JOCKEY Robbie Dolan who mesmerised with his singing on The Voice clinched victory in his debut at the Melbourne Cup on a 100/1 shot in a thrilling photo finish.
The Irishman, 28, came to many people’s attention in 2022 when he turned three chairs and joined Rita Ora’s team on the Australian version of the BBC show with a rendition of James Bay’s “Let It Go”.
But on Tuesday he was back in more familiar territory in Australia as he took to the saddle on outsider Knight’s Choice in “the race that stops a nation”.
And on his first Melbourne Cup start he guided the 100/1 shot to victory – a triumph which carries a £4.1million prize pot.
Knight’s Choice and 25/1 Japanese runner Warp Speed battled it out in the closing stages but it was the Irishman who prevailed to claim a shock win.
Speaking to Australia’s Channel Nine after the race, he said: “Pinch me, I think I’m dreaming! It’s incredible, I can’t believe it.
“I’ve never ridden in this race before so I didn’t know what to expect, but I feel like I’ve ridden in it 10 times because I’ve ran the race in my head before I got here.
“It panned out exactly as I thought it would. I thought I’d be closer, but they went quick and I decided I ride him for luck as I know he’s got a good turn of foot.
“Sheila and John were so confident in this horse before he got to the race, a lot of people doubted him but I didn’t.”
He also revealed his dad Bobby, who was a part of a horse training team which produced Cup wins in 1993 and 2002, had jetted over to Australia for the race.
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He said: “My dad flew in from Ireland for this.
“I woke up the other morning and he was standing in the kitchen, I couldn’t believe it.”
Dolan revealed two years ago his love of music after impressing on The Voice.
He said: “I don’t know anything technical about music, but I’ve always been singing in the car, on the way to the races and in the shower.
“I’m not too sure if I can even sing well enough for something like this.
“I just know that I love singing, it’s definitely from the heart.
“It’s pretty exciting – it feels like a dream at this stage. Singing has always just been a hobby to me.
“I did school plays years and years ago and always really enjoyed singing.
“Racing took over my life but just recently I’ve started to learn guitar and try to do a few gigs.
“It’s a step away from racing. I’d love to get into it but it’s hard to have two lives and racing is everything at the moment.
“They are very different worlds but once I got the opportunity to perform on The Voice I was like, ‘why not, what have I got to lose?’”
