Why the last month has been so ‘emotionally taxing’ for Cup winner Mark Zahra

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This has been the spring that dreams are made of for Mark Zahra. For his family, it has been one filled with anxiety.

Zahra has spent much of the carnival wrestling with what in other sports is known as a selection dilemma. The star hoop had the headache many of his rivals wish they had for the Cups double: picking between his favourite horse, last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Gold Trip, and one of the early spring spruiks Without A Fight.

Head ruled over heart and on Tuesday Zahra became a central figure in Australian racing history, becoming only the ninth jockey in the famous race’s 163 years to go back-to-back, and the first since the great Harry White (1978-79) to do it aboard different horses.

“The last month has been so emotionally taxing on us, really emotionally taxing,” Zahra’s wife Elyse revealed moments after Without A Fight became the 12th horse to complete the Cups double, and the first since Ethereal in 2001.

Zahra was torn between two lovers in Caulfield Cup week, eventually choosing Without A Fight despite partnering Gold Trip to a slashing win in a major lead-up, th Turnbull Stakes. But the jubilation of winning the $5 million feature was followed by more angst.

In Gold Trip, Zahra knew he had a Melbourne Cup mount proven over the two miles, whereas Without A Fight had been beaten some 21 lengths last year, albeit on non-preferred wet going.

Mark Zahra greets fans after Without A Fight’s win.Credit: Joe Armao

Adding to his inner turmoil, Gold Trip is not only his favourite horse but also his family’s.

Zahra said publicly he did not make a call until after riding Gold Trip to fifth in the Cox Plate, but Elyse said he had made his mind up the night before, and would not have been swayed even if he won the weight-for-age championship.

Form analyst Mark Hunter, who played 130 games for Footscray, played a key role in steering Zahra to the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained import, who had finished strongest of the pair at Caulfield and would again get a firm track.

His family was initially sceptical of his decision, but was urged by his wife to back in their man. Even on race day, he was heckled by racegoers saying he had chosen the wrong horse – a mistake he had made earlier in the spring when he jumped off Griff, who claimed the $3 million Caulfield Guineas without him.

“People were like ‘why don’t you pick Gold Trip?’” Elyse said. “He’s the only one who has been on both horses. He knows, just back him.”

Zahra admitted sentimentality had come into the equation.

“[But] you get to a point where you got to go ‘this is my business’,” Zahra said. “I don’t just ride this horse because I love it. This is my business and I have to make a decision based on what horse I think can win.

“Melbourne Cups, I can go a few years without riding them because of my weight. If I can ride them every year, maybe I go the sentimentality.

“I just had to put everything aside and go what horse can win, no matter what he’s done for you in the past, what can win on that first Tuesday of November and I thought Without A Fight was the better choice.”

Mark Zahra gets a kiss from wife Elyse after winning the Melbourne Cup as he lifts the trophy with trainer Sam Freedman.Credit: Eddie Jim

Last year, there was little pressure on Zahra as Gold Trip was unfancied at $19, having not yet won a race in Australia. This time, expectations were higher on board one of the favourites.

“This was way more stressful, holy crap it was so stressful,” Elyse said.

Zahra rode the perfect race, settling the seven-year-old on the fence just worse of midfield behind the strong pace set by Serpentine. Reassuringly, he was tracking champion hoop Damien Oliver, who was on an outsider but still has the nous to get into the right spots.

The gaps kept appearing rounding the turn as horses in front of him peeled wide, allowing Without A Fight to make up ground without over-exerting.

Fittingly, it was when Zahra’s mount dashed past a familiar friend that he knew the race was his.

“I’ve gone from fifth-last on the fence to right behind the favourite on Vauban and Absurde, I spent no energy doing that,” Zahra said. “If I get out here it’s all over. Once Gold Trip wobbled a bit, it was game set and match.

“Once it opens up it is a great feeling.”

Gold Trip, unfortunately, pulled up lame after weakening in the straight to finish 17th, beaten more than 23 lengths – a turnaround on last year of 44 lengths, the equivalent of about 130 metres.

“You never want to see a good horse like that,” Zahra said after checking in on the horse with James McDonald.

After almost stealing the show at Caulfield, Elyse was more low-key, watching from outside the jockeys’ rooms so she could avoid the cameras.

A keen weather watcher, Elyse had prayed the night before for the rain to stay away. The first drops fell on Flemington about two hours after the Cup. By then, Zahra had already found vindication.

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