Fairytale finish as Knight’s Choice wins the Lexus Melbourne Cup

The first woman to train a winner of the Lexus Melbourne Cup in 2001, Sheila Laxon, returned to the race for the first time since her historic victory with Ethereal. Now in a training partnership with husband John Symons, she maintained her perfect Lexus Melbourne Cup record as Knight’s Choice - ridden by first-time Cup jockey Robbie Dolan - edged out Japanese challenger Warp Speed.

Okita Soushi finished third, less than a length from the winner, with Jamie Kah becoming the first female jockey to place in the Lexus Melbourne Cup twice.

Knight’s Choice’s win was the highlight on a spectacular day of racing that proved a showcase of the next generation of trainers to a wider audience.

 One of Australian racing’s great dynasties, the Hayes family, won the G3 Darley Maribyrnong Plate for the 10th time with Tycoon Star. Young trainers Michael Hickmott, Liam Howley and Dominic Sutton all recorded their first Melbourne Cup Carnival victories.

Hickmott, from Murray Bridge in South Australia, prepared Fancify to win the G3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m); Howley’s Opening Address took out the Listed TAB Trophy (1800m) for three-year-olds, a race that has proven a stepping stone to Group 1 glory in the past; and Sutton, who only had his first runner in March, won the Australian Heritage Cup (2800m) with outsider Garachico.

At the conclusion of today’s racing, the Ron Hutchinson Award - presented to the leading jockey over the four days of the Melbourne Cup Carnival - is led by James McDonald, who has opened up a big lead on his rivals with two winners on Lexus Melbourne Cup Day to go with a treble on Penfolds Victoria Derby Day. He has amassed 22 points through two days, ahead of Jamie Kah on 13 and Blake Shinn on 10.

In the race for the trainer’s equivalent, the J B Cummings Award, it is a tight battle at the top between the last three winners of the Lexus Melbourne Cup. Ciaron Maher ended day two in front on 12.5 points from Anthony and Sam Freedman on 11 and Chris Waller on 10.

Remarkably, from 19 races so far at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, there have been 14 different winning stables.

In the race for the trainer’s equivalent, the J B Cummings Award, it is a tight battle at the top between the last three winners of the Lexus Melbourne Cup. Ciaron Maher ended day two in front on 12.5 points from Anthony and Sam Freedman on 11 and Chris Waller on 10.

Remarkably, from 19 races so far at this year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival, there have been 14 different winning stables.

As always the world-famous Birdcage Enclosure played host to a who’s who of entertainment, sport, business and media including Victoria Racing Club (VRC) special guest Elizabeth Hurley and her son Damian Hurley, Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Rebecca Vallance-Gasan attended as guests of Lexus, AFL player Josh Daicos, model Annalise Dalins and influencers Mia Fevola and Sam Guggenheimer for Penfolds, ultra-marathon athlete Nedd Brockmann, AFL player Rory Lobb and partner Lexi Mary for G.H Mumm, Irish singer-songwriter Sir Bob Geldof and UFC featherweight Alex Volkanovski for Crown, American NFL superstar Marshawn Lynch  and NBA legend Clyde Drexler for TAB, and Today Show co-host Sarah Abo and Nine Entertainment’s presenter Richard Wilkins for Nine. Melbourne Cup Carnival ambassador Michelle Payne OAM also celebrated the day on course, nine years after her historic win as the first female jockey to win Australia’s greatest race.

Ahead of the race that stops a nation^R, Clerks of the Course Peter and Shane Patterson carried the $750,000 trophy along Patterson Avenue in honour their father, the late John “Patto” Patterson OAM, before passing the iconic trophy to multiple Olympic gold medalist and Melbourne Cup Carnival Ambassador Ariarne Titmus OAM and dual Paralympic gold medallist Alexa Leary. Three-time Olympic medallist, equestrian Shane Rose, and Olympic equestrian Shenae Lowings, who both represented Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games accompanied the Cup as it was presented to VRC Chairman Neil Wilson before the Australian National Anthem was sung by Greta Bradman, the eldest grandchild of another Australian sporting hero, Sir Donald Bradman.

The celebrations continued for the 62^nd anniversary of Fashions on the Field with The Park coming to life with the most incredible display of flamboyant fashion and colour.  Once again, the strong calibre of entrants made for hotly contested finals with the Best Dressed winners Holly Keenan, Sally Martin and Bernadette May along with the Best Suited winners Peta Bell, Kalombo Ntumba and Callum Rowe heading straight into the grand final on Crown Oaks Day.

The final of the creative and design-led Lillian Frank AM MBE Millinery Award was judged by a panel of fashion experts including Melbourne Fashion Festival CEO Caroline Ralphsmith, Vogue Australia Editor-in-Chief Jessica Montague and daughter of the late Lillian Frank, Jackie Frank.  The award named to honor the late Melbourne icon, philanthropist and friend of Flemington, Lillian Frank AM MBE was won by Sydney based milliner and first-time winner Kathryn Lee.  Kathryn’s creation, titled the “It Girl” embodies the spirit of the 1960s and was inspired by icons including a Flemington fashion icon, Jean Shrimpton.  Each curve and color of the hat tells a tale of glamour and rebellion, echoing the sentiments of a generation that dared to be different.

Harden-Murrumburrah, twin towns in the Hilltops region of New South Wales, are celebrating after winning the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep, with $50,000 going to the Murrumburrah Harden Show Society. The national sweep was introduced by the VRC in 2019 as part of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour and sees 24 rural and regional Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour destinations across Australia allocated a starting gate for the race that stops a nation®, the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

Victoria Racing Club Chief Executive Officer Kylie Rogers said the cup delivered another fairytale story.

“The running of the 164^th Lexus Melbourne Cup once again demonstrated why it is the race that stops the nation,” Ms Rogers said.

“91,168 fans who flocked to Flemington, and the millions more watching right across Australia and around the world, witnessed a thrilling finish as Robbie Dolan steered Knight’s Choice home first to deliver Sheila Laxon her second Lexus Melbourne Cup.

“This is the People’s Cup, and Knight’s Choice’s victory means the town of Harden-Murrumburrah in New South Wales share in the celebrations as the lucky winners of $50,000 courtesy of the Lexus Melbourne Cup Tour National Sweep.

“Melbourne once again turned on magical weather for the great race, and today’s big crowd built on the fantastic attendance we had for Penfolds Victoria Derby Day.”

More than $120,000 was raised for the Pin & Win charity partner, Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria and Tasmania.

Tickets for Crown Oaks Day and TAB Champions Stakes Day are still available for members and the general public via Ticketmaster. For more information visit www.vrc.com.au​.