Australia: Without a Fight steps up by taking Caulfield Cup

Without a Fight won the most prestigious race of his career in Saturday’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup at Caulfield Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia, in a victory that came at quite a cost for winning jockey Mark Zahra.

Zahra was suspended seven days and fined $31,500 for excessive use of the whip. Zahra was cited for using his whip nine times in the stretch, four over the permitted limit.

Without a Fight, a 7-year-old Irish-bred gelding by Teofilo, won his third stakes of 2023 in the $3.16 million Caulfield Cup. A three-time stakes winner in Britain earlier in his career, Without a Flight won two group-level races in May and June in Australia.

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Trained by the father-son team of Anthony and Sam Freedman, Without a Fight ($18.30) closed from 11th to win the Caulfield Cup by a neck over West Wind Blows, the 7-2 favorite. West Wind Blows is trained by Simon and Ed Crisford of Britain, who previously trained Without a Fight.

Gold Trip, the winner of the Melbourne Cup last November, finished third at 5-1. Gold Trip was not a certain runner in the Caulfield Cup because of good turf, with trainers Ciaron Maher and David Eustace expressing concern before the race that the course would be firmer than Gold Trip’s liking.

Gold Trip was beaten 2 1/4 lengths in a prep for this year’s Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Nov. 7.

Sunday preview

Duchy of Cornwall won his debut in a seven-furlong maiden race in February before losing three races at longer distances in the following three months.

The losses led to a five-month vacation that ends when Duchy of Cornwall starts in a seven-furlong handicap at Wagga Wagga Racecourse on Monday evening, the venue of his maiden-race win.

Trained by Tim Donnelly, who is based at Wagga Wagga, Duchy of Cornwall is favored to beat 13 rivals in one of the biggest fields of the day. Wagga Wagga has an eight-race program that begins at 10:35 p.m. Eastern or 7:35 p.m. Pacific. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.

Duchy of Cornwall tends to run from off the pace. A 4-year-old gelding, Duchy of Cornwall drew post 10, and is likely to be urged to the front early to save some ground.

The 5-year-old mare Gravy Train Magpie looks capable of beating Duchy of Cornwall. A winner of 2 of 17 starts, Gravy Train Magpie set the pace in a handicap about 7 1/4 furlongs at Queanbeyan on Oct. 9, losing by a nose.

The slightly shorter distance at Wagga Wagga may help her chances for a third win.

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