NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Sport / Racing

Melbourne Cup 2024: What each jockey had to say after Knight’s Choice shocks field

By Racing.com
NZ Herald·
5 Nov, 2024 06:11 AM5 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Robbie Dolan rides Knight's Choice beating Akira Sugawara riding Warp Speed to win the Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty Images

Robbie Dolan rides Knight's Choice beating Akira Sugawara riding Warp Speed to win the Melbourne Cup. Photo / Getty Images

1st: Robbie Dolan (Knight’s Choice): On winning the Melbourne Cup: “Well, pinch me. I think I’m dreaming.”

“It’s incredible. I just can’t believe it. I I don’t even know what to say.”

“I can’t even put it into words. This is the biggest race in the world, and to win it is just incredible. I’ve got my family here, my partner, Christine, our little baby, Maisie. My dad flew over from Ireland, and now you got me in tears.”

2nd: Akira Sugawara (Warp Speed): “The plan was to go a bit more forward, but obviously he couldn’t. Then we just changed to Plan B, which was what we always had in the mind. We watched many Melbourne Cups of the past, and we could come from the back. We got him into real rhythm, good rhythm and went through the field, and it was a really good run.”

3rd: Jamie Kah (Okita Soushi): “Fantastic run. Couldn’t have asked for anything more from the horse. Got me a bit excited at the 200 (metre mark). I thought he was going to hang on, but he’s just a genuine one-pace horse, but couldn’t ask for anything more of him.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

4: Andrea Atzeni (Zardozi): “She ran good. We got a good trip from that draw. She travelled strongly. She picked up nicely. She probably didn’t quite get the two miles.”

5: Kerrin McEvoy (Absurde): “He ran fantastic. He got in a nice rhythm. He relaxed well. I just sort of cut the corner and switched a couple of times up the running, but he was finishing really well the last bit.”

6: Mark Zahra (Circle Of Fire): “He ran well. Good, tough effort.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

7: Ron Stewart (Fancy Man): “Got a fantastic run from the awkward alley. Followed Jamie Kah (Okita Soushi) throughout. From the half-mile she got on her bike and that suited my horse, who ran a really good race.”

8: Zac Purton (Land Legend): “He was much more manageable than at Caulfield, but still wanting to go 10% too fast the whole way. Really good effort.”

9: Joao Moreira (Buckaroo): “Didn’t have the best of the runs because he was actually too wide. It was hard to get in. He had to travel a little bit wide. He still had cover, but the distance probably just stretched him too much, and the last little bit, he started getting tired. So, I’d say he couldn’t really run the distance.”

10: Damian Lane (Kovalica): “He ran well. Unfortunately, just didn’t quite have the turn-of-foot to go. Between the 600 and the 400. I had to wait. After that he hit the line well. Just lacked a turn-of-foot with that speed but he ran honest.”

Discover more

Racing

Outsider Knight’s Choice stuns, wins Melbourne Cup in thrilling finish

05 Nov 05:54 AM
Racing

'I'm thrilled': Kiwi trainer Sheila Laxon wins second Melbourne Cup

05 Nov 04:28 AM
Racing

Overseas raiders likely to steal away Melbourne Cup

04 Nov 04:00 PM
Racing

Walker vying for another Cup Day success at Flemington

04 Nov 08:00 PM

11: William Buick (Vauban): “I was a bit further back than ideal. He travelled well the first half of the race, and I had to hold my position. He came off the bridle far earlier than I expected from him.”

12: Craig Williams (Onesmoothoperator): “I was happy the way his prelim was, but once we placed him under pressure in the race today, he just wasn’t quite at his best. Interesting to see how he comes through the run.”

13: Craig Newitt (Valiant King): “I thought he ran really well, just got caught a little bit wide early. Got into a nice midfield position, travelled really well. I think if the track had a bit more give in it, he’d finish right in the money.”

14: Hollie Doyle (Sea King): “He’s run all right. He probably over-raced throughout, really. The distance probably tested his stamina.”

15: Teodore Nugent (Interpretation): “A lovely first half of the race. He travelled really well for me and settled midfield. First week of the race was ideal, just at the business end of things, from the 400 on, he lacked a turn of foot.”

16: Michael Dee (Sharp ‘N’ Smart): “Had a lovely run today, but just didn’t quicken when asked.”

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

17: Mark Du Plessis (Trust In You): “Got a lovely spot, and he relaxed really well. He was just probably a year away from really finishing off properly.”

18: Karis Teetan (Mostly Cloudy): “Had a perfect position from the start, but just the class, not clear.”

19: Declan Bates (Manzoice): “Just didn’t stay. Travelled into the race really well got tired late.”

20: Winona Costin (Positivity): “Probably just come up a year too soon. Next year in the race, she’s going to be a lot better. Just wanting to overdo it a few times. Overall, I was happy, but next year she’ll be a big improver.”

21: Rachel King (The Map): “Tough run from the gate but she was as game as ever.”

22: Tyler Schiller (Saint George): “He had the right run. He followed the winner (but) just didn’t see the trip out and probably couldn’t get comfortable either with a bit of a stop-start tempo.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

23: Jye McNeil (Just Fine): “He acquitted himself well today. Just struggled at the two miles.”

- racing.com

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Racing

Racing

NZ's top jockey shines at Royal Ascot with stunning win

18 Jun 06:28 PM
Racing

Ashlee Strawbridge rides Cheap Sav to victory for first career win

18 Jun 06:44 AM
Racing

Platinum Diamond leads strong contender trio in Ōtaki feature

18 Jun 06:37 AM

Jono and Ben brew up a tea-fuelled adventure in Sri Lanka

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Racing

NZ's top jockey shines at Royal Ascot with stunning win

NZ's top jockey shines at Royal Ascot with stunning win

18 Jun 06:28 PM

James McDonald secured a late ride on Crimson Advocate at Royal Ascot.

Ashlee Strawbridge rides Cheap Sav to victory for first career win

Ashlee Strawbridge rides Cheap Sav to victory for first career win

18 Jun 06:44 AM
Platinum Diamond leads strong contender trio in Ōtaki feature

Platinum Diamond leads strong contender trio in Ōtaki feature

18 Jun 06:37 AM
How Do You Just's Ellerslie triumph led to Hong Kong sale

How Do You Just's Ellerslie triumph led to Hong Kong sale

18 Jun 05:44 AM
Help for those helping hardest-hit
sponsored

Help for those helping hardest-hit

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP