Cox Plate 2020

2019 Cox Plate – Lys Gracieux overtakes Castelvecchio in the straight

Despite Covid 19 restrictions being eased in Melbourne, the Cox Plate meeting will be run without public attendance. I’d love to be there at my favourite race, but I’ll just have to watch it on television as has been the case all through the Spring Racing Carnival.

The weather is forecast to be pretty dire, so I’ll probably be glad not to put up with cold and wet conditions similar to last year’s Cox Plate.

A full field of 14 runners will be contesting the event this year and a likely winner does not stand out, though there are several with the credentials to take the prize.

The last five Cox Plates were won by a mare, admittedly the great Winx being victorious in four of them with Japanese mare Lys Gracieux winning the 2019 edition.

Four mares are part of the field this year, notably Arcadia Queen and Probabeel who are last start winners and ooze class.

Of the male contingent Kolding and Russian Camelot are of the most interest, though there are question marks over both of them. Kolding has been in great form in Sydney winning the Group 1 George Main Stakes and Group 2 Hill stakes at his last two starts. Those two victories were on good tracks and his record on soft tracks is not that good. Also, the last time he raced in Melbourne, it was reported he didn’t handle the Melbourne way of going -  anti clockwise vs clockwise as in Sydney.

Russian Camelot was being hailed as a potential champion of the Spring Racing Carnival until his defeat in the Caulfield Stakes by Arcadia Queen, so with the bubble burst at least he’ll start at longer odds. He’s also drawn the widest barrier which may be either a blessing or a curse.

There are several International runners Aspetar, Magic Wand (now scratched) and Armory who all have good form in Europe. Magic Wand ran fourth in last year’s Cox Plate and won the Mackinnon Stakes on the last day of the 2019 Spring carnival.

The oldest horse in the race is Humidor (now 8 years old) and the youngest is Jameka’s little brother Grandslam, a three year old colt who, like 2013 Cox Plate winner Shamus Award, ran third in the Caulfield Guineas at his last start.

Humidor finished a narrow second to Winx in the 2017 Cox Plate and ran third in her historic fourth in 2018. He recently won the Group 2 Feehan Stakes and  was placed behind Russian Camelot in the Underwood Stakes and ran third in the Caulfield Stakes. He loves Moonee Valley and could well spring a surprise like Fields of Omagh did in 2006.

As for Grandslam, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility that he could win as Shamus Award did in 2013.

Whatever the outcome, it will be as usual fascinating to watch.

Tonight is the Group 1  Manikato Stakes where a field of 11 will be vying for Group 1 glory in the historic sprint. Top chances are Trekking, Dirty Work, Pippie and Diamond Effort.

Oh, and it’s AFL Grand Final day on Saturday, though it is being played at night so as not to clash with the Cox Plate, and in Brisbane at the Gabba.

Invincible Winx – Cox Plate No 4

Winx on her way to winning her 4th Cox Plate

It has taken days to sort my photos of Cox Plate day, with various distractions eating into the time I had available to go through them all, edit and save them. Needless to say I have plenty of photos of Winx, some better than others.

You had to be there is a hackneyed phrase, but true in the case of the 2018 Cox Plate where a memorable moment in Australian Racing History occurred shortly after 5.00pm, with the mighty mare Winx winning her fourth Cox Plate and 29th successive win with consummate ease.

Is she the greatest ever?

As envisaged, it was a long day trackside, but certainly worth the effort of getting to Moonee Valley early and staying the course.

By the time I reached Moonee Valley at around 11.15am, the place was buzzing, but fortunately nowhere near full. My friend Rebecca had arrived somewhat earlier than myself and had staked a claim on the fence, much closer to the finishing post than we managed last year.  In fact it was an excellent spot – pretty much central to the action.

