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How to tune into Sport NationWhy Knight’s Choice won’t defend Melbourne Cup
Andrew Slevison • September 30th, 2025 3:48 pm
Reigning Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice will not get the opportunity to defend his crown this year.
An outbreak of strangles at Mount Macedon is set to deny the shock 2024 winner with co-trainer Sheila Laxon confirming he’s out of the spring.
Laxon could not confirm if Knight’s Choice has actually contracted strangles but the fact that most of the horses currently stabled at Mount Macedon have - apart from six - will wipe out his spring carnival targets.
“Yeah, definitely out. Everything is definitely out for all of them apart from the six we’re working,” Laxon told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“I would say once we get the clearance they’ll be able to get back to the races in not too long a time.”
Laxon admits you don’t get many chances to defend a Melbourne Cup, but is using a successful tale of yesteryear to keep her spirits high.
“Not many (chances), no,” she added.
“But Peter Pan won it in 1932 and in 1933 he had a virus. Then he came back the following year and won it again. So there you go.”
Laxon, who trains in conjunction with John Symons, says it is tough to take but at least she has last year’s Cup triumph with Robbie Dolan to look back on.
She said: “We won it last year, baby!
“What a journey for our little singing jockey (Dolan). All that was a great part of it. He has gone from strength to strength.”
Laxon also won the 2001 Cup with Ethereal at her only other attempt at Australia’s great race.
Knight’s Choice last ran in the So You Think over 1500m at Moonee Valley on September 6 when sixth of 10.
Possible targets could be the Magic Millions carnival on the Gold Coast in January and the Auckland Cup in New Zealand next March.
