Melbourne Cup homebred heroes

Immediately after Knight’s Choice – a $91 outsider – crossed the line, co-trainer Sheila Laxon declared it a triumph for the Aussie battler. Few could argue. The win reinforced a recent pattern: Australian-bred stayers, though a rare sight in the Melbourne Cup, are far from a fading force.

Last year’s field contained only four Australian-bred gallopers, and against the odds, Knight’s Choice became the fourth Australian-bred and trained winner of this century, following Viewed (Bart Cummings, 2008), Shocking (Mark Kavanagh, 2009), Vow And Declare (Danny O’Brien, 2019) and now Knight’s Choice (Sheila Laxon and John Symons, 2024).

Remarkably, the last three Australian bred winners were all purchased for less than $100,000 at yearling sales and were raced by diverse ownership groups. Their achievements stand out given the numbers: over the past six Cups, only 19 runners were both bred and trained in Australia – around 10 per cent of the total – yet they have won twice, with Incentivise also finishing second in 2021.

What is happening is that, despite being a tiny minority in terms of numbers in the Melbourne Cup, Australians are punching well above their weight. Last year alone, there were only four Australian-bred gallopers in the race, yet they all prevailed.

Their efforts to win are notable because Australian-bred gallopers are defying the trend in terms of numbers.

When Knight’s Choice won, Welshborn, New Zealand-raised Australian citizen Laxon said it was a win for the Australians. “I love it being done for the Australians,” Laxon said. “The Australian horse did it. I’m thrilled to win the Cup. It’s the people’s cup, that’s what it’s all about.”

Making the win even more meaningful, given its local connection, it was the first win this century by an Australian-bred stallion. The previous horse to have won the Melbourne Cup whose sire was bred in Australia was Rogan Josh in 1999.

Knight’s Choice is by sprinter Extreme Choice, who won the Blue Diamond Stakes as a two-year-old. Laxon said Knight’s Choice exemplified her training style, which focused on conserving energy in her stayers, a strategy she utilised effectively.

Laxon, who previously succeeded with her only other Melbourne Cup starter, Ethereal, in 2001, was confident in her approach with Knight’s Choice. She explained she wasn’t overly concerned with pedigrees, but rather with the horse’s style. “Everybody tells me he’ll [Extreme Choice] never produce a stayer, but if you can teach him to relax, switch off, and rest, he can out-sprint those stayers because they’re dour stayers,” Laxon said.

Last year, only two horses in the Melbourne Cup were by Australian sires – The Map and Knight’s Choice (with Manzoice, bred in New Zealand, not far off). Danny O’Brien noted that when Vow And Declare won in 2019, just two Australian-bred horses lined up. “It was peak international representation in the Melbourne Cup when Vow And Declare won. It was satisfying because it marked the end of a drought for Australian owned and bred horses,” O’Brien said. “Over half the field had flown in, and the rest were bred in Europe and had been racing in Australia.”

O’Brien expressed pride in winning with a horse that had spent its entire career under his care and system. “I’m not sure it’s as big an achievement to buy a horse overseas and have just three or four starts with it as to breed one yourself and develop it all the way to the Melbourne Cup.”

The trainer acknowledged that winning a Melbourne Cup was a significant achievement that would attract attention, though he hadn’t fully realised how monumental it was. “You understand it’s a massive thing; it’s bigger than horse racing because it’s a cultural event, but once you’ve won it, it keeps coming up. It’s a good thing, not a burden.”

O’Brien noted that many top trainers had never won a Melbourne Cup, and he felt privileged to have done so. “You need a bit of luck. Vow And Declare won by just a neck. I was very grateful he could prevail.”

Mark Kavanagh said that, like all trainers, he had grown up dreaming of winning a Melbourne Cup but never expected it would happen.

“At the end of the day, everyone wants to win a Melbourne Cup, but not many truly believe they will. Bart might have gone to the races expecting to win, but I certainly didn’t,” he said.

“Reflecting now, I’ve trained a Melbourne Cup winner – that’s something every trainer aspires to.”

Kavanagh also expressed a strong bond with other trainers who had won the race, especially those bred and owned in Australia.
Looking enviously at this group is Tony McEvoy, who said the win of Knight’s Choice last year served as a reminder that the locals can still succeed.

McEvoy, who trains emerging stayer and 2025 Melbourne Cup prospect Half Yours, received a great boost from Knight’s Choice’s victory.

“It was great for the locals. I enjoyed that race as it brought it back to ours a bit. It gave me a real boost,” McEvoy said.

McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his son Calvin from Ballarat, has previously had five Melbourne Cup runners, with his best result being an unlucky fifth with Hugs Dancer.

“Half Yours impressed me immensely with his first attempt at 2400 metres. I’m not sure where he will take us, but we are considering the Melbourne Cup.

“In terms of pedigree, I’d prefer a stayer whose grandsire is Teofilo (which is the same as Half Yours), rather than one by Extreme Choice.”

Half Yours has won seven of his fourteen starts, including a brilliant win in the Caulfield Cup last start. He is by Victorian-based stallion St Jean. McEvoy said he would love nothing more than to join the ranks of Melbourne Cup-winning trainers with a locally bred stayer.