Injured Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice will miss this week’s 2025 Group 1 All-Star Mile

Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice will miss this week’s $2.5 million Group 1 All-Star Mile after suffering bruising to his fetlock.

Co-trainer Sheila Laxon with Knight’s Choice after winning the Melbourne Cup last November. Picture: Getty Images

Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice will miss Saturday’s $2.5 million Group 1 All-Star Mile after suffering bruising to his fetlock.

Trainers John Symons and Sheila Laxon have withdrawn their star stayer from the elite 16-horse field for the 1600m contest at Flemington on Saturday.

“He’s just knocked himself, he’s probably spooked at something,” Laxon told Racenet on Monday.

“It’s nothing major but because he’s such precious cargo, we’ll err on the side of caution.

“We just got the vet’s scan and he’s got a bit of inflammation (to his fetlock).

“We’ll be ultra-careful with him. We could’ve gone ahead (in the All-Star Mile) but we’d hate to see any repercussions with that.

“He’ll probably be 100 per cent within the next few days.”

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Laxon said the injury was discovered while Knight’s Choice was being hosed down at Macedon Lodge in Victoria.

“We are disappointed to advise that Knight’s Choice has, unfortunately, sustained a knock to his fetlock and the subsequent filling indicates that it is best to put him aside for a few weeks to allow the oedema to subside,” the trainers posted on X on Monday.

Laxon said she had spoken to the horse’s regular jockey Robbie Dolan and owner Cameron Bain and they were both shattered that Knight’s Choice would miss out on the chance to become the first Melbourne Cup champion to race in the All-Star Mile.

“But his health is of paramount importance and there are bigger fish to fry,” she said.

“We’re not particularly concerned about it but the timing isn’t great.”

We are disappointed to advise that KNIGHT'S CHOICE has, unfortunately, sustained a knock to his fetlock and the subsequent filling indicates that it is best to put him aside for a few weeks to allow the oedema to subside.

— Symons Laxon Racing (@SymonsLaxon) March 3, 2025

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Laxon said Knight’s Choice had improved out of sight since his epic victory as a $91 roughie in the race that stops a nation last November, with glowing reports recently from the five year-old gelding’s strapper and track rider Ellie Morrison.

“Ellie says he’s so electric when she’s been working him,” Laxon said.

“Her reports back about him are phenomenal so we were pretty excited about seeing him back at the races.

“The class of the horses in that (All-Star) mile is pretty scary but he’s won four races over a mile and it would’ve been interesting to see how he performed against the elite in a distance that suits him.”

What did we just witness?! 🤯

KNIGHT'S CHOICE holds on to win the 2024 Lexus Melbourne Cup!

🎥 @wwos | #MelbourneCup | #MelbCupCarnivalpic.twitter.com/Ok2GKUTm0I

— Victoria Racing Club (@FlemingtonVRC) November 5, 2024

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Group 1 winners Mr Brightside, Another Wil, Tom Kitten and Atishu are likely to headline the All-Star Mile field on Saturday at Flemington.

Laxon said it was too early to talk about the next target for Knight’s Choice but he had been nominated for the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) and the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m), both at Randwick on April 12.

Originally published as Injured Melbourne Cup champion Knight’s Choice will miss this week’s 2025 Group 1 All-Star Mile