By Sam Turner
Without A Fight carried the world renown colours of Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum to an historic victory in the Lexus Melbourne Cup, giving jockey Mark Zahra back-to-back successes in the ‘race that stops a nation’.
Zahra was on board last year’s winner Gold Trip but switched to Without A Fight prior to last month’s Caulfield Cup, a decision which was vindicated when the six-year-old narrowly lifted the 2400m feature.
There was no such drama at Flemington on Tuesday where Without A Fight, formerly trained in the UK by Simon and Ed Crisford and 13th in the Cup 12 months beforehand, barely needed to lift a glove to land the prestigious event in brilliant fashion for Anthony and Sam Freedman.
The comfortable two-and-a-quarter length triumph was yet another winning Melbourne Cup chapter for the Freedmans whose association with the Melbourne Cup is well documented - Anthony's brother Lee trained five winners in the race, including Tawriffic, Subzero and Makybe Diva for her final two triumphs.
It's been 18 years since the Diva's record-breaking third victory in the race and Sam was delighted to add another chapter to the family tale.
"It's been a great race for the family, it's been a while between drinks but it's good to get another one," he said.
"Credit to the old man (Anthony), he's been incredible through all of this."
"His wisdom and experience in nursing a horse through like this, he went up to Queensland with him and looked after him up here and got him right into form.
"We brought it back to Victoria and he's been brilliant ever since so credit to him."
Zahra was also quick to praise the training combination.
"Unbelievable. To the trainer's credit, he (Without A Fight) was an absolute gentleman for me today," said Zahra.
"He went to the rail, switched off. I just thought I'm going to stay here, they all made their moves, which opened it up for me and I was on a horse that you can just sit on.
"He's got an electric turn of foot and he just pulled me all the way to the line and it was all over."
The Chris Waller-trained Soulcombe once again handicapped his chance with a slow start but ran through virtually the entire field to finish an honourable second in the hands of Joao Moreira, while 150-1 outsider Sheraz was third a further half-length adrift for Waller and rider Beau Martens.
Market leader and chief Irish hope Vauban held every chance turning for home under Ryan Moore but faded tamely, while Willie Mullins’ other contender, Absurde, performed with credit for Zac Purton, taking seventh.
