Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup (Group 1)

ED Crisford could only look on as he watched Without A Fight, the horse he and Simon brought out last year for the Melbourne Cup (13th), but now in the care of Anthony and Sam Freedman, run down his challenger for this year, West Wind Blows, to win the A$5 million Group 1 Caulfield Cup.

The margin between the pair of Irish-bred Teofilo geldings over the 2,400 metres was negligible with last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip two lengths further back in third. “When I saw Without A Fight coming, I knew what that horse can do,” said Ed Crisford. “Credit to both horses, it was a great battle. It was great to come down here and to finish second in the Caulfield Cup.”

Having passed a veterinarian exam the day before the race, Without A Fight came into the race off the back of a first-up sixth to Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes over 1,800 metres.

Retaining the services of Mark Zahra who had opted off Gold Trip when it was not clear if the Outstrip horse would contest Saturday’s race, Without A Fight aced the start, jumping from barrier seven to land on the rail, and on the back of the race favourite West Wind Blows, five pairs from the head of the race.

Lively tempo

Spirit Ridge set a lively tempo up front as 30 lengths covered the 18 runners with 1,000 metres to run. Jamie Spencer got West Wind Blows out of the traffic, angling out to take the final bend six-wide, two lengths from the race leader with 300 metres to run.

Hitting the front at the 200 metre mark, Spencer asked West Wind Blows for everything, which was nearly enough.

Without A Fight, who’d followed him all race, loomed up alongside, the pair finding more as they doggedly hit the line, a half-head the difference in an epic battle.

“What can I say?” said Jamie Spencer. “He did everything right. He stepped slow away which probably helped him because they went fast fractions. Won the battle, lost the war.”

The win was Zahra’s second in the race (he won in 2020 on Verry Elleegant) though overuse of the whip in the closing stages has cost him a $50,000 fine and a seven-day penalty that will see him miss the Victoria Derby. “I just found the rail and I cruised along beautifully,” said Zahra.

“The speed was very good which suited him and I thought they’d fall in a heap so I made my way to get out. Jamie Spencer, one of my best mates, he actually put a couple of lengths on me around the bend. Then when I flattened out in the straight, gee he was game. He wanted to win.”

Joseph O’Brien’s Valiant King didn’t run too badly under Jamie Kah to finish sixth, beaten five and a half lengths. His other runner Okita Soushi finished 12th.

Another chapter

Sam Freedman, who trains in partnership with his father Anthony, has added another chapter to the Freedman’s history in the race with Uncle Anthony having trained four winners of the race the last of whom was 20 years ago.

“It is a special day,” said Anthony. “Got to say a particular thank you to (owner) Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who made the call to send the horse out in the first place and he left him out here. What a call. He’s pulled the right rein. The horse is brilliant on top of the ground.”

Having first met Sheikh Obaid when he worked at Roger Varian’s yard, the synchronicity was not lost on Freedman.

“It was with a horse called Postponed, and I’m thankful to have a little bit to do with him and met him at the races going back seven years and kept up the connection. Down the line, here we are.”

Cup penalty

Without A Fight will now carry 56.5kgs having sustained a penalty out of his Caulfield Cup win.

“Without A Fight was most impressive,” Chief Handicapper David Hegansaid. “Under the genuinely testing speed of the race, producing a fast winning time of 2m26.45secs, he was simply too strong for his rivals in the finish and won coming away.

No horse hit the line any better than Without A Fight, so the performance warrants a 1kg penalty.”

JOHNNY Allen is eyeing off another Derby following the win of Sunsets in the Group 3 Neds Classic for three-year-olds over 2,000 metres at Caulfield on Saturday.

Trained by Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young, the Dundeel colt sat outside of the leader under a good hold by Allen before rolling forward from the 600 metre mark.

Leading around the bend, Sunsets showed his grit, as the odds-on favourite Riff Rock got to the girth of the $16 shot who refused to yield.

On the line, it was a nose as Sunsets saw off the American Pharoah gelding with the Frankel colt Gates claiming third.

“There was no pressure,” said Allen. “He always travelled comfortably. He gave a good kick on the corner. The runner-up was there to probably beat him in the home straight but over the last 100 (metres) he really toughed it out. Good win!”

Sunsets will now head straight to the Victoria Derby on November 4th with Trent Busuttin not concerned with the 2,500 metre Derby distance.

“He’ll definitely get further,” said Busuttin.

“This is the most relaxed colt you’ll come across. He goes to sleep in the stalls and gets here on race day and doesn’t work himself up. He brings his A-game. Don’t you love it when you’ve got a live Derby chance?”

While booked for Derby Day, Johnny Allen will sit out Cox Plate today having picked up a 10-meeting suspension on Monday at Warrnambool that sees him return on November 3rd. The suspension will cost him the ride on the Irish-bred My Oberon for Annabel Neasham with Jamie Mott now taking the ride.

THE Aidan O’Brien-trained Victoria Road will jump from barrier six in today’s Cox Plate with Blake Shinn taking the ride in the 12-horse field.

The Hong Kong galloper Romantic Warrior retains favouritism with his trainer Danny Shum looking forward to the challenge.

“If he wins, I can create history and that would have big meaning for me and the Hong Kong Jockey Club,” said Danny Shum. “There’s big pressure, but it’s motivation also.”

Pre-post markets have the Irish-bred Romantic Warrior a $3.50 favourite ahead of Alligator Blood, Militarize, Mr Brightside with Victoria Road on the fourth line of betting at $8.