TWO GOOD! Zahra wins back-to-back Melbourne Cups on Without a Fight as three horses pull up lame
Without a Fight completed the rare Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double on Tuesday as star jockey Mark Zahra went back-to-back in the big one after…
Signoff has come fourth in the 2014 Melbourne Cup, after winner Protectionist, second placed Red Cadeaux and third placed Who Shot Thebarman.
Signoff, the impressive winner of the Lexus Stakes on Saturday ran a gallant fourth in today’s Cup.
Melbourne Cup 2014: Who won, who came last
The five-year-old gelding debuted at Terang just 11 months ago and since then has taken all before him, making his way through the grades during the off-season.
He was close up in the Herbert Power Stakes and Coongy Handicap, before taking out the Lexus on Saturday, sneaking into the field with just 51kg.
The horse spent all Sunday and Monday at Warrnambool beach in a bid to have him ready for the big race. Owner Gerry Ryan was looking for his second Melbourne Cup, after being a part of Amercain’s 2010 Cup winning campaign.
In a bid to convince Joao Moreira to ride the horse, Ryan paid for the Brazillian and his family to travel to Flemington from Hong Kong to witness the race.
After settling midfield, Moreira pulled Signoff to the outside and let him down at the 600 metres. While looking the winner at the top of the straight, he was outstayed by the placegetters in the final 200 metres.
Signoff will head to the spelling paddock now and with an extra twelve months under his belt, he should return to Flemington next year as a smarter and stronger horse.
Full Melbourne Cup finishing order:
FINISH | HORSE | JOCKEY | WEIGHT | MARGIN | START |
1 | Protectionist | Ryan Moore | 56.5 | 0 | 8 |
2 | Red Cadeaux | G Mosse | 57 | 4 | 21 |
3 | Who Shot Thebarman | G Boss | 55 | 4.5 | 21 |
4 | Signoff | J Moreira | 51 | 6 | 8 |
5 | Willing Foe | J B Mc Donald | 55 | 7 | 31 |
6 | Precedence | M Rodd | 54.5 | 8 | 81 |
7 | Araldo | D Dunn | 53 | 9.3 | 21 |
8 | Au Revoir | G Schofield | 53.5 | 10.8 | 71 |
9 | Seismos | C Newitt | 56 | 12.6 | 91 |
10 | Fawkner | Nicholas Hall | 57 | 13 | 8.5 |
11 | Opinion | T Angland | 53.5 | 15.3 | 71 |
12 | Gatewood | W Buick | 55 | 15.4 | 61 |
13 | Lucia Valentina | K Mc Evoy | 53 | 15.7 | 7 |
14 | Mutual Regard | D Oliver | 55 | 17.5 | 9 |
15 | Brambles | L Nolen | 54 | 20.8 | 81 |
16 | Unchain My Heart | D Yendall | 51.5 | 23.6 | 101 |
17 | My Ambivalent | A Atzeni | 54.5 | 24.9 | 31 |
18 | Junoob | J Bowman | 55.5 | 28.9 | 21 |
19 | Lidari | B Melham | 53.5 | 31.9 | 71 |
20 | Royal Diamond | S W Arnold | 55.5 | 47.9 | 101 |
21 | Mr O’Ceirin | C Schofield | 54 | 48.3 | 201 |
22 | Admire Rakti | Z Purton | 58.5 | 73.3 | 5.5 |
Scratched | Cavalryman | N/A | 57 | N/A | N/A |
Scratched | Sea Moon | N/A | 56.5 | N/A | N/A |
[roar_cat_gal]