High Drama! The 2013 Cox Plate

 
Atlantic Jewel at Caulfield before running in the Underwood Stakes  21 September 2013

The great WFA competition, the Cox Plate is to be run this Saturday, but alas super mare Atlantic Jewel will not be taking her place in the field. She has succumbed once again to a tendon injury and is to be retired.  So the highly anticipated spectacle of her and It’s A Dundeel going head to head again, will never happen.  It’s terribly disappointing that we will not see Atlantic Jewel grace the track again. There was always an added sparkle to a race day if she was running. She goes out with 10 wins from 11 starts, four Group Ones and three at Group Two level.  And of course her only loss was a narrow second to It’s A Dundeel in the Underwood Stakes on a slow track, where she certainly was far from disgraced.

I will remember with affection, and was glad to be present, the few times I witnessed the wonderful Atlantic Jewel on the racetrack. Alas her star was all too brief, but we can look forward to seeing her sons and daughters in the future.

If it’s not one thing, it’s the other!

Another dramatic event that effects the outcome of the Cox Plate is the suspension of top jockeys Glen Boss and Nick Hall for careless riding on  Caulfield Cup day. Glen Boss has been the regular rider of Puissance de Lune in all his races, so you would assume that his personal knowledge of the horse’s idiosyncrasies would boost the confidence of the average punter in betting on the horse . Ben Melham who often rides for Darren Weir will now take the ride. Who knows, a fresh jockey and new approach may succeed, as Glen Boss has not won on Puissance de Lune at his last three starts. Nick Hall was to have ridden Masked Marvel in the Cox Plate, now Michael Rodd will ride him, a second best option after Atlantic Jewel.

Despite Atlantic Jewel not contesting the Cox Plate, there is some consolation in that my other favourites It’s A Dundeel, Super Cool and Puissance de Lune are all part of the field.  It would be great if they ran the trifecta.  Of the three I reckon It’s A Dundeel has the winning edge. The little stallion has recovered from his minor setback and is primed to go, according to his trainer and jockey. Interestingly, I first saw him race on Cox Plate day last year where he ran second to Super Cool in the Mitchelton Wines Vase, which is run over the Cox Plate distance of 2040 metres. It was my first sighting of Super Cool that day too.

Last year Green Moon was the Cox Plate favourite and failed to run a place. He went on to win the Melbourne Cup as we all know, but by then he was out favour due to his Cox Plate flop, so it was a big surprise.  Green Moon is again entered in the Cox Plate this year. Lloyd Williams has entered three runners, the others being Masked Marvel and Seville, and declares Green Moon his pick of the three.

However, as it’s been raining for the past two days, with more on the way, the Moonee Valley track could well be rated on the slow side, especially as 17 races over a night and a day will be run on the track before the Cox Plate, which is scheduled as the last race at 5.40 pm.  Goodness knows what state it will be in by that time!

So who are the mudrunners? Well, Puissance de Lune has some form on slow and heavy tracks, as does Foreteller, Fiorente and of course It’s A Dundeel won the Underwood Stakes on a soft track.  The two three year olds, Long John and Shamus Award may have an advantage with their lightweight in heavy going but neither have much form in the wet, and are they good enough to beat the likes of It’s A Dundeel? We’ll see…

The other Group One race of the weekend is the Manikato Stakes on Friday night. It’s got a cracker line up that includes champion Hong Kong sprinter Lucky Nine, and Moir Stakes heroine Samaready, as well as the usual suspects Buffering, Bel Sprinter and Rebel Dane. Add smart Sydney mare Arinosa and Newmarket Handicap winner Shamexpress for extra spice and you’ve got a good race. It’s being run as the last race of the evening meeting at 10.00pm. I wonder how many punters will be around to watch it.

The Moonee Valley night and day blockbuster carnival entails eighteen races in all, eight on Friday night and ten on Cox Plate day. Both meetings have strong support cards that I’m not going to the cover, though there are some interesting Group 2 and 3 events.

I won’t be going to the Manikato Stakes meeting, as I am not fond of night racing, but I’ll be there with bells on for Cox Plate day.

As I’m posting this entry early in the week, I expect conditions to mutate over the coming days, especially if the rain keeps up.

Eclipse of the Moon – Makybe Diva Stakes Review

Foreteller returning to scale after narrowly winning the Makybe Diva Stakes

I must admit it was a kind of disappointing day at Flemington on Saturday, which coupled with the dire outcome of the Election, left me deflated at the end of the day.

