Willie Mullins favourite beaten as Without A Fight wins Melbourne Cup

07 November 2023 , 05:14

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Mark Zahra celebrates winning the Melbourne Cup on Without A Fight (Image: AFP via Getty Images)

Willie Mullins endured more Melbourne Cup misery when hot favourite Vauban was well beaten in Australia ’s most famous horse race.

After two previous near-misses Ireland’s jumps maestro believed he had found the perfect candidate in Cheltenham Festival winner Vauban, the 2022 Triumph Hurdle hero who finished fourth in this year’s Champion Hurdle.

On the Flat he followed a handicap victory at Royal Ascot with a Group 3 success at Naas to head to Flemington unbeaten this season.

Yet though Ryan Moore had the 9-2 favourite perfectly positioned to launch a challenge at the 2f marker in the straight, Vauban could not sustain the run.

Without A Fight had finished 13th in last year’s race when trained up to by Simon and Ed Crisford and stayed in Australia to join the stable of Anthony and Sam Freedman.

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He captured Australia's other major staying prize, the Caulfield Cup, on his previous start and completed a famous double by defeating Soulcombe and Sheraz, winning by two and a quarter lengths at odds of 7-1.

Mullins’s second string, the Ebor winner Absurde, was the highest placed international runner, finishing seventh, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Okita Sushi was 11th, with Vauban 14th while Hollie Doyle, having her first ride, 15th on Future History.

Ryan Moore said: "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."

Without A Fight became the eighth winner of the Melbourne Cup for] members of the Freedman dynasty.

Vauban: finished 14th in Melbourne Cup (Getty Images for Ascot Racecourse)

Zahra had deserted the horse he rode to victory 12 months ago, Gold Trip, to stick with Without A Fight.

Zahra said: “My main worry was him pulling too hard. I got him to the fence and he went to sleep straighaway

“I was following three great jockeys, Damien Oliver, James McDonald and Ryan Moore. Even if their horse doesn’t take them as far as they think, I knew they would take me to where I needed to be in the race,.

"In Melbourne Cups it’s all about plotting the right path. I got right up behind Gold Trip and Vauban. When I knew I could get inside Gold Trip to get clear air, I thought 'I’m home here'.”

Jon Lees