Melbourne Cup fans have come back in force for the 163rd running of the “race that stops the nation” with 84,492 fans flocking to Flemington.
It’s the biggest crowd for the great race since 2017, having bounced back from last year’s record-low crowd of 73,816 with a 14.5 percent increase in attendance.
It was a big day for the concession stands particularly as the Melbourne Cup carnival had its biggest day of the year on a near-perfect day in the Victorian capital.
Coming after the carnival kicked off with Victoria Derby Day on Saturday, racing fans saved their best for the main event as Flemington let its hair down.
Here’s the best — and worst — of Melbourne Cup Day 2023.
While there was plenty of frivolity off the track, on the track it was a fascinating day.
Without A Fight took out the big race, becoming the first horse since Ethereal in 2001 to win the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double and just the 12 horse in history.
Jockey Mark Zahra also became the first since Harry White in 1978-79 to win back-to-back races on different horses — although Zahra’s 2022 mount Gold Trip was also racing in the famous race.
“Unbelievable,” Zahra said after the race.
“If I could’ve thought I’d have that run from (barrier) 16 I’d have said he was unbeatable but to the trainer’s credit, Sam and Lee and all their team, he was just an absolute gentleman today, went to the rails, switched off, I probably got to the front earlier than last year but I’d just had that soft a run.”
Zahra had ridden Without A Fight in the Caulfield Cup, despite Gold Trip also running in that race. Gold Trip had been a late entry and he decided to stay with Without A Fight.
But despite being given the chance of either horse for the Melbourne Cup, Zahra’s gamble more than paid off.
“Mark Hunter is a good friend and I rate him as one of the best judges in Australia, spoke to him at length with it and he said ‘You know, there’s not much in it, but if you can get him to settle, he’ll run it’, we went through the race, the weather forecast, the stars aligned for Gold Trip last year and they aligned for this horse this year,” Zahra said.
“I don’t get to pick the result, I have to pick them before then. Just a few things, weight and the way he won the Caulfield Cup, I was confident he’d run it out today.”
It was a tough race for Gold Trip and jockey James McDonald, finishing 17th.
Gold Trip, Right You Are, and Alenquer all pulled up lame after the race.
Right You Are sparked concerns when it was the only horse not to finish, but it was put down to the sapping heat, while Gold Trip was alright after returning to the stables.
Outside of the Melbourne Cup, it was a big day with a different jockey winning each of the 10 races, while only trainers Trent Busuttin and Natalie Young were able to double up after claiming the final race of the day.
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