Rank outsider Knight’s Choice won the 164th running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, storming down the final straight to edge Warp Speed in a photo finish.
Okita Soushi came third.
Ridden by Robbie Dolan and hauling 51.5kg in the taxing two-mile handicap, Knight’s Choice’s triumph gave co-trainer Sheila Laxon her second Melbourne Cup win, 23 years on from preparing Ethereal for the 2001 trophy.
“Pinch me, I’m dreaming,” an emotional Dolan said after the 80/1 chance’s brilliant run on a glorious afternoon. I thought my best chance was to get him to stay the trip and, hopefully, he can run home and do the quick sectionals he can on a good track and he proved everybody wrong.”
The field was reduced to 23 horses after the John O’Shea and Tom Charlton-trained Athabascan was scratched by stewards on Monday due to a heart problem.
