Melbourne Cup: Knight’s Choice wins ‘race that stops a nation’

Dolan was previously best known as a contestant on the Voice Australia, but he has now stamped his name in Flemington Racecourse history.

“Pinch me, I’m dreaming… I can’t believe it,” he told the local Nine Network.

“I think I’ll be singing for the rest of my life after that. What the hell.”

The 28-year-old comes from a horse racing family, with his father Bobby Dolan part of trainer Dermot Weld’s team when they produced two Cup winners in 1993 and 2002.

Bobby surprised his son by travelling to Australia for his Melbourne Cup debut, and was there to watch his victory.

Crowds thousands-strong were trackside at Flemington for the event, decked out in bright outfits and enjoying the sunny spring weather.

The Melbourne Cup is worth over A$8m (£4.1m, $5.3m) and is often called “the race that stops a nation”.

But in recent years it has attracted demonstrations over the welfare of animals and its links to gambling.