All last week I had worried about getting past security with a small step stool, which I planned to use for taking the weight off my feet and standing on for the Cox Plate, giving me an advantage over all the iPads and iPhones that hamper one’s view when Winx steps onto the track.  Security barely looked at the stool, which I had purchased on eBay and came in a handy carrying bag. In the interests of not riling other patrons, particularly some large bloke standing behind me at the fence who objected to me standing on it as it would spoil his view, I gave up on that idea.  It did come in handy as a seat, for we were obliged to stay in the same spot for over 5 hours.

Count Down 1

The first race on the program kicked off at 12.10pm and was the Inglis Banner, a race for 2 year olds over 1000 metres. The Gai Waterhouse trained filly Espaaniyah led from start to finish to win by 2 lengths from Biscara with third place getter Salome another 2 lengths behind.

Espaaniyah burns down rhe straight on her way to winning the Inglis Banner

Espaaniyah

Race 2, the Strathmore Community Bendigo Bank Handicap (955 metres) was won by Ashlor from Desert Lashes and Invincible Al.

Ashlor is about to overtake Desert Lashes

Race 3, the Group 3  Power Solutions Stakes (1600 metres) resulted in a win for Shoko who led from the start to the finish to narrowly prevail over Mamzelle Tess.

Shoko in full flight down the straight

Count Down 2

The afternoon seemed to pass very quickly as the public lawn grew more crowded and made us thankful to have secured our good spot early. 

Carlton & United Breweries has released a limited edition Carlton Draught beer can to celebrate Winx’s three Cox Plates, and at Moonee Valley they were a hot selling item, judging by the number of crushed Winx cans littering the public lawn by the end of the day.

Moving on to Race 4, the Crockett Stakes, a race for mares and fillies over 1200 metres, it was won by  Beauty, whom I saw galloping with her stablemate Sunlight at the Breakfast with the Best on Tuesday morning. She won the prize from Rainbow Girl and Illuminaire.

Beauty returns to scale after winning the Crockett Stakes

By the end of Race 4, there were still two and a half hours to go before the Cox Plate was run. It was pleasing to see Hugh Bowman guide the Chris Waller trained Charge to victory in Race 5, the Group 3 Australia Stakes.  He narrowly defeated Sunset Watch and Ringerdingding.

Charge takes charge down the straight holding off Sunset Watch

Tasmanian filly Mystic Journey whom I last saw winning at big odds on Rupert Clarke Stakes day, proved she was not a one hit wonder with a gritty win in the Group 2 Aquis Farm Fillies Classic, fighting out the finish with Fundamentalist to win by over 2 lengths with El Dorado Dreaming running third.

Mystic Journey overtakes Fundamentalist

Mystic Journey burns down the straight to the finish line

Fortunately the next two races were fairly interesting as the afternoon progressed towards the Cox Plate.

Race 7, the Group 2 Crystal Mile was won by Cliff’s Edge from Prized Icon and Duca Valentinois …

Cliff’s Edge on his way to the barriers

… and Ventura Storm won the time honoured Moonee Valley Cup, the first he has won in a long time, from Trap For Fools and Libran.

Ventura Storm and Trap For Fools fight out the finish of the Moonee Valley Cup

The 50 minute interval from the running of the Moonee Valley Cup to the Cox Plate was occupied by various entertainments, including an equestrian prancing around opposite our spot. Her mount was obviously a former racehorse, Precedence perhaps.

Equestrian

The excitement had been building since the end of Race 8, as patrons jostled for position on the public lawn, and elsewhere I assume.

The jockeys were introduced as a stage was being set up on the track for Daryl Braithwaite and band, almost directly in front of where Rebeccca and I were standing. Local jockeys, particularly Hugh Bowman were cheered, though I heard a few boos when Benbatl’s jockey Oisin Murphy was introduced.

The National Athem was sung…

… then Daryl Braithwaite took the stage to sing his iconic “The Horses”, except that he opened with a completely different song.

