[1/3] Horse Racing - Melbourne Cup - Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia - November 7, 2023 Jockey Mark Zahra reacts after riding Without A Fight to victory in race 7, the 2023 Melbourne Cup, during Melbourne Cup Day Joel Carrett/AAP Image via REUTERS Acquire Licensing RightsMELBOURNE, Nov 7 (Reuters) - Without A Fight won the 163rd running of the Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, with jockey Mark Zahra celebrating back-to-back triumphs in Australia's most prestigious race. Zahra became the first jockey to win back-to-back Melbourne Cups since Glen Boss rode Makybe Diva to a hat-trick of wins from 2003-05. Gold Trip, carrying the top weight of 58.5kg on a firm track, slumped to 17th under replacement jockey James McDonald. 'EXTRAORDINARY RIDE'Prepared by British duo Simon and Ed Crisford, Without A Fight ran 13th in last year's Melbourne Cup. Three-times Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Damien Oliver rode Alenquer to 21st in his final Melbourne Cup, the gelding cleared by stewards in the morning after reported for foot bruising.

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Persons: Mark Zahra, Joel Carrett, Zahra, Anthony, Sam Freedman, I'm, He's, Glen Boss, Maher, David Eustace, James McDonald, Simon, Ed Crisford, hinds, Anthony's, Lee Freedman, It's, it's, Chris Waller, Vauban, Ireland's Willie Mullins, Damien Oliver, Alenquer, Eustace, Kris Lees, Cleveland, Ian Ransom, Peter Rutherford Organizations: Melbourne, Flemington, REUTERS Acquire, Rights MELBOURNE, Caulfield, Stewards, Thomson Locations: Melbourne, Australia, Australia's