Melbourne Cup winner Without A Fight, who had been preparing for a winter campaign in Brisbane, has been retired.
The Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained import won a 1500m trial at Caulfield Heath on Thursday, but the decision was made shortly after to retire the gelding.
Without A Fight etched his name into racing history with a 2023 Caulfield Cup – Melbourne Cup double. In a statement, the Freedman duo described it as a privilege to train the horse for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid Al Maktoum.
Starting his career in the UK with Simon and Ed Crisford, Without A Fight came to Australia for the 2022 Melbourne Cup, finishing 13th behind Gold Trip.
He went on to win the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup and Group 2 Q22 in 2023, capping off a successful spring campaign that included the Cups double.
After a tendon injury sidelined him for much of 2024, Without A Fight returned for a third-place finish in the Group 1 Champions Stakes at Flemington before a final race in Hong Kong, where he finished near the back in the Group 1 Hong Kong Vase (2400m).
The trial at Caulfield Heath had been in preparation for the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m), but he will now begin his retirement.
The Freedmans paid tribute to the horse: “He has been an absolute gentleman to have in the stable and will be remembered as one of the finest stayers of his generation.”
Without A Fight retires with 11 wins from 24 starts and career earnings of over $9.7 million.