Daryl Braithwaite

Daryl tried to get the crowd to sing along to the set opener, but they were only waiting for “The Horses” and refused to cooperate.  Daryl, after teasing the crowd with a pretend goodbye, launched into the now traditional song with a dedication to Winx.

Everyone sang along and it was extraordinary to be in the midst of such a joyous response.

As the stage was dismantled and carted away, the Cox Plate field were parading in the mounting yard. Soon enough they were filing onto the track to make their way to the barriers. Winx’s emergence was delayed as crowd anticipation reached fever pitch, and a huge roar greeted her as she stepped onto the track.

Winx on her way to the barriers

Winx, for a change, raced midfield as her stablemate D’Argento took up the running. She was three wide until the field spread out as they raced around the back of the course, then made her move as they turned into the straight for the final time.

Cox Plate start – down the straight for the first time – D’Argento leads with Benbatl on his outside. Winx is midfield outside Savvy Coup & Avilius

The race was being promoted as a match race between local heroine Winx and Irish invader Benbatl, but as we’ve seen so many times before it was no competition, Winx sailing past Benbatl in the straight and winning by two lengths. Humidor ran third two lengths behind the leading pair. As Winx thundered down the straight, the crowd went wild and I felt the fence shake in the excitement of the moment.

“Simply the Best” blasted through the loudspeakers as Hugh Bowman paraded Winx back up the straight and it sounded perfectly apt for the occasion.

A smiling Hugh Bowman brings Winx back to scale after parading up the straight

Winx in the winners rug

Winx in a special rug created to celebrate her 4th Cox Plate

The 2018 Cox Plate  was one of the most extraordinary race meetings I had ever attended and certainly the most memorable. 

I’m thrilled that I was there to witness Winx’s historic win – the buzz has still to wear off.

Before heading home I finally visited the stalls area and Winx was in the walking ring, where a small crowd of admirers lined the fence to see her. She looked as calm and relaxed as usual, perhaps a bit tired after her effort.

Winx in the walking ring

Unfortunately Kings Will Dream was pulled up shortly after the start. He had sustained a pelvis fracture, but was subsequently taken to Ballarat Vetrinary Clinic. Last reports indicate he is recovering well.

Next Saturday is Derby Day at Flemington. It will seem like an anti climax after the thrills of Cox Plate day.

The Sun in Splendour – Caulfield Guineas Day Review

The Autumn Sun - winner of the 2018 Caulfield Guineas

Melbourne weather put on a spectacular warm and sunny day for the races on Saturday, and two races were won by horses with names reflecting the star that rules our galaxy.

Sunlight won the prize in race 3 and The Autumn Sun was the outstanding winner of the feature event, the Caulfield Guineas.

As mentioned in my previous post, it was a long day, but flashed by quite fast with plenty of racing action to stave off boredom.

I arrived at Caulfield in plenty of time for Race 1 the Debutant Stakes, where the star attraction Utzon, the pure white filly, was having her first start.

A fair crowd of interested spectators was outside her stall when I got there, but it was easy to get photos of the exceptionally pretty young thing.

Utzon in her stall being saddled up for the first race

Utzon in the pre-parade ring

Though she did not look likely to win, it didn’t help that she was stopped in her tracks when another horse careered across her path halfway down the straight, so she ended up finishing ninth.

The race was won by Champagne Boom from Biscara and Wedgetail.

Champagne Boom wins the Debutant Stakes

Utzon in action just past the the winning post

Utzon certainly stands out from the crowd with her pure white colouring and turned pink when she was hosed down after the race.  It must cost her connections  a fortune in sun screen as well as shampoo to keep her looking sparkling.

Utzon being hosed down

Fast forwarding to race 3,  the Group 3 Thoroughbred Club Stakes, it was pleasing to see speedy filly Sunlight win again, after leading from the start to the finish, despite drawing a wide gate.  She’s one tough filly having now won seven of her ten starts.  She won the Thoroughbred Club Stakes by over a length from Humma Humma, with Meryl a further length away in third place.

