Healing guru Lee Evison gives Cups hero Without A Fight thumbs up for spring comeback

EXCLUSIVE: A renowned equine thoroughbred rehabilitation guru has provided some uplifting news about the progress of 2023 Melbourne and Caulfield Cup champion Without A Fight.

Without A Fight has left the property of renowned equine healer Lee Evison, who says the Melbourne has given every indication he will be right to race in spring after recovering from a tendon injury. Picture: AFP

Healing guru Lee Evison says Cups hero Without A Fight is on track for a spring carnival return after successfully completing the first stage of tendon injury rehabilitation.

And Evison said he sees no reason why the 2023 Melbourne and Caulfield Cup winner won’t be able to return to his brilliant best.

Racenet can reveal Without a Fight left Evison’s Longwarry property on Monday after heartening medical scans showed good healing and no major issues in a troublesome tendon.

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“We have various stages of their rehab and Without A Fight actually completed stage one on Monday and he has been picked up and has gone to the spelling paddock,” Evison said.

“He looks quite good on scans, so spring is still very much an option for him.

“Everything is on track for him, he still has a little way to go but compared to some of the tendons we do, his was on the milder side.

“Most of the ones we do far are more serious than his.

“He has given me no indication that he won’t be able to race in the spring.

“Some horses will heal poorly, but with him so far he’s given me a very good indication that he will be all right.”

Without A Fight could be back in business in the spring carnival, according to renowned healing guru Lee Evison. Picture: David Caird

Evison is a celebrated equine rehab master who has nursed more than 2500 horses back to full health from damaged tendons and ligaments, including dozens of Group 1 winners such as Gailo Chop and Boom Time.

Evison said Boom Time was his biggest success story as he came to him with “56 per cent legion through three zones of his tendon” before being rehabilitated and going onto win the 2017 Caulfield Cup.

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By contrast, Evison says Without A Fight only presented with 12 per cent of tendon legions when he first arrived at Evison’s property.

Without A Fight was always going to miss the 2024 autumn carnival but Evison’s assessment will give Without A Fight’s trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman reason to dare to dream of spring success.

“These horses don’t lose their ability and I see no reason why Without A Fight can’t return to his best,” Evison said.

“Our success rate is well into the 90 per cent range for horses we rehab and return to racing and win races.

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“I don’t classify a rehab as a successful rehab unless they come back and win races.

“I don’t feel any extra pressure when I get a horse like Without A Fight come into the system, because we have had plenty of big names in the past – elite Group 1-winning horses.

“It is quite a patient job with tendons, you have to get that fibre pattern starting to form in there with the density of fibres.

“Once it fills in and you get a good image on a scan, we just allow for a break after that just to allow for some maturity.”

Without A Fight and co-trainer Sam Freedman. Picture: Getty Images

Evison, a former harness racing trainer, has his first major success story in thoroughbred rehabilitation when he worked with Bashboy who hadn’t won a race at the time.

Bashboy went on to be a champion jumper, with his feats known all over the world.

Evison has nursed countless horses back to full health and he is so busy there is barely a moment to come up for air.

“It’s definitely a challenge, when you come out every morning and you have 50 lame horses,” Evison said.

“When I was training, I would rip my hair out if I had one lame horse.

“The rewards come when I watch the races and I see one of the horses I have rehabbed win a race, the trainers and the owners all text me and there is such excitement.”

Without A Fight, who hasn’t raced since his 2023 Melbourne Cup triumph, is rated $13 equal favourite to successfully defend his Melbourne Cup title in 2024.

He is $13 outright favourite to defend his Caulfield Cup crown.

Originally published as Healing guru Lee Evison gives Cups hero Without A Fight thumbs up for spring comeback