How Mark Zahra broke the Melbourne Cup and then rode his way to fabulous redemption

The history books will show Mark Zahra has joined an exclusive club as just the sixth jockey to lift back-to-back Melbourne Cups on different horses. It is, however, almost certainly true that Zahra is the only rider to have won a second Melbourne Cup 12 months on from damaging the first when using it in a refreshed state as an exceptionally valuable rugby ball.

Zahra can laugh about it now. For everyone connected with former Newmarket resident Without A Fight, there was the most enormous reason to laugh, cheer and rejoice. For the Vauban team and all those who became convinced they were destined to share one of those fabulous days you never forget, there was crushing disappointment.

To the immense credit of Rich Ricci and Willie Mullins, they were magnanimous losers. In Without A Fight, the race that continues to stop a nation had a hugely dominant winner.