Dual Melbourne Cup winner Mark Zahra’s path to glory began at Geraldton Turf Club

WA jockey Mark Zahra won his second straight Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, cementing his racing legacy that began in the Mid West. His journey to racing stardom dates back to Boxing Day, 1988 at the Geraldton Racecourse, where Zahra rode Wail Spring. After 18 races without placing, Zahra managed to pick up his first win in Geraldton. “It was on a dirt track at Geraldton – a horse called Winrosy,” Zahra said to racing.com. “It was my 19th ride and I hadn’t even managed a placing before that. “We settled midfield and I got him to the outside and he was too good.” Zahra would go on to race a total of 44 times at the Geraldton Turf Club, picking up three wins and one place. The 41-year-old has experienced the highest highs and lowest lows throughout his career, including a fall in 2008 that left him with a broken wrist and two broken bones in his lower right leg. This was in addition to watching the horse he was meant to ride, Verry Elleegant, win the 2021 Melbourne Cup from the sidelines while he was serving a three-month ban for attending a house party and breaking COVID restrictions. Zahra would go on to claim redemption in last year’s Melbourne Cup, on the back of Gold Trip. Ahead of the big race this year, Zahra made the tough call to switch over to Without A Fight, seeing immediate success with a win in the Caulfield Cup. “It was hard for me, I walked past (Gold Trip) and actually gave him a pet at the Cox Plate (10 days ago),” he said after the Caulfield Cup. “I’m glad I had all that go under the bridge beforehand and then I beat him riding the Cox Plate, but today, you know I still give him a wink but you know I’ve moved on and our sole focus was to win it again on this horse (Without A Fight).” The decision paid off big time on Tuesday, resulting in back-to-back Melbourne Cup victories. “In front of him was Gold Trip and Vauban. I thought I’d stay here. They all made their moves and it opened up for me. I was on a horse you can sit on. He’s got an electric turn of foot and he pulled me all the way to the line,” Zahra said after the win. “Giving the two fingers (signal) for two winners. I don’t know what I was thinking. Idiot.”