Knight's Choice wins the Melbourne Cup in photo finish

Knight's Choice has won the Melbourne Cup in a massive boilover, prevailing in a photo finish from Japanese raider Warp Speed.

Ridden by Irish expat jockey Robbie Dolan, Knight's Choice surged past his rivals and hung on in a thrilling finish for trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon.

Noboru Takagi's Warp Speed was second by a nose, with in-form jockey Jamie Kah third on Okita Soushi.

It was Dolan's Melbourne Cup debut.

"I didn't know what to expect, but I feel like I've ridden it 10 times because I have ridden it in my head 100 times," Dolan told broadcaster Nine after the race that stops a nation.

"To win it with him (father Bobby) here and my little daughter Maisy and my partner Christine, I'm going to cry again. Jesus Christ.

"Look, you can't do it without (trainers) Sheila and John. They were so confident in this horse even before he got to this race. A lot of people doubted them.

"And to be honest, I didn't."

It gave Symons and Laxon their first Cup triumph in partnership, after Laxon became the first female to train the winner with Ethereal in 2001.

"What a great ride by Robbie," Symons told Nine.

"He stayed in, took the risk, went through the pack.

"I was worried and he got further back than we'd talked about, but great ride.

"What a thrill."