Without A Fight has become the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 and just the twelfth horse in history to claim the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double.
Mark Zahra’s decision to ride the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained galloper over last year’s winner Gold Trip paid off with a 2¼ length romp over the Chris Waller duo Soulcombe and 100/1 outsider Sheraz in third.
Zahra became the first rider since Harry White in 1978/79 to win the Melbourne Cup back-to-back on different horses.
“I thought the biggest opposition was my horse himself,” Zahra professed.
“Going to the gates he was relaxed I thought this was a good sign.
“I was getting to the front early but I just through there was no way anything was coming from behind me and boom away we went.
“To change horses to get a bit of flack about my choice and for it to pay off is justified.”
It was a sixth Melbourne Cup win for the Freedman family, the first since Makybe Diva completed the treble for Lee Freedman in 2005.
The victory was a first for Sam Freedman with his father watching on from a winery on the Mornington Peninsula.
“I’m a lot younger and I get a little bit worked up at times but he’s cool calm and collected and been the constant throughout,” Sam said of his father Anthony.
Without A Fight is owned by Sheikh Mohammed Obaid al Maktoum who also wasn’t on course but has large racing interests in Europe and has only entered the Australian racing scene in the past 12 months through a relationship with Sam Freedman.
Freedman is set to travel to see him in the next 10 days and deliver the Melbourne Cup trophy.
– racing.com
