Jockey and singer Robbie Dolan to ride Knight’s Choice in 2024 Caulfield Cup: ‘If only I was one of The Wiggles’

Robbie Dolan has a Caulfield Cup ride on a 200/1 longshot, but a miracle victory would pale into insignificance compared with what his Wiggles-obsessed daughter has already overcome in her short life.

Jockey Robbie Dolan reckons if The Wiggles were performing on Caulfield Cup day, his precious young daughter would be glued to the television to watch him ride in Saturday’s big race.

But the mega-popular Aussie kids musical group won’t be at Caulfield, so the Queensland-based jockey will have to show two-year-old Maisie the replay if he conjures a Cup miracle on $201 shot Knight’s Choice.

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A true miracle baby, Maisie was born 15 weeks premature and spent 110 days in a neonatal intensive care unit before finally being allowed home.

“She couldn’t care less about what I do for a job, unless I was in The Wiggles as that’s all she cares about and it’s always on the TV at home,” Dolan chuckled.

“She has been to the races, but she is too young to know what it is all about.

“They were tough times for everyone when she was born, but the main thing is she is doing well now which is a blessing.

“She is at daycare now and doing very well, she is flying.”

Robbie Dolan's partner Christine Duffy holding Maisie, born 15 weeks early.

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While his daughter loves the music of The Wiggles, Dad Robbie is also a musician of note after having been a popular contestant on The Voice.

He certainly won’t have to sing for his supper if Knight’s Choice, trained by Melbourne and Caulfield Cup legend Sheila Laxon and her training partner John Symons, stuns the racing world and scores the $5m Caulfield Cup.

Knight’s Choice finished an eye-catching second behind Fawkner Park in the $1.2m Q22 during the Queensland winter carnival but has been a long way off them in the Group 1 Underwood and Turnbull Stakes this campaign in Melbourne.

Jockey Robbie Dolan tries his hand at singing, taking on the Blind Auditions on The Voice.

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But the 2400m of the Cup should be more in his sweet spot and two-time Group 1 winning jockey Dolan says the Queenslander isn’t out of it.

A natural lightweight who walks around at 51kg, Dolan will be at full strength riding Knight’s Choice at 51.5kg and hopes he can come to the notice of trainers looking for lightweight Melbourne Cup jockeys.

“This horse might be $201 in betting, but he does have plenty of ability and I have seen stranger things happen in this game,” Dolan said.

“He was brilliant in the Q22 and hit the line really strongly.

“I think he will run a cheeky race on Saturday.

“It will be good for me coming into the Cup carnivals, if there are any lightweight jockeys needed for the Melbourne Cup I would love to put my hand up.”

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Dolan now calls Queensland home and is pleased he made the move from New South Wales, saying last season in the saddle was his most successful since his days as an apprentice hoop.

He hasn’t been able to indulge his singing passion as much since he moved to the Sunshine State, but hasn’t put it on the back burner altogether.

“Since I moved up to Queensland I haven’t done a lot of singing as all the people I was doing music with were in Sydney,” Dolan said.

“It’s something I will always have in the back of my mind I would love to do again.

“I will go back to it one day.”

Originally published as Jockey and singer Robbie Dolan to ride Knight’s Choice in 2024 Caulfield Cup: ‘If only I was one of The Wiggles’