Trainer and jockey quotes following the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup won by Without A Fight at Flemington on Tuesday.
Race Result:
1st: Without A Fight (M Zahra/A & S Freedman) - $8
2nd: Soulcombe (C Williams/C Waller) - $9.50
3rd: Sheraz (B Mertens/C Waller) - $151
Winning Time: 3:18.37 Last 600m: N/A
Margins: 2¼L x ½L
WHAT A HORSE!
— Racing.com (@Racing) November 7, 2023
Without A Fight does the Caulfield & Melbourne Cup double @FreedmanRacing pic.twitter.com/Dq5q1JNCRr
Winning Trainer: Anthony & Sam Freedman
Win with Dad: "It's been a great race for the family, it's been a while between drinks but it's good to get another one and credit to the old man, 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 and brought it back to Victoria and he's been brilliant ever since so credit to him."
"When he won two (races) up there we set our sights on coming here. There's lots of little moments.
"I'm a bit younger so I get a bit worked up at times and Dad is pretty cool, calm and collected.
"He's been a constant throughout.
"All the staff at home, all the team behind the scenes, a lot of work goes into this result."
On Mark Zahra: "An extraordinary ride, when you go back and watch it, he got him onto the rails from a wide gate, relaxed, switched him off, made a run through and I was pretty confident at the 800 (metres) he was travelling, he just needed the breaks to come."
"The horse is a freak, he let down like he was a sprinter at the 400 and there were no doubts on the trip late so he was excellent."
How important the QLD preparation was: "It was very important. He was pretty fierce up in Queensland. He was aggressive and you way what when eh won over nine furlongs and then backed it up with the Q22 romp.
"He ran a good race in the Underwood but Queensland really set him up. He was fit and well and I think with an older horse like him, we had to put him in the paddock for a week and he ran into the fence so he came straight back in after a couple of days and he just loves his work.
"This horse genuinely loves his work and pins his ears back. Just a good genuine galloper and a massive thrill."
After the horse came to them last year: "The horse arrived in really good condition. He ran in the Melbourne Cup and wet ground really cost him there.
"He ran the trip strongly and he travelled at the 400 and just didn't get through the ground.
"Ed (Crisford) was really good about filling me in on what the horse was like. Unfortunately we had to miss the Zipping Classic after the Cup last year but he's right back."
Winning Jockey: Mark Zahra
During the run: "Unbelievable. If I could've thought I'd have that run from (barrier) 16 I'd have said he was unbeatable but to the trainer's credit, Sam and Lee and all their team, he was just an absolute gentleman today, went to the rails, switched off, I probably got to the front earlier than last year but I'd just had that soft a run."
Getting to the rails: "I was following Alenquer, probably not the best chance but D Oliver, in front of him was Gold Trip, in front of him was Vauban so I thought I'm just going to stay here, they all made their moves, which opened up for me and I was on a horse 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, I stood up in the irons and gave them the two fingers for two winners, I don't know what I was thinking- idiot."
Picking Without A Fight over Gold Trip: "Mark Hunter is a good friend and I rate him as one of the best judges in Australia, spoke to him at length with it and he said 'you know, there's not much in it, but if you can get him to settle, he'll run it', we went through the race, the weather forecast, the stars aligned for Gold Trip last year and they aligned for this horse this year.
"I don't get to pick the result, I have to pick them before then. Just a few things, weight and the way he won the Caulfield Cup, I was confident he'd run it out today."
"Harper's (daughter) going to be very happy when Daddy brings home another Melbourne Cup. Elyse (wife) all the family back at home, my manager Reece Murphy, I love them all and I'm getting a bit choked up."
"My whole objective, or my biggest opposition - I thought - was my horse itself. He can be quite keen.
"I went and worked him the other day and he was quite keen.
"At the gates he was relaxed so I thought it was a good sign but I thought if I find t fence at any stage he's a horse that relaxed much.
"I knew I was back a fair way but when you're on the fence it always seems straightforward..
"I gained ground once-by-one on the inside.
"Ryan Moore, Damien Oliver, J-Mac were in front of me, that's a tick. If could stay there as long as I can then I could make the moves.
"I waited for these three excellent jockeys to make their moves.
"J-Mac went off, Ollie probably didn't have the horse and all of a sudden I started to travel.
"You need to get up him but he's got a turn-of-foot and you can sit there and take needle-eyes (openings). I was right behind the right horses.
"Poor old Gold Trip, he was going up on the inside and it was opening up. I thought there's now way anything is coming up from behind me.
Compared to last year: "Your first Melbourne Cup you can never compare to that ever. You don't believe that it is every going to happen.
"I always said winning one helps you a lot because I came into the race putting aside all the choosing and I knew I was on a good horse.
"When you win one, a lot of jockeys try all their life to win one. You keep thinking this might be my chance, but when you win one you think 'if I stuff it up there's one home in the cabinet anyway.