Sunlight returns to scale

Humma Humma returns to scale

Meryl returns to scale

The first of the Group 1 races, the Thousand Guineas was scheduled as race 6, so there were two races to watch before it ran. In race 4, the Cape Grim Beef Steaks, Queensland based filly Winter Bride registered her second win on the trot down south. scoring narrowly from Booker and Our Crown Mistress.

And in race 5, the Group 2 Schillachi Stakes, Ball of Muscle led from start to finish to win by ¾ length from Spirit of Valour with Missrock running third.

Smart Melody was the hot favourite for the Thousand Guineas, and though she raced on the speed for most of the race, she faded to finish 7th.  There was some doubt about her ability to run a solid 1600 metres, which was obviously the excuse for her failure.  Amphitrite, the eventual winner, on the other hand, came from last to first down the outside to win narrowly from 100/1 shot Fundamentalist with Seabrook a further length away running third.

Thousand Guineas just past the post – Amphitrite is the widest runner

Amphitrite on her way to the barriers

Fundamentalist on her way to the barriers

Seabrook (all four feet off the ground) on her way to the barriers

Over all, I’m really pleased with the photos I snapped last Saturday, especially those I took of horses heading for the barriers. My vantage point was the small section above the pre-parade ring , which I basically had to myself. It was however disadvantageous for getting photos of the finish, being a bit too far away from the action.

The second Group 1 to jump was the Toorak Handicap which was won by Land of Plenty, another who swooped from the back of the field to win by over a length from old trooper Hartnell and Siege of Quebec.

Just past the post in the Toorak Handicap

Land of Plenty on his way to the barriers

Hartnell returns to scale

Siege of Quebec on his way to the barriers

International invader Benbatl demonstrated that he could be the horse to test Winx’s mettle in the Cox Plate, his win in the Ladbroke Stakes causing a flutter in the hearts of Winx fans everywhere. Will he be the one that spoils her attempt at a fourth win in the famous race?  I fervently hope not.

The Chris Waller trained D’Argento and Unforgotten shared favouritism for the Ladbroke Stakes, but both finished unplaced, the firmish track being blamed for their uncharacteristic performance. Benbatl raced on the speed along with Homesman and fellow International Blair House, and fought the latter to the line to win by a whisker. Humidor came from the back of the field to score third place.

Just past the post in the Ladbroke Stakes

Benbatl on his way to the barriers

Blair House in the pre-parade ring

Humidor on his way to the barriers

D’Argento on his way to the barriers – a handsome grey!

Unforgotten on her way to the barriers

Having been at Caulfield since the first race, it was relief when the Caulfield Guineas was finally set to run. The afternoon had not been wasted as my friend Rebecca and I did manage to catch up with Chris Waller and get our Winx racebooks signed – it adds to their value should I wish to sell them (god forbid!)

Anyway, The Autumn Sun, another of Chris Waller’s stable stamped himself as a potential champion of the turf with his stunning win in the Caulfield Guineas. He raced three wide for most of the race, then overtook the leaders at the top of the straight to win by 4½ lengths from 100/1 outsider Vassilator with the filly Oohood running third.

Just past the post – James McDonald celebrates The Autumn Sun’s victory

The Autumn Sun still in full flight around the corner

Left to right – Oohood, Good ‘n’ Fast & Vassilator

The Autumn Sun returns to scale

Vassilator on his way to the barriers

Oohood on her way to the barriers

I did not stay for the final race on the program, the Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes, which was won by Yucatan from Brimham Rocks and Prince of Arran – all imports.

We did take time out to watch The Everest, run at 3.15pm, that resulted in Redzel winning it for a second time. Trapeze Artist and Osborne Bulls ran second and third.

Next Saturday is the first of the big Cups, the Caulfield Cup, which I’ll be attending of course, then it’s only a week to the Cox Plate.