‘It’s home for me now’: Jockey Robbie Dolan loving Queensland with big Cups in mind

Robbie Dolan will look to secure back-to-back Ipswich Cups with Regal Lion, but he is daring to dream of much bigger Cups with Knight’s Choice later in the spring.

Robbie Dolan finally feels at home in Brisbane and can end a stellar season on a high in the Ipswich Cup on Saturday as he looks to cash in on some plum rides.

The former Sydney-based Irishman is hitting his straps in Queensland and says he is gaining momentum, as second favourite Regal Lion attempts to go back-to-back in the Cup, with Dolan in the saddle.

While Dolan is upbeat about the chances of Regal Lion, he is daring to dream after securing the ride on Knight’s Choice, who bounced back to form in the $1.2m Q22 last week and heads to the Caloundra Cup next week, before a potential spring campaign.

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“At the moment Knight’s Choice will run in the Caloundra Cup, where he will be really hard to beat, and then maybe come back for a Caulfield and Melbourne Cup in the spring,” Dolan said.

“He’s a really exciting horse to be on, I’d love to stick with him.”

After moving to Queensland by himself, Dolan said the addition of his partner Christine and daughter Maisie recently has made it easier.

“It is home for me now, I have had my young daughter move up here with my partner, who is riding a bit of work for Chris Meagher,” he said.

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Regal Lion is looking for back-to-back Ipswich Cup wins. Picture: Grant Peters — Trackside Photography.

“The little one is in daycare as well, so it feels like home at the moment. I was winging it when I first came up here because it took them a few months to come up.

“I have had almost 70 winners for the season, so that’s what I was chasing — bigger numbers and more winners, more opportunities and I am getting plenty of rides.”

Dolan, who made headlines when he competed on The Voice in 2022, is drawing inspiration from Regal Lion’s Ipswich Cup win a year ago, saying he believes it is a more winnable race this time around.

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“He won the race last year, he is going really well this prep and I don’t think it is as strong a race this year as it was last year,” he said.

REGAL LION WINS THE IPSWICH CUP 🏆 🦁 @BenThompson2102@[e-mail]/aG3c0t18GC

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) June 17, 2023

“I galloped him on Tuesday morning and I really loved his work. It is a sticky barrier, but we’re not concerned because we will just flow into our positions from that sort of race.

“I’d love to get into a spot, there doesn’t seem to be a great deal of speed in the race, so he could sit a pair or two closer than he was last year.

“He is a fit horse, he will be in the finish.”

Regal Lion is a $4.80 chance with TAB, while Luncies commands $3.70 favouritism.

Originally published as ‘It’s home for me now’: Jockey Robbie Dolan loving Queensland with big Cups in mind