"You are afforded that bit of luxury.
"But to change horses, I got a little bit of flack about my choice, even at the races here today, for it to pay off it is justified.
"Thanks to my manager Reece Murphy, and Mark Hunter. Guys that helped me sway the right way.
Did the horse give indications in the QLD winter: "For sure. His win in The Q22, he pulled my arms out the whole way. Until he let loose - I remember coming in and saying his win was extraordinary. My wife said you never say things like that about horses, you always downplay it.
"I said, well it was and my whole thing was that I didn't think he'd get two miles because he was too keen.
"I said to aim him for the Cox Plate because he won't pull as hard. To their credit, he came back a more relaxed horse.
"The way he went around today you wouldn't even know it compared to the way he went around in the winter.
"So relaxed in the run. I spent nothing until probably the 800 (metre mark)."
Beaten Jockeys:
James McDonald (Gold Trip): "He travelled into lovely just the effort told late."
Damien Oliver (Alenquer): "I had a good run, I just would have liked him to relax a little bit better. Probably just for mine at this stage didn't run out a strong two miles."
Kohei Matsuyama (Breakup): "He couldn't break well from the gate and couldn't get into a nice rhythm."
Ryan Moore (Vauban): "Obviously a disappointing run from him. Maybe he didn't fire today, the winner was very good, and we didn't get home today unfortunately."
Joao Moreira (Soulcombe): "Obviously very proud of him putting on a good performance. Things didn't really go his way. Not jumping that well made it a little bit difficult for him, as well as getting into a bit of traffic at the 600, 700 metres also counted against him winning the race but I'm very proud of how he ran."
Zac Purton (Absurde): "He travelled nicely, he presented at the right time, he just didn't run through the line. Anyway, he run well, but not what we wanted."
John Allen (Right You Are): "We settled in a nice spot but we were struggling from a long way out and I pulled him up because he lost his action turning into the straight. I felt he may have just choked down. He was struggling to breathe but I jumped off him and once he got his breath back he walked off OK so hopefully he's OK."
Billy Egan (Vow And Declare): "He had a lovely run from the gate, probably just the tempo didn't come back out of it and have that midrace break he needed at that distance, but I thought he ran really well."
Kerrin McEvoy (Ashrun): "He ran great, he run fourth, and testament to Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace and their veterinary team to get him back racing great. He had a nice trip around and gave me a good ride. I just had to wait and ease out a bit at the top of the lane but he's finished off really well."
Daniel Stackhouse (Daqiansweet Junior): "He's run enormous I thought. He travelled well, he just stepped a bit slow, bu travelled well into the corner, made a bit of ground and tried his heart out, so I'm very proud of him."
Dylan Gibbons (Okita Soushi): "He probably got too far back towin, but I thought the way he maintained himself through the line was a good effort. That was pretty fun."
Beau Mertens (Sheraz): "Amazing run, as you would have seen. We got into a lovely spot, he relaxed really nicely for me once everything settled and Chris and the team came up with the plan just to have him tucked away for as long as possible and once we produced him in the straight he let down with a nice turn of foot and stayed the trip terrifically. Couldn't be happier, the team had him in great order and it's just fantastic."
Craig Williams (Lastotchka): "We didn't have any luck from the barrier, three wide, had cover, lost cover, and under the circumstances she's run a gallant race for her first race start in Australia but we were beaten on straightening."
Mark Du Plessis (Magical Lagoon): "Maybe just a bit too aggressive and probably too far."
Rachel King (Military Mission): "Super run, he just got a bit tired the last 200."
Jye McNeil (Serpentine): "He went forward and found a nice rhythm, just found it a bit hard when the pressure went on today."
Craig Newitt (Virtuous Circle): "He was a bit disappointing. He was a fair way out of the race and just never run on."
Jamie Kah (More Felons): "He ran really good. On the turn he gave me a bit of a scare, I thought we were going to be right in the finish but he probably just saw it out that last 200, he had a really good blow but he ran well though."
Hollie Doyle (Future History): "He ran really well, got a nice pitch and got into a beautiful rhythm, I just think it tested his stamina late."
Teodore Nugent (Interpretation): "Super effort to back up off six days after the Bendigo Cup and to come here and run a super race. Unfortunately got baulked at the top of the straight but got outside horses with 350 to go and he really relished the line. Best work was his last 50 and really with the performance."
Zac Lloyd (Kalapour): "The horse didn't really experience much of an economical run and it just told late. He tried hard, but just (had to do) too much work."
Ben Thompson (True Marvel): "Brilliant run. He's finished eight, he stayed, as he's done well in the past and he had to cover ground out wide but he just found such a nice rhythm that he got to fifth up the straight but just the class of those that beat him home came to the fore late. Great run."
