Bruce McAvaney detail fools Melbourne Cup viewers as Channel 7 cops backlash over TV move

Channel 7 have come under fire after thousands of Aussies tuned in to watch the Melbourne Cup on the traditional free-to-air racing network, only to find out too late that they didn't have the broadcast rights to the great race. Many Aussies made the same error last year, with one fan admitting after the event he had "never felt so stupid" for failing to realise the Cup was on Channel 10 rather than Channel 7.

But this year a different broadcaster had the rights, with Channel 9 winning a bid to show the iconic Melbourne race from 2024 until 2029. Viewers who switched to Channel 10 this year quickly realised they had the wrong channel as the network was showing game show 'Lingo' from 2.30 to 3.30pm. But many Aussies felt fooled by Channel 7, who long held the rights to the great race. The network had iconic broadcaster Bruce McAveney and the rights to all the races from Randwick in Sydney, but none in Flemington.

It meant many who tuned into Channel 7 saw horse racing and thought little of it, only to be confused as 3pm ticked by and there was no sign of a race being near. As 100/1 outsider Knight's Choice shocked onlookers, making a stunning late surge to snatch an incredible Melbourne Cup victory, thousands were still tuned in to Channel 7, only to soon realise they had the wrong channel as the result was revealed by McAvaney.

One user posted on social media: "Been watching Channel 7 for three hours only to realise the bloody Melbourne Cup is on Channel 9. Missed the whole thing. Sums up the day really”.

Another said: "It's ‘The race that stops a nation’ (Until some of the nation realise too late they’ve been watching the wrong horse race meeting on Channel 7 instead of 9)". While a third noted that the TV guide description 'Seven's horse racing' was very misleading. "I think Channel Seven should not be allowed to have a program called 'Seven's Horse Racing' on at the same time as the Melbourne Cup," the user wrote.

Others also complained that having McAvaney talking on their screens about horse racing as 3pm came and went caught them out, with the legendary broadcaster well-known around Australia for his Melbourne Cup coverage in years gone by. "You can't have Bruce on TV commentating racing and it’s not be Melb Cup," one person complained.

Robbie Dolan's nod to family after Melbourne Cup win

Many punters didn't give Irish jockey Robbie Dolan or his mount Knight's Choice any hope in the great race, only for the young jockey to shock the world with an incredible ride. It was a tense finish to the race that stops a nation, with Knight's Choice showing an incredible turn of foot late to edge out Warp Speed and Okita Soushi.

And the Irish-born Dolan's first ever victory in the Melbourne Cup was made even more special by the fact father Bobby had surprised him by flying over last week to be on hand for the biggest moment of his son's life. "My Dad flew in from Ireland for this. I woke up the other morning and he was standing in the kitchen, I couldn't believe it," Dolan said.

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"It is the biggest race in the world. I have my family here and my partner Christine, our little baby Maisy, and my dad flew over from Ireland and now you have me in tears," he told Billy Slater after the race.

“Mate, I feel like I’m going to wake up any minute. Can you pinch me, mate? Jesus Christ. I’ve never ridden in this race before so 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 before I got here."