A Group 1 quinella for the former Darley shuttler Teofilo (IRE) in Saturday’s $5,000,000 Carlton Draught Caulfield Cup (2400m) with Without A Fight (IRE) overpowering a game West Wind Blows (IRE) in what proved another outstanding result for Yulong Stud.
Trained by Anthony and Sam Freedman, Without A Fight settled midfield on the fence under Mark Zahra, who tracked Jamie Spencer on West Wind Blows.
Both horses eased out to find clear air at the 600m, with the winner widest of all on the home turn.
Keeping up a strong gallop, Without a Fight defeated West Wind Blows by a long-head, with last year’s Melbourne Cup hero, Gold Trip FR) two lengths back in third after finishing second in the race twelve months ago.
A 7-year-old gelding, Without A Fight won three European stakes races, including the Group III John Smith's Silver Cup Stakes (14f) at York when trained by Simon and Ed Crisford, trainers of West Wind Blows.
He was left with the Freedmans after disappointing behind Gold Trip (FR) in the Melbourne Cup.
The Sheikh Mohammed Obaid homebred won his two starts in a winter campaign in Brisbane, the Group III Lord Mayors Cup (1800m) and Group II The Q22 (2200m), both at Eagle Farm.
He entered the Caulfield Cup off just one lead-up, a close-up sixth behind Alligator Blood in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 23.
“It is a special day. Got to say a particular thank you to Sheikh Mohammed Obaid, who made the call to send the horse out in the first place and he left him out here," Sam Freedman said.
“What a call. He’s pulled the right rein. The horse is brilliant on top of the ground.
“Particular thank you to Mornington Racing Club. They’ve given us access to the course proper as much as we needed.
“He went from the 1800 (metres) to the mile-and-a-half. He’s just a good horse.”
Freedman revealed that he formed a relationship with Sheikh Mohammed Obaid during the time he worked for Roger Varian in England:
“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.”
Without A Fight only secured his spot after passing a vet exam on Friday.
“They made the right call. We were never worried. I think that is the most worrying thing. As a trainer, you would never send a horse to the races that you didn’t feel was ready to go.
“This horse, we know his so well and all the staff, they work tirelessly to get these results, and so when you’ve got that nervous wait, you’re feeling for them. They’re putting in the hours, and it has been a tough enough six or twelve months.
“I’m sure the old man would be at home and getting a bit emotional.”
Without A Fight is the best of four winners from five to race for the Group III-winning Dubawi mare Khor Sheed, a 28,000 gns purchase for BBA Ireland on behalf of Yulong Stud at the 2023 Tattersalls February Sale.
Khor Sheed’s unraced daughter Sharja Princess (Invincible Spirit) is the dam of Grade II John C Mabee Stakes winner Avenue de France (Cityscape).
A half-sister to Group 1 Prix d'Ispahan winner Prince Kirk (Selkirk), Khor Sheed is a granddaughter of Group 1 winner Halo's Princess (Halo), a half-sister to the imported mare Curator (CAN).
A daughter of Assert (IRE), Curator left her mark as the dam of Group 1 SAJC South Australian Oaks and Group 1 WATC Western Australian Derby winner Voile D'Or (Dieu d'Or); Group 1 STC Mercedes Classic (Tancred Stakes) winner Curata Storm (Dieu d'Or); and Listed Gosford Belle Of The Turf Stakes winner Imperatrix (Strategic), dam of the Listed Canberra Cup winner Court Connection.
Without a Fight is the 24th Group 1 winner for Teofilo (IRE), which includes the Australian-conceived Humidor, Happy Clapper, Palentino, Kermadec, and Sonntag. Two of his imported sons, Cross Counter (IRE) and Twilight Payment (IRE), earned their Group 1s in the Melbourne Cup.
