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Every year the Melbourne Cup sees a fairy tale written, but the romance surrounding 2024 winner Knight's Choice is particularly heartwarming.
The 80-1 outsider may have written his name into racing history books when he carried jockey Robbie Dolan to victory, but his beginnings were humble.
The bay gelding was bred by Norm and Di Bazeley at Elswick Park, a thoroughbred stud at Walcha in northern New South Wales.
His dam, Midnight Pearl, was bought for just $1,000.
Mr Bazeley was emotional when speaking to ABC New England-North West today.
"It''s just unbelievable … it's storybook stuff isn't it?" he said
Mr Bazeley never thought the bloodline would lead to a Melbourne Cup winner.
But as he watched the cup from the living room in his work clothes yesterday, Knight's Choice became one.
Knight's Choice won the 2024 Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse. (Getty Images: Robert Cianflone)
"About 200 metres from home … when he started making his move, I knew he was going to go very close to winning the race," he said.
"I'm 76 years of age and I've been in horses a long time ... so it just goes to show you, you never stop learning."
Knight's Choice is the second Walcha-bred horse to win a Melbourne Cup.
Blue Spec won the race in 1905.
Humble beginnings
Knight's Choice is the product of a dream Mr Bazeley had for a particular racing bloodline.
He always wanted a More Than Ready mare to breed on with.
More Than Ready was a world-record holder who sired more than 2,000 winners before dying in 2022.
"It's a good story, we often laugh about it," Mr Bazeley said.
"This More Than Ready mare come up, Midnight Pearl ... and I decided to bid on her.
"The market at that particular time was in decline … and really, to be honest with you, I knew when I bought it … I got a bargain buy."
That bargain buy led to Knight's Choice being sold for $85,000 in 2021, and yesterday winning $5.8 million.
But Mr Bazeley still remembers when he was a just a foal.
"I always liked him as a foal and he had a bit of character … he wanted to play all the time and have fun," he said.
While the 2024 Melbourne Cup champion gets used to his new-found fame, Midnight Pearl currently has a filly at foot, and Mr Bazeley is busy as his breeding season continues.
Norm Bazeley with his special mare, Midnight Pearl, and her latest foal. (ABC New England: James Paras)
Not a 'chance in hell'
David Chester is the sales director for Magic Millions, an Australian thoroughbred racehorse auction house on the Gold Coast.
It was there Knight's Choice was sold.
"Naturally, we were over the moon," Mr Chester said.
"Because if you listen to all the so-called experts, no-one gave him a chance in hell."
He said with millions of dollars being invested in internationally-bred stayers, it was encouraging to see the spotlight put back on Australian-bred horses.
"Sheila Laxon [who trained Knight's Choice] has proven that you can buy a horse in Australia, you can train it and win a Melbourne Cup," he said.
"It will make people, I hope, sit up and take note that you can breed a horse here, you can train a horse here to win that big race."