The 164th champion of the ‘Race That Stops a Nation’ has been crowned with the Group 1 $8.56 million Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington won in a stunning photo finish upset by the Queensland raider Knight’s Choice who beat home the fast-finishing Japanese raider Warp Speed in a thriller.
A patient ride by jockey Robbie Dolan saw the John Symons & Shelia Laxon-trained Extreme Choice five-year-old, Knight’s Choice, come charging home late up the middle from the back to salute in the Melbourne Cup 2024 results by a half-head at 90/1.
“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.”
It was Jamie Kah aboard the Ciaron Maher-trained Ladbrokes Moonee Valley Gold Cup winner Okita Soushi who looked the winner with a furlong to go in the world’s richest handicap.
Okita Soushi off an on-speed run and the Godolphin-raced Oaks winning mare Zardozi were fighting it out on the straight before two backmakers flashed out of nowhere to steal the show in a magnificent finish to the country’s most famous race.
Knight’s Choice was settled right back throughout as Just Fine, who eventually faded to run last, led this year’s Melbourne Cup field around.
For co-trainer Shelia Laxon it was her second Melbourne Cup success following the iconic 2001 victory by star New Zealand mare Ethereal that saw Laxon become the first female Melbourne Cup winning trainer.
“We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t think we could (have won),” the Sunshine Coast-based trainer told the media post-race.
“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!”
The shock Melbourne Cup winner posted his first win since December last year and relished the drop back to 51.5kg to salute from barrier five off his lead-up fifth to Sea King in the Group 3 Bendigo Cup.
“I thought he was a good thing beat at Bendigo the other day when he ran fifth and everyone was tipping the winner and I thought, well, if he’s the winner, we can beat him,” co-trainer Symons said.
“So, it’s all history now. We’ve won the Melbourne Cup!”
For Warp Speed it was a redeeming performance after his 13th in the Caulfield Cup results when debuting down under.
The best of the European raiders was the Willie Mullins-trained Absurde in fifth, two better than his seventh to Without A Fight in 2023.
Race favourite, the Chris Waller-trained Buckaroo, was unplaced running 3.52 lengths back in ninth position.
His stablemates Land Legend and Kovalica finished either side of him in eighth and tenth place respectively.
Melbourne Cup 2024 Odds & Results
| Runner Details | Win | Place |
|---|---|---|
|
1st
11. Knight's Choice (5)
J: Robbie Dolan 51.5kg
T: J G Symons & S Laxon |
||
|
2nd
4. Warp Speed (2)
J: Akira Sugawara 54.5kg
T: N Takagi |
||
|
3rd
12. Okita Soushi (9)
J: Jamie Kah 51kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
||
|
4th
14. Zardozi (3)
J: Andrea Atzeni 51kg
T: James Cummings |
||
|
5th
9. Absurde (6)
J: Kerrin McEvoy 52.5kg
T: Willie Mullins |
||
|
6th
3. Circle Of Fire (23)
J: Mark Zahra 54.5kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
||
|
7th
17. Fancy Man (18)
J: Ron Stewart 50kg
T: Annabel Neasham & Rob Archibald |
||
|
8th
8. Land Legend (17)
J: Zac Purton 53kg
T: Chris Waller |
||
|
9th
2. Buckaroo (20)
J: Joao Moreira 54.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
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|
10th
5. Kovalica (16)
J: Damian Lane 53.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
||
|
11th
1. Vauban (10)
J: William Buick 55.5kg
T: Willie Mullins |
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|
12th
13. Onesmoothoperator (11)
J: Craig Williams 51kg
T: Brian Ellison |
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|
13th
16. Valiant King (21)
J: Craig Newitt 50.5kg
T: Chris Waller |
||
|
14th
15. Sea King (1)
J: Hollie Doyle 50.5kg
T: Harry Eustace |
||
|
15th
18. Interpretation (13)
J: Teodore Nugent 50kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
||
|
16th
6. Sharp 'N' Smart (14)
J: Michael Dee 53.5kg
T: Graeme & Debbie Rogerson |
||
|
17th
24. Trust In You (4)
J: Mark Du Plessis 50kg
T: Bruce Wallace & Grant Cooksley |
||
|
18th
20. Mostly Cloudy (15)
J: Karis Teetan 50kg
T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young |
||
|
19th
19. Manzoice (7)
J: Declan Bates 50kg
T: Chris Waller |
||
|
20th
21. Positivity (19)
J: Winona Costin 50kg
T: Andrew Forsman |
||
|
21st
23. The Map (22)
J: Rachel King 50kg
T: Dan Clarken & Oopy MacGillivray |
||
|
22nd
22. Saint George (8)
J: Tyler Schiller 50kg
T: Ciaron Maher |
||
|
23rd
7. Just Fine (12)
J: Jye McNeil 53kg
T: G Waterhouse & A Bott |
Data retrieved: 05/11/2024 03:06:27 PM (Australia/Brisbane)
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Race comments
The Melbourne Cup. Plenty of betting angles as usual, with one being whether BUCKAROO (2) will run 3200m strongly. Gelded this campaign, he's been outstanding in defeat at his past two starts, nosed out by Via Sistina in the G1 Turnbull Stakes before charging into second in the G1 Caulfield Cup. That looked a perfect Cup trial, the gamble is whether that translates to two miles. VAUBAN (1) returns to Flemington having started favourite in this race last year and failing. He's coming off a tough second to a superstar in Kyprios and if he handles the occasion, he'll just about win. INTERPRETATION (18) has a sense of timing. He's flown home at his past two and was excellent from a long way back here last year. KOVALICA (5) is very interesting out to a trip, which we haven't seen since his G1 Queensland Derby win. He's got the ability. ONESMOOTHOPERATOR (13) and SEA KING (15) were both excellent at their local debuts and come here with genuine chances.