From Reality TV to Melbourne Cup Glory: Winners and Losers of the 2024 Race

The 2024 Melbourne Cup delivered a thrilling spectacle with local outsider Knight’s Choice emerging victorious in a stunning upset. Starting at 100/1 odds, the Queensland-trained gelding made a powerful final dash to secure victory over Japanese competitor Warp Speed and fellow contender Okita Soushi in a photo finish.

Among the stars and stumbles at Flemington, here’s a look at the day’s big winners and losers.

Winners

Sheila Laxon
Sheila Laxon’s return to Melbourne Cup success was nothing short of remarkable. 23 years after winning with Ethereal, Laxon—partnering with co-trainer and partner John Symons—defied the odds once again with Knight’s Choice. Based in Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, the duo works with a small stable of 27 horses, a stark contrast to powerhouse stables in Melbourne and Sydney.

Laxon’s success is historic. She was the first female trainer to win the Melbourne Cup back in 2001, and now she stands as the first to claim victory twice. Reflecting on the win, Laxon said, “The Australian horse has done it, and Robbie is Australian now as well, so I’m thrilled to win the Cup. It is the People’s Cup, and that’s what it is all about.”

Robbie Dolan
From singing on reality TV to winning Australia’s most prestigious horse race, Robbie Dolan’s journey is a storybook come to life. An Irish native who rose to fame on The Voice, Dolan made headlines again by steering Knight’s Choice to victory in his first-ever Melbourne Cup ride.

Three years ago, Dolan was a quarter-finalist on The Voice and even performed “Horses” at Moonee Valley. Yet his racing career had been on a slow track until he relocated to Queensland 14 months ago. After initially facing setbacks, Dolan’s perseverance paid off as he delivered a perfectly timed ride on Knight’s Choice, cutting through the field with confidence. His joy was unmistakable post-race: “Mate, I feel like I’m going to wake up any minute. Can you pinch me?” Dolan said.

Fellow jockey James McDonald praised Dolan’s performance, calling it “one of the best rides I’ve seen in a Melbourne Cup.”

Warp Speed
Japanese runner Warp Speed delivered an outstanding race, finishing just a nose behind Knight’s Choice. After a disappointing Caulfield Cup performance on a wet track, the firmer conditions at Flemington were far more favourable, allowing the horse to unleash its potential over the extended 3200 meters.

Jockey Akira Sugawara revealed that Warp Speed’s run required an adaptive strategy. “The plan was to go a bit more forward, but he couldn’t. We watched many Melbourne Cups of the past, and we could come from the back. It was a really good run,” Sugawara said.

While no Japanese horse has won the Melbourne Cup since Delta Blues in 2006, Warp Speed’s impressive run suggests that streak could end soon if the horse returns next year.

Losers

Joao Moreira
Jockey Joao Moreira faced challenges with race favourite Buckaroo, which started from a difficult wide barrier (20). Despite the horse’s strong pre-race form, Moreira’s strategy to hold back saw Buckaroo sitting nearly 25 lengths behind the lead halfway through the race. With 800 meters remaining, Moreira made his move, but the wide run meant Buckaroo had to cover much more ground than its rivals.

Despite a powerful surge between the 400-200 meter mark, Buckaroo ultimately lost momentum. While Moreira may have been following the trainer’s instructions, some believe the horse might have been a stronger finisher if it had settled closer to the lead earlier in the race.