MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Without a Fight won the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, thundering home in the final straight to claim Australia’s most prestigious racing trophy by two lengths.
Jockey Mark Zahra claimed back-to-back Melbourne Cup wins on the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Without A Fight, having triumphed on Gold Trip last year.
Soulcombe placed second, with Sheraz third in the A$8 million ($5.17 million), two-mile handicap.
“It’s been a great race for the family, it’s been a while between drinks and it’s good to get another one,” said Sam Freedman.
“An extraordinary ride, he got him onto the rail from a wide gate, relaxed, switched him off, made a run.”
The field was reduced to 23 after the Kris Lees-trained Cleveland was scratched by stewards late on Monday.
($1 = 1.5482 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Christian Schmollinger, Peter Rutherford)
