Melbourne Cup winner Robbie Dolan laps up celebrations with his partner and child – after family endured anguish when his adorable daughter was born

Melbourne Cup winner Robbie Dolan and his family walked through the Flemington paddock on Tuesday with big grins on their faces after the Irishman won Australia’s big race.

In heartwarming scenes, Dolan and his partner Christine Duffy laughed and smiled as they wheeled their daughter, Maisie, around the grounds of Flemington Racecourse on a pink suitcase.

Earlier in the day the jockey produced an incredible performance to win the Melbourne Cup aboard the $81 outsider Knight’s Choice, beating favorites Buckaroo, Vauban and Onesmooth operator to take the stunning win.

Dolan had also made a notable appearance on The Voice two years ago, where he successfully performed for Rita Ora and Keith Urban.

The 28-year-old would progress to the quarter-finals of the competition before being eliminated.

But during his time on the reality TV show, the jockey and his partner Christine had welcomed their first daughter into the world.

They had revealed that their daughter was born fifteen weeks prematurely in April 2022 The Daily Telegraph reported that Maisie had had to fight for her life.

Weighing just 670 grams at birth, Maisie had been delivered via emergency caesarean section at Liverpool Hospital, with Robbie stating it had been ‘a bit of a shock’.

Fortunately, Maisie and mother appeared to recover, and both were pictured on Channel Nine’s live feed of the race, smiling and celebrating as they stood next to father and husband Robbie.

In 2022, Robbie thanked all the doctors, nurses and medical professionals for the care they provided to his daughter, who is now two years old.

“100 days ago I sat in the corner of the Liverpool NICU as the doctors and nurses worked on little Maisie,” he wrote in a post on Instagram.

Jockey Robbie Dolan celebrated his Melbourne Cup win on Tuesday with his partner Christine Duffy and their daughter Maisie

Previously, Dolan scored a sensational victory over $81 outsider Knight’s Choice in the Melbourne Cup

It comes after Dolan’s two-year-old daughter Maisie was born prematurely, with the family facing a tough ordeal after her birth.

‘I’ve never felt so helpless in my entire life.

‘What she has done since then is nothing short of amazing. She is on her way home now and @clduffy and I hope to have her home in the coming weeks. Thank you for all the messages of support from everyone, including our wonderful friends and family who have helped us so much along the way. #MircaleMaisie.’

Dolan admitted that he started crying when he saw his family after the race because he also didn’t know his father Bobby would also be in Flemington for the race.

‘I held it together really well until I got back to the editing site and saw my dad, Christine and little Maisie. I just bawled my eyes out,” Dolan told Sky Racing.

Maisie had spent 110 days in intensive care before being allowed home after her birth.

Both parents admitted they were proud and excited that their daughter would be in the stands at Flemington to watch her father score a victory for the ages.

“There’s going to be 100,000 people there on Tuesday and she’s going to be in the middle of it, even though she has no idea what’s going on,” Dolan added.

‘I always had confidence that she would do well, you have to be optimistic. She’s a soldier, she’s stronger than me and she’s doing well.’

Christine was seen holding Maisie after the race and said that although it had been a tough ride to get to Flemington, her husband’s achievements had all paid off.

‘Very proud. This has been a long time coming…It’s all paid off…it’s all very busy,” she said.

The young couple welcomed their daughter in 2022, but Maisie was born 15 weeks premature and had to spend 110 days in intensive care

Dolan, meanwhile, had previously declared he would sensationally have to give up racing if he ever won Australia’s big race.

But amid the festivities, Dolan walked back those comments, saying, “I’m not giving up. That feeling was too good.

‘I can’t believe it. I watched all the Melbourne Cups from the last 40 years last night and I thought my best chance was if I could get him to stay on the trip and I could hopefully rattle home.

“He just proved everyone wrong. This is the biggest race in the world and winning it is incredible.”