The unexpected victory of Knight’s Choice in the Melbourne Cup has left the racing world in shock. The underdog, ridden by Australian jockey Robbie Dolan, managed to outpace the rest of the field in a thrilling photo finish, leaving Warp Speed in second place and Okita Soushi in third. The race took place under clear skies to the north-west of Melbourne, with favorable track conditions contributing to the excitement.
Just Fine initially led the pack, followed by Circle of Fire and Land Legend, but it was Knight’s Choice that made a decisive move with 500 meters to go, securing a memorable win. The five-year-old gelding, starting from barrier six, significantly increased his career earnings from $632,400 to $4.4 million by winning the $8.5 million race.
“Pinch me, I’m dreaming,” Dolan said after the race. “It is incredible. I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say. I watched every Melbourne Cup for the last 40 years. 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.” Despite pre-race favorites like Buckaroo, Onesmoothoperator, and Vauban failing to meet expectations, all 23 runners completed the race.
Source link: https://www.theguardian.com
