Outsider Knights Choice wins Melbourne Cup in thrilling finish

MELBOURNE, NOV 5 (AFP/APP/DNA):Rank outsider Knights Choice upset favourite Buckaroo on Tuesday to win the Aus$8 million (US$5.25 million) Melbourne Cup, earning Irish jockey Robbie Dolan a debut victory in Australia’s “race that stops a nation”.

The five-year-old Australian-bred gelding came home by a nose in a photo finish ahead of Japanese raider Warp Speed and Okita Soushi in the energy-sapping 3,200-metre (two-mile) handicap at Flemington.

“Pinch me, I’m dreaming,” said Dolan, who was riding in the famous race for the first time. “It is incredible. I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say.

“I didn’t know what to expect, but I feel like I’ve ridden it 10 times because I have ridden it in my head 100 times.

“I can’t put it into words. It is the biggest race in the world.”

Buckaroo, priced as the $7.00 favourite, finished ninth while the fancied Vauban could only manage 11th on a warm and sunny day, with the track firm.

A cultural institution in Australia, the Melbourne Cup has been run since 1861 and is considered so important it is a public holiday in its host state of Victoria.

Held in front of a bumper crowd, drinking and socialising took priority over racing for many, with the sound of popping champagne corks accompanying the thundering of hooves.

Breaking from barrier six, the John Symons and Sheila Laxon-trained Knights Choice, priced at $81.00, settled in the middle of the 23-strong pack behind early leader Just Fine.

With 1,000m to go, Just Fine was still ahead but was slowly reeled in down the home straight with Knights Choice, Warp Speed and Okita Soushi all surging for the line.

It was a second victory for Laxon, who became the first woman to train a Melbourne Cup winner in 2001 with Ethereal.

She said Symons had always been confident despite Knight’s Choice’s outsider status, and lavished praise on Dolan.

“He did, he did,” she said. “We didn’t give him instructions, he knew what to do.

“I’m thrilled to win the Cup, and it is the people’s Cup, and that’s what it is all about.”

A record four women jockeys took part with Jamie Kah faring best, with her third on Okita Soushi.

Michelle Payne is the only woman rider to win the Melbourne Cup after she steered Prince of Penzance to victory in 2015.

There was one withdrawal by stewards before the race started with French import Athabascan found to have an irregular heartbeat, reducing the field to 23.