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…
The 2014 Melbourne Cup was always going to inspire some love (and hate) on social media, and it was the winner, and the injured horses that proved to be the talking points for many of the punters for the race that stops a nation.
Many were very keen to see Protectionist win, but not all were quite sure of his name.
woo i picked the protectionist! #melbournecup
— Shae (@ShaePeters) November 4, 2014
Others more qualified, perhaps, were simply happy for the horse and his various stakeholders.
A brilliant, deserved Melbourne Cup victory for Protectionist & the @Ausbloodstock @Austbloodstock Team. The hard work has paid off guys!
— Daniel Moor (@daniel_moor) November 4, 2014
Phenomenal run by #Protectionist Germany now has the #WorldCup and #melbournecup
— saxon (@melsonthemove) November 4, 2014
Red Cadeaux, an entrenched crowd favourite now after the gelding’s three second places in the Melbourne Cup, also rated plenty of mentions.
Thank you Protectionist – but Red Cadeaux best horse never to win a Melbourne Cup? #Surely #SecondThreeTimes!
— Adam Spencer (@adambspencer) November 4, 2014
Ah Red Cadeaux loves finishing second, #AfterYouSir – what a gent
— Jon Ivan-Duke (@JonIvanDuke) November 4, 2014
Some even likened him to the unwanted uncle, who just keeps showing up.
Red Cadeaux wasn't even part of the Melbourne Cup. The horse just keeps showing up there now. It's sad.
— Matt Marsden (@MattKMarsden) November 4, 2014
And of course, there was the mandatory sharing the photo of the trifecta…
And those who didn’t quite win…
I decided to have 3 each way bets instead of a Trifecta….idiot. #MelbourneCup #Flemington #MelbCupCarnival pic.twitter.com/RgpyFUFZEy
— Tiffany (@Hey_Tiffany) November 4, 2014
Oh so close my trifecta picks #melbournecup pic.twitter.com/5uPVcKfViA
— Pragnesh Vaghela (@technologythree) November 4, 2014
And there was plenty of sympathy for Admire Rakti, who tragically passed away after the race.
The dialogue went in many different directions, from sympathy to outrage, and everything in between.
#RSPCA statement following deaths of Admire Rakti post #MelbourneCup and Araldo #crisis #reputation pic.twitter.com/dAK4QBQ3IA
— Justin M. (@jmorghem) November 4, 2014
More people tweeted about Admire Rakti's death than Protectionist's win – http://t.co/uYaAe0oie5 #MelbourneCup pic.twitter.com/I8SQxaDucm
— Craig Butt (@CraigDButt) November 4, 2014
And it's still okay to beat horses for entertainment? Poor Admire Rakti 🙁
— Stephanie (@luxuryonthelips) November 4, 2014
Admire Rakti is a tragedy but don't make knee jerk reactions on something you don't know a lot about. Research and understand. #melbournecup
— Dale Roberts (@ozdale) November 4, 2014
How racing fans will always remember Admire Rakti & Zac Purton winning the Caufield cup 2 weeks ago @theheraldsun pic.twitter.com/7IxI3MS9jI
— Wayne Ludbey. (@WLudbey) November 4, 2014
The VRC expresses its condolences to connections of Admire Rakti following his passing after the running of the Emirates Melbourne Cup.
— FlemingtonRacecourse (@FlemingtonVRC) November 4, 2014