Not one favourite won the entire race card, and even though I always try and get a bit of value for my bet even when betting favourites, none of my selections were in the money.

So on to my day at the races…

Through another fortunate coincidence of trains – who said Melbourne’s public transport doesn’t run on time – I arrived at the big track in time to witness the first race the Domain a sprint over 1000 metres for three year old fillies.  Metastasio was the favourite, but true to the results throughout the day, she was unplaced, and the prize money went to Miracle To Me.


Miracle To Me returns to scale after winning the Domain

Race 2 was one of the races I really wanted to see with new fave Cauthen being part of the field. Alas he was favourite, so the prevailing luck meant he finished well back, over racing at the beginning then dropping out, and has been since reported to have been suffering from the “thumps” (horse hiccups). Long John, who ran third to Cauthen in the HDF McNeil Stakes was avenged and won well from Weinholt and San Diego.

 
Cauthen on his way to the track from the mounting yard, looking bright eyed and bushy tailed.

Long John in the winners rug after his victory in the Henry Bucks Best Dressed Stakes

After that I decided to go and check out the stalls area and see Puissance de Lune. He’s easily recognised by his colour and pretty face.

He was being walked in the ring at the centre of stalls area.

Puissance de Lune in the walking ring

I saw Sea Moon there as well


Sea Moon in the walking ring

I missed seeing Race 3 the Sofitel Girls’ Day Out 2000, but heard the race broadcast over the loud speakers. It was won by second favourite Desert Jeuney

Race 4 was The Sofitel and I rather fancied Cosmic Causeway. He ran fourth and the winner was long shot Shoreham, who defeated the favourite Dany The Fox by a short margin with Garud running third.

A happy Chris Symons aboard Shoreham returning to scale after winning The Sofitel

The weather, which had been quite sunny and bright had turned into spitting rain and a cold wind swept across the course, so I sought shelter under cover to consider my selection for the next race, the Group Two Danehill Stakes. I decided to go for Gregers over Safeguard, but neither choice proved a winner. Outsider Charlie Boy won the show from Kiss A Rose and Eclair Big Bang.

Charlie Boy returning to scale after winning the Danehill Stakes

Finally it was time for the feature race, the Group One Makybe Diva Stakes. Makybe Diva’s statue overlooks the famous Flemington straight, so I thought it appropriate to photograph it.

Makybe Diva Statue

Back to the race, I took photos of the leading contenders in the mounting yard.

Manighar


Masked Marvel

Mourayan


Puissance de Lune


Ethiopia

Sea Moon

Foreteller

Mr Moet

The race resulted in Foreteller pipping Puissance de Lune at the post, winning by a half head.  As I mentioned in my previous post, Foreteller has a tendency to run under the radar and score a surprising win every so often. It was disappointing that Puissance de Lune was denied his first Group One, but his run was full of merit, and Glen Boss probably let him go too soon, leaving him ripe for the picking by the fast finishing Foreteller who lunged at the finish line to take the race.

Another photo of Foreteller returning to scale after winning the Makybe Diva Stakes

I stayed for the Bobbie Lewis Quality, a sprint over 1200 metres, and - you guessed it - it was won by outsider Speediness from Temple of Boom and Albrecht, with hot favourite Rebel Dane running fourth.


Rebel Dane in the mounting yard

Speediness (green silks) leading the field back after winning the Bobbie Lewis Quality

As the theme of the race meeting was the Sofitel Girls’ Day Out, there was a fashion show going on somewhere, which I wasn’t interested in watching, and there was face painting and pony rides for the kids.

 
Ponies proceeding trackside

I didn’t stay for the last race the Let’s Elope Stakes, so I missed seeing Commanding Jewel’s return to winning form. The pretty grey Sydney mare Catkins ran second, whom I had photographed earlier in her stall.

Catkins in her stall

What is it about Flemington that seems to favour outsiders winning and causes favourites to fail? That’s twice I’ve been to Flemington where none of the favourites have won. Perhaps it’s the big spacious track, or the lack of sharp turns. Who knows?

Next week the Group One action transfers to Sydney at Rosehill with the running of the Golden Rose. In Melbourne I’ll be attending Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes Day at Moonee Valley, where Atlantic Jewel will be making her second appearance for the spring and gunning for her ninth win in succession. She’ll either be racing in the feature race, or the Stock Stakes for mares, both of which are 1600 metre races. Her stable mate Super Cool is also nominated, so I’m looking forward to seeing him again too.