POSITIVITY (NZ) | Andrew Forsman | Ms Winona Costin | 13.63L | 19 | 50kg | $101 | ||
| 21 | 23 | THE MAP | Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray | Ms Rachel King | 14.09L | 22 | 50kg | $71 | ||
| 22 | 22 | SAINT GEORGE (GB) | Ciaron Maher | Tyler Schiller | 15.34L | 8 | 50kg | $26 | ||
| 23 | 7 | JUST FINE (IRE) | Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | Jye McNeil | 25.34L | 12 | 53kg | 0.5kg | $31 | |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
This page and the written content within it were partially generated using AI or automated technology and edited and verified by our editorial team.
THINK. IS THIS A BET YOU REALLY WANT TO PLACE?
For free and confidential support call 1800 858 858 or visit gamblinghelponline.org.au.
