2023 Melbourne Cup results: Richest handicap race draws crowds and viewers
It’s called the race that stops the nation and, true to form, all Australian eyes were fixed on the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday.
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Without A Fight has won the $8m Melbourne Cup for 2023.
And it was back-to-back Cups for jockey Mark Zahra, who steered home the seven-year-old Irish gelding for trainers Anthony and Sam Freedman.
In second place was five-year-old British gelding Soulcombe ridden by jockey Joao Moreira and trained by Chris Waller.
Rounding out the podium was Sheraz, also trained by Waller, a seven-year-old Gelding ridden by Beau Mertens. Ashrun was fourth.
Favourite Vauban finished well back, as did last year’s Cup winner Gold Trip.
An estimated 85,000 punters braved the risk of rain and an afternoon storm for the race run over 3200m at Flemington.
Fresh off his win, Zahra described Without A Fight as an “absolute gentlemen” in the post-race chat.
“I was on a horse that you can just sit on you know, he‘s got electric turn of foot and he just pulled me all the way to the line and it was all over,” he said.
“I stood up on the line and gave the two fingers for two wins.”
Trainer Sam Freedman described Without A Fight and Zahra’s race as a “freak of a ride”.
“It has been easy, the hosrse is pretty extraordinary,” he said while accepting the win.
Zahra won the Melbourne Cup just 12-months ago on Gold Trip but sensationally switched to Without A Fight who he also rode to victory in the Caulfield Cup.
Vauban, a French horse trained in Ireland by Willie Mullins, was the bookies’ choice followed by last year’s winner Gold Trip and Without a Fight.
Cleveland was withdrawn from the Cup on Tuesday Monday afternoon following advice from veterinarians, narrowing the field to 23 horses.
Alenquer, ridden by retiring three-time winner Damien Oliver, was cleared to race on Tuesday morning after reports of an 11th hour foot pain but underwent an on-course inspection prior to the race.
The winner receives the famous 18ct solid gold Hardy Brothers trophy – worth an extra $250,000 – alongside $4.4m of the prize pool.
Second place takes home $1.1m while third, fourth and fifth receive $550,000, $350,000 and $230,000 respectively.
The first Melbourne Cup was run in 1861, with 750 pounds going to the winner, and has served as host for some of the all-time greats including Phar Lap and Makybe Diva.
Originally published as 2023 Melbourne Cup results: Richest handicap race draws crowds and viewers