Cups champ Without A Fight to return this spring, eyeing major race in 2025

Reigning Cups champion Without A Fight is expected to return to the races this spring.

The 2023 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup winner has not competed since claiming last year’s race that stops a nation due to a tendon injury sustained on that first Tuesday in November.

But the eight-year-old’s co-trainer Sam Feedman says they are targeting a race on the final day of the Flemington carnival, likely the Champions Stakes over 2000m, as this year’s Melbourne Cup is a stretch too far.

“He sustained an injury likely out of the race last year,” Freedman said on SEN Breakfast.

“It’s just taken some time. He's in full work now, and we might see him in the spring, but it won't be in a Melbourne Cup.

“It'll likely be in a race at the end of the Flemington carnival over 2000 metres.

“The workload required to get to a Melbourne Cup was going to be probably beyond what he was ready for at this stage.”

Freedman admits the setback Without A Fight endured in the lead-up to last year’s Caulfield Cup has prompted the stable to trade carefully this time around.

And it only heightens the significance of the import’s achievements on Australia shores after he made Freedman and his father Anthony Melbourne Cup-winning trainers.

“I specifically remember 12 months ago he was actually under the weather at this point,” he added.

“He he was crook and sort of fighting off a bit of a virus to get ready for the Caulfield Cup, so it was a stressful time.

“I wouldn't have imagined he would have achieved what he did given what he was going through at that point.

“He's an amazing horse to have around and probably a horse of a lifetime, so if I can get anything like him again I’d be over the moon.”

While the 2024 edition of the Melbourne Cup is out of the question, the richest handicap race in the world could certainly be an option for Without A Fight in 2025.

“Next year that'll be the goal to get him back for the Melbourne Cup,” Freedman said.

“It’s no easy feat getting them ready for those races, particularly as they get a bit older and get a few miles on the clock.

“He owes us nothing so if he's up for it, we'll go that way, if he tells us he's had enough, we'll put the cue in the rack.”

Without A Fight has 11 wins from 23 career starts to his name including four from six in Australia and two Group 1s (the Cups double).