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From Riff Rocket\u2019s success in the Derby to Without A Fight\u2019s triumphant Melbourne Cup victory and Imperatriz\u2019s world-class win in the Champions Sprint, Flemington\u2019s Melbourne Cup carnival delivered a host of memorable storylines on the track.<\/p>\n
Off the track, it was a carnival to remember, with 260,000 spectators enjoying the fine weather over four days of racing.<\/p>\n
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Racegoers pack the stands at Flemington for the Melbourne Cup.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n James McDonald reminded everyone why he\u2019s the country\u2019s premier jockey, winning three group 1s across the week, while Declan Bates\u2019 group 1 double on Pride Of Jenni on consecutive Saturdays deserves all the accolades it gets.<\/p>\n The Melbourne Cup was also fatality free for the third straight year after tighter safety protocols were employed by Racing Victoria and the Victoria Racing Club following the 2020 spring carnival.<\/p>\n It was also Damien Oliver\u2019s final Cup carnival. The champion hoop had three winners across Cup week, including a bold-running ride on Kalapour in the Archer Stakes to help get the horse into the Melbourne Cup.<\/p>\n Declan Bates, on Pride Of Jenni, to win the Champions Mile. Seven days earlier he led from start to finish to win the Empire Rose. He repeated the dose on Saturday. \u201cHe said, \u2018I suppose we\u2019ll adopt the same tactics\u2019 and I said I suppose you will,\u201d co-trainer Ciaron Maher said. Bates had won just one group 1 race, back in 2019, before his pair of wins in Cup week.<\/p>\n Sheraz, who ran third in the Melbourne Cup at 200-1. \u201cChris [Waller] and the team came up with the plan just to have him tucked away for as long as possible and once we produced him in the straight he let down with a nice turn of foot and stayed the trip terrifically,\u201d said jockey Beau Mertens.<\/p>\n The Maggstar, in the greys race on Melbourne Cup day for Ukrainian trainer Tetyana Furdetska, paying $26. \u201cI can\u2019t believe I\u2019m here at Flemington. I dream about Flemington all my life,\u201d said Furdestka, who has trained just 196 starters for eight career winners.<\/p>\n Daniel Stackhouse rides The Maggstar to victory on Cup Day.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n Soulcombe, who missed the start, but found the winner\u2019s back, before zigging and zagging in the straight and flashing home late to finish second to Without A Fight in the Melbourne Cup. \u201cObviously very proud of him putting on a good performance,\u201d jockey Joao Moreira said. \u201cThings didn\u2019t really go his way. Not jumping that well made it a little bit difficult for him, as well as getting into a bit of traffic at the 600, 700 metres also counted against him winning the race but I\u2019m very proud of how he ran.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201dI thought Without A Fight was the right choice \u2026 I crossed the line saying, \u2018I told you so, I picked the right horse\u2019.\u201d – Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Mark Zahra, who chose to ride Without A Fight and not last year\u2019s winner Gold Trip.<\/p>\n Mark Zahra has won back-to-back Melbourne Cups.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty Images<\/cite><\/p>\n Muramasa, winner of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes over 2600 metres on day four of Cup week. That was his third win in a row, and given he\u2019s only had 10 career starts, he looks to have plenty of upside \u2013 and is potentially a cups contender next year. \u201cI thought he was going to turn into something one day and hopefully, it is a Melbourne Cup horse,\u201d co-trainer Natalie Young said.<\/p>\nRide of the week<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Roughie of the week<\/strong><\/h3>\n
The fairytale win<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Unlucky runner<\/h3>\n
Quote of the week<\/h3>\n
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Horse to follow<\/h3>\n
Melbourne Cup week, by the numbers<\/b><\/h3>\n