Knights Choice came home to win the 2024 Melbourne Cup with jockey Robbie Dolan as surprised as anyone as he processed the shock win in the race that stops a nation.
Billy Slater was the first to interview Dolan on his $101/1 horse after he came home down the straight to clinch his first Melbourne Cup win on Knight Choice.
“I am with winning Cup jockey Robbie Dolan. How does that sound?” Slater said on Channel 9.
“Pinch me, I’m dreaming,” Dolan replied.
“This is your first winner in the Melbourne Cup Carnival and it happens to be the biggest race in our calendar,” Slater continued.
“It is incredible,” Dolan said.
“I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say.”
“What about the run? You just put this horse to sleep, and you had the final crack at it. It was a genuine run through 3,200,” Slater said.
“I watched every Melbourne Cup far the last 40 years,” Dolan said.
“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.”
“Robbie, you are keeping it together pretty well for your first Melbourne Cup,” Salter said.
“You came from Ireland eight years ago. You made the journey over here. Must be a dream.
“I can’t put it into words,” Dolan said.
“It is the biggest race in the world. I have my family here and my partner Christine, our little baby Maisy, and my dad flew over from Ireland and now you have me in tears.”
“You have gone from the jockey with the voice to the Melbourne Cup winning jockey. Go and enjoy it,” Slater concluded.
“Let’s go, woo!” Dolan concluded.
Later Dolan reflected more on his run with the Channel 9 panel.
“Mate, I feel like I’m going to wake up any minute,” Dolan said.
“Can you pinch me, mate? Jesus Christ.
“I’ve never ridden in this race before so 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 before I got here.
“He went kick. I know he has a good turn of foot. What a training performance.
“Look, you can’t do it without Sheila and John. Like, they were so confident in this horse even before he got to this race.
“A lot of people doubted them. And to be honest, I didn’t. I really liked his run at Bendigo and he hit the line well and was unlucky not to be placed.
“I don’t even know what to say. I can’t believe it. My dad is here. It’s mental.
“He (dad) flew in. I woke up Sunday morning coming out to the kitchen and he was standing in the kitchen and he was standing in the kitchen and I couldn’t believe it.
“Win, lose or draw, it was a great day for me. To win it with him here and my little daughter Maisy and my partner Christine, I’m going to cry again. Jesus Christ.
“There wasn’t enough room to cut out so I cut the corner. Kerrin McEvoy was giving me the call along the inside. I went for the run he went for. He was going better than me.
“Once my horse spotted the gap, he changed lanes and he started to pick up under me. Once I pulled the stake through, he picked up a gear. He is only a little horse but he gives his all every starting. That’s half the battle, I think. He has proved a lot of people wrong.”
The last word was saved for Dolan’s proud father.
“So proud,” Dolan Snr said.
“Some kid. What about the horse but, huh? Good horse.
“I’ve bred the Melbourne Cup winner.”
After Dolan lifted the cup on stage, Channel’s Eddie McGuire reminded him that earlier in the day he said if he wins he’ll give up racing.
But Dolan won’t be going anywhere — he has his eyes on another victory instead.
“I won’t be giving up. That feeling was too good,” he said.
“We will have to try to get another one next year, what do you reckon?
“I will be singing tonight with a few beers. It is amazing and a lot of people doubted this little horse.”
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