Mark Zahra denies great mate Jamie Spencer in Caulfield Cup epic
Mark Zahra shared a touching moment with rival hoop Jamie Spencer after coming out on top in their stirring Caulfield Cup battle.
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Subplots aplenty culminated in two great mates riding desperately for a slice of $5m in the last 100m of an epic Caulfield Cup.
Local jockey Mark Zahra and Irish rider Jamie Spencer have been friends for many years, holidaying together across the European summer and taking in events such as Super Bowls in each other’s company.
But Instagram memories were ruthlessly cast aside as Zahra urged along Without A Fight while Spencer implored his mount West Wind Blows to deliver a final push to give him a first Caulfield Cup.
Zahra already had a Caulfield Cup in his trophy cabinet, courtesy of super mare Verry Elleegant, who won the race on a cold soulless day in an empty racecourse at the height of the Covid lockdowns in 2020.
Caulfield was itself back to its best as a full house roared home their favourites until Without A Fight did a shade better in the last 100m to score narrowly.
WITHOUT A FIGHT WINS THE 2023 CAULFIELD CUP! ðŸ†@FreedmanRacing@MelbRacingClubpic.twitter.com/nbeBLIik2A
— 7HorseRacing 🎠(@7horseracing) October 21, 2023
The pressure led Zahra to break the whip rules in the straight but there was no protest, confirming the Freedman family’s return to Caulfield Cup glory.
Anthony was part of the famous Freedman brothers’ operation with his siblings Lee, Michael and Richard that won four Caulfield Cups between 1992 and 2003 but shared Saturday’s triumph with his son Sam.
Without A Fight also denied his former trainers Ed and Simon Crisford their maiden Australian success.
The Crisfords brought Without A Fight to Australia for last year’s Melbourne Cup in which the stayer struggled in the wet ground before his owner Sheikh Mohammed Obaid al Maktoum decided to leave the seven-year-old with local trainers.
“What a call. He (Sheikh Obaid) pulled the right rein. The horse is brilliant on top of the ground,” Sam Freedman said.
The Crisfords ran second to Gold Trip with West Wind Blows in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes at Flemington earlier this month before finishing ahead of last year’s Melbourne Cup winner at their rematch on Saturday.
The “will or won’t he run” saga that followed Gold Trip provided plenty of discussion in the days leading up to the Caulfield Cup after trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace accepted to run the star stayer but warned they would scratch the horse if they felt the track was too firm.
Cloud cover and light winds prevented the Caulfield track from getting too hard, allowing Gold Trip to put in a mighty run under new jockey Ben Melham for third.
Zahra, who won last year’s Melbourne Cup on Gold Trip, thought the stallion might miss the Caulfield to be saved for next Saturday’s Cox Plate.
A sleepless night on Wednesday preceded worry that Racing Victoria vets would scratch Without A Fight after inspection on Thursday revealed slight concerns with the horse’s action.
“I had to give myself an uppercut, I reckon, about Thursday,’” Zahra said.
“I didn’t sleep Wednesday night just thinking about, it was like someone stealing your missus.
“Someone else getting the ride on Gold Trip, and I was just a bit shattered.”
Not even a shocking good luck kiss from an owner in the ridiculously overcrowded Caulfield mounting yard was enough for Melham to get Gold Trip over the line ahead of his lighter-weight rivals.
But Melham hailed Gold Trip’s bravery to finish third under 58.5kg.
“He was just really made to carry that weight with the frantic speed, it never let up,” Melham said.
“Whether they go to the Cox Plate or Melbourne Cup, especially the Melbourne Cup the horse couldn’t be in any better order.”
With the on-track battle done for the day Spencer and Zahra headed off for a celebratory drink.
Spencer would insist Zahra cover the bill.
But it won’t be a problem. Zahra earned $150,000 for two and a half minutes’ work.
Originally published as Mark Zahra denies great mate Jamie Spencer in Caulfield Cup epic
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