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• Irish jockey Robbie Dolan, also known for his singing, won the Melbourne Cup riding the 80/1 outsider Knight's Choice.
• Dolan, who participated in Australia's "The Voice", balanced his singing aspirations with his horse racing career.
• The victory was a career-defining moment for Dolan and a historic moment for the horse's co-trainer, Sheila Laxon.
• Dolan's victory was celebrated by both the racing community and his fans from his singing career.

In a thrilling turn of events, Irish jockey Robbie Dolan, known for his singing prowess, rode the 80/1 outsider Knight's Choice to victory in the A$8 million ($5.28 million) Melbourne Cup on Tuesday. The race, held at Flemington Racecourse, was Dolan's first ride in the race that stops the nation, and he did not disappoint. Dolan, who moved to Australia eight years ago in search of new opportunities, has long balanced his singing aspirations with his career on the turf.

From Singing to Racing

Dolan made it through several rounds of Australia's version of the hit singing show The Voice in 2022, even performing Horses by local performer Daryl Braithwaite as part of the entertainment at the Cox Plate, a prestigious race in Melbourne. Despite his success in the music industry, Dolan never lost his passion for horse racing. I could have easily given up riding to do the music, but I just loved it too much, Dolan said. He spoke of the grueling hours and hard work that come with being a jockey, but also of the camaraderie and the thrill of winning. Once I started doing a little bit of music, it was a nice change. I'd just been grafting for 10 years before that, he added.

A Historic Victory

The Melbourne Cup race was a nail-biter, with Knight's Choice trailing behind the front-runners in the final straight. However, the horse accelerated hard at the 200m mark, snatched the lead with 50 metres left, and held off Japanese stayer Warp Speed by a nose. The victory was a career-defining moment for Dolan, who had his moments in racing without a significant breakthrough since moving to Australia. The victory was not just a personal triumph for Dolan, but also a historic moment for the horse's co-trainer, Sheila Laxon. Knight's Choice's win delivered Laxon her second Melbourne Cup trophy, 23 years after she became the first woman to prepare a Cup winner in the 2001 race with Ethereal. Knight's Choice was the longest-odds winner of the Cup since 100-1 shot Prince of Penzance made Michelle Payne the first female jockey to win the race in 2015.

A Celebration of Hard Work and Dedication

The Melbourne Cup, a cultural institution in Australia since 1861, is considered so important that it is a public holiday in its host state of Victoria. The race was held in front of a bumper crowd of 91,000, with many prioritizing drinking and socializing over the racing itself. The sound of popping champagne corks accompanied the thundering of hooves, creating a festive atmosphere. Dolan's victory was celebrated not just by the racing community, but also by his fans from his singing career. One fan commented, From a Singer to a Winner of the most important Race of a Continent. Another fan suggested that Dolan could perform the anthem and ride in the next year's race.