Ronan Keating gets last laugh after Aussie fans slam Melbourne Cup performance

The 2024 Melbourne Cup was won by rank outsider Knight's Choice, with former singer on The Voice and jockey Robbie Dolan in the saddle.. Ronan Keating performed two of his hits before the runners were sent on their way

Ronan Keating had the last laugh at the Melbourne Cup race meeting after he left some music fans underwhelmed.

The Boyzone singer, 47, was on stage at Flemington Racecourse where he performed 1999 hit When You Say Nothing At All and Lovin’ Each Day, in tandem with New Zealander-Australian star Ricki-Lee,

After being on the the receiving end of criticism, Keating placed a bet on the shock 90-1 winner of the main event, Knight's Choice. The horse was ridden to victory by jockey and fellow Irish singer Robbie Dolan, who starred on The Voice Australia two years ago.

Keating was pictured hugging the sportsman, delighted at his bet coming in as reported by the Racing Post. "He sang my song when he was on The Voice so I just had to go and see him," he said via Racenet.

But Keating's appearance in front of a crowd of around 90,000 people was questioned by a number of social media users.

"How desperate is the #MelbourneCup2024 getting in Ronan Keating, was no one else available?" one person wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Another said: "Ronan Keating.. always wondered who makes these decisions, racing industry trying to lure the younger crowd but here we have a man whose last hit was in 1991. Embarrassing."

While a third person posted: "Having lived in the UK in 1998 when Boyzone were everywhere, Ronan Keating‘s present-day revival as an Australian B-lister continues to feel very surreal.”

Keating is due to spend further time in the country with his Aussie native wife Storm, who he married in 2015 and children Cooper, seven, and Coco, four.

British actress and model Liz Hurley and Bob Geldof were among the other celebrities enjoying the sunshine.

And Keating, who wore a blue suit for "the race that stops a nation," was joined by another punter cheering the result.

Bookmakers Ladbrokes confirmed a customer predicted the first four horses to cross the line and won £1.6 million from a £51 stake.

"They boxed Knight's Choice, Warp Speed, Okita Soushi and Zardozi and have turned their A$100 (£51) investment into A$3.2 million (£1,630,530), which is already in their Ladbrokes account," a spokesperson for the firm said.

"It's a life-changing result and shows that anything can happen in the Melbourne Cup."

The European runners failed to make the placings in the £2million contest, with Willie Mullins' Absurde and Vauban in fifth and 11th.

Brian Ellison's trainee Onesmoothoperator and Sea King, trained by Harry Eustace, also failed to figure.