Knight’s Choice claimed Lexus Melbourne Cup gold as the European raiders failed to fire in the Flemington feature.
Britain and Ireland appeared to have a strong challenge for the two-mile contest with Harry Eustace’s Bendigo Cup winner Sea King and the Brian Ellison-trained Geelong Cup hero Onesmoothoperator joined by Willie Mullins’ pair of Vauban and Absurde, with all four towards the head of the betting.
None of them could land a blow though as Knight’s Choice and Japanese runner Warp Speed battled it out in the dying strides, with Irish jockey Robbie Dolan just prevailing on Knight’s Choice, who is trained in partnership by John Symons and Sheila Laxon.
For Laxon it was a second Melbourne Cup victory, having saddled Ethereal back in